McGlauflin graduates from Emerson College
Paige McGlauflin from Sidney recently graduated from Emerson College, in Boston, Massachusetts, receiving a BS degree in journalism.
Kuntz named to the dean’s list at Ohio Christian University Adult & Graduate Studies Program
Christopher Kuntz, of Skowhegan, has been named to the dean’s list at Ohio Christian University Adult & Graduate Studies Program, in Circleville, Ohio, for the fall semester.
Unity College reinventing how students receive first two years of college
TERRAIN uses Expeditionary Learning as its educational model. (contributed photo)
Unity College is nationally known for its experiential education, but this fall the college is taking that to the next level, by reimagining its curriculum for students in their first two years. The fall of 2019 saw the launch of a testbed for TERRAIN at Unity College, which is designed for students to develop career-focused skills beginning on day one.
TERRAIN at Unity College is a direct response to the changing demographics and needs of residential learners in the first two years of college. Nationally, roughly 30 percent of freshmen drop out after their first
year. Anxiety and depression on college campuses are on the rise, and there is an increasing demand for return on investment for students once they graduate with a four-year degree and enter the job market or pursue graduate school.
Faculty and staff spent two years developing the co-curricular activities that have become TERRAIN at Unity College, gaining insight from students on how they want to learn, as well as employers on the skills they seek in ideal employees.
TERRAIN uses Expeditionary Learning as its educational model, with innovative and integrated courses where students receive comprehensive, relevant, and outcome-based opportunities to help build or retool their knowledge and professional skills in sustainability fields.
TERRAIN brings an integrative approach to learning, allowing students to learn where they live in Living Learning Communities. Cohorts of students share academic experiences and projects in addition to social and recreational opportunities centered around a theme or real-world challenge.
Of Unity College’s incoming Flagship class of 223, 61 students are participating in this fall’s testbed, and in the fall of 2020, all incoming Unity College students will take part in TERRAIN.
“We listened to the challenges that students face in the first two years of college, to industry leaders in the green economy who hire our students, and did extensive research, which found that TERRAIN would revolutionize our curriculum and appeal to residential students who want to learn career-focused skills beginning the first day they enter Unity College,” said Unity College President Dr. Melik Peter Khoury. “TERRAIN allows students to explore a range of professional opportunities, which will help them build the foundational skills for their careers and graduate school.”
In TERRAIN, students will:
- Learn from guest speakers and field experts in the residence hall lounge while exploring ideas they’re curious about.
- Participate in multi-day excursions in locations across the state and country to put new knowledge into practice.
- Work with tutors right in the residence halls to strengthen skills and refine projects. Develop and practice leadership skills.
- Collaborate with others in the Living Learning Community to explore issues, tackle challenges, and communicate ideas across academic, professional, and social contexts.
In addition to TERRAIN’s customizable curriculum, internships, practicums, and short courses offered year-round, its four-quarter academic calendar allows students to engage in a robust residential college experience while having the flexibility for work, family commitments, and career opportunities. If a student wants to accelerate their education and earn a bachelor’s degree in fewer than four years, TERRAIN gives them that option, or if they want to participate in a more traditional college schedule they can. It also allows them to take time off for any reason, if they need to without falling behind.
“Learning those practical skills that I can apply to my major first before I settle down into a desk with a textbook was my main goal,” said Savannah Sedivy, a first-year Marine Biology major taking part in the TERRAIN testbed. “Being stuck in a general classroom, even if you’re using real-world examples, doesn’t compare to actual real-world experience. With these intertwined classes, TERRAIN has pointed me toward skills that I’ll use later in life, or even the very next day.”
For more on TERRAIN at Unity College, visit unity.edu/terrain-at-unity-college/.
New school store provides learning experience at MMS
Messalonskee Middle School students at their new store. (contributed photo)
by Mandi Favreau
The preparations started last year. Team Boothbay sold freeze pops to earn money, held a vote to choose a name, and started the work of creating a school store. The result was the Eagle’s Landing which had its official grand opening at Curriculum night a few weeks ago.
“I wanted to give my students an experience that would be engaging, beneficial and impactful,” said team Boothbay social studies teacher, Pamela Atwood. “For many, it’s a great reason to come to school.”
The store also teaches valuable economic lessons in a very real context. All of the store positions, from general manager to order clerk, were posted along with their descriptions. Students had to apply and interview for any position they were interested in. Thanks to looping on team Boothbay, Atwood was able to staff the whole store by the end of the school year.
“Currently, I have over one-third of our team of 89 directly involved in the store,” said Atwood. She holds whole class lessons about accounting and decision making and holds regular staff meetings during lunch. While the administration was involved in the decision-making process during the opening of the store, the plan is for Eagle’s Landing to be run entirely by the students with staff oversight.
The store is open before and after school each day and carries school supplies, snacks, drinks, fidgets, school logo stickers, and a few novelty items. They have recently added student-made products to their inventory to encourage entrepreneurship. They also offer gift cards that some staff members use as part of their incentive programs. Any profit that doesn’t go back into the running of the store has two possible destinations. Some of it will remain with Team Boothbay to help fund field trips or purchase academic supplies, while the students hope to donate a portion to Messalonskee Middle School’s general fund which pays for special events and items for the whole school.
