School grants fund greenhouse, keyboard, makerspace

A hoop-style greenhouse will be built on the grounds of Brunswick Junior High School in September to augment the junior high school’s curriculum, including use by students for hands-on experimentation during the sixth-grade Life Cycle of a Seed Plant unit.