“It is my hope that the store will continue to grow and eventually expand beyond the reaches of Team Boothbay,” said Atwood. “This was a great way to help students feel like a part of the MMS community and take on some ownership.”
Mckenzie graduates from basic military training
U.S. Air Force Airman 1st Class Kenneth R. Mckenzie Jr. graduated from basic military training at Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland, San Antonio, Texas.
The airman completed an intensive, eight-week program that included training in military discipline and studies, Air Force core values, physical fitness, and basic warfare principles and skills.
Airmen who complete basic training also earn four credits toward an associate in applied science degree through the Community College of the Air Force.
Mckenzie is the son of Julie A. and Kenneth R. Mckenzie, of Albion.
2019 Waterville Youth Football grades 3-4
Coaches: Left to Right – Tom Ferris, Craig McInnis, Chris Rancourt. Top Row Players: Zaiden Thoopsamoot, Charlie Ferris, Larson Ronco , Layne Ferran, Cam McInnis, Jameson Dow, Reid Morrison, Gideon McGee. Bottom Row Players: Jayden Rancourt, Isaac Gilman, Wyatt Jones, Logan Cimino, Michael Palmer, Blake Kenyon, Mason Pelletier, Quincy Nesbitt (Photo by Missy Brown/ Central Maine Photography)
Shine-On Oakland benefits school food pantries
Colby Charette with some of the food recently collected during the Shine-On Oakland Day that will go to the Oakland School Food Pantries.The Shine-On Cass Foundation again partnered with the town of Oakland’s summer festival “Oakfest,” which featured three days of community events. (Photo courtesy of Monica Charette)
by Monica Charette
Oakland’s “ShineOn Oakland Day,” on July 27, collected a bus load of donated school snacks, bringing awareness to child food insecurity and the support needed for local families through Oakland School Food Pantries. The ShineOnCass Foundation again partnered with the town of Oakland’s summer festival “Oakfest,” which featured three days of community events including an outdoor movie night, food and art vendors, local bands, a car show, triathlon and a “stuff the bus” event, where Oakfest attendees climbed aboard a school bus to donate snacks that will be distributed to local students in need this fall.
The ShineOnCass Foundation organizes a kindness event to both support local families and give children the experience of giving back to the community as part of “ShineOn Oakland” Day at Oakfest. In addition to collecting hundreds of snacks, Foundation volunteers also hosted a “Kindness Matters Bookmark Project” where kids created positive messages on bookmarks to be placed anonymously in books in local libraries to help spread kindness. For information about the Kindness Matters Bookmark Project and other ShineOnCass initiatives, visit shineoncass.org.
The ShineOnCass Foundation was created to honor the spirit, continue the work, and encourage others to live the legacy of Cassidy Charette, whose kindness and passion for others Shines On. Cassidy was a 17-year-old Messalonskee scholar and athlete, and a devoted community volunteer who died in a hayride accident in 2014. The organization’s mission is to educate, inspire and empower youth to make their world a better place through volunteer charitable activities.
2019 Waterville Youth Football
Front row, from left to right, Nevick Haywood, Justis Greene, Eli Cullen, Alyx Hardy, Brady Hawes, Logan Campbell, Felix Chapa, Emilia Coelho and Keegan Campbell. Second row, Ethan Veilleux, Bryce Doyon, Ethan Sirois, Chase Bowman, Camden Brown, Ghe Grip, Cole Tomasco, Jayden Greene and Derek Couture. Back row, coaches Shawn Forkey, Tom Hujara, Jason Greene and Isaac LeBlanc. (Photo by Missy Brown, Central Maine Photography staff)
2019 Lawrence High School boys varsity soccer
The 2019 Lawrence High School boys varsity soccer team, Front row, from left to right Colin Day, Ethan Timmins, Camron Jordan, Jake Ryder, Noah Webber, Dylan Hardenburg, Cody Dixon, Hunter Roy, Tucker Roy and Rodney Smart. Back, Bob Towne, Tyler Harris, Ben Nadeau, Nate Pierce, Gabe York, Evan Craig, Dylan Martin-Hachey, Riley Sinclair, Ryan Bourque, Braden Nadeau and Ryan Mountain. (Photo by Missy Brown, Central Maine Photography staff)
2019 Winslow Youth Football grades 1 & 2
Winslow Youth Football grades 1-2 team members are, front, from left to right, Cooper, Lucian, Braiden, Lucas, Gabe, Tucker, Keegan, Layton, Landen and William. Middle row, Eli, AJ Cooper, Caleb, Brayden, Deacon and JJ. Back row, Cameron, Chase, Kamden, Brandon, Cameron, Kevin and Jace. Coaches Mark Cotter, Bob Hafford, James Grant and Jonathan Blais. (Photo by Missy Brown, Central Maine Photography staff)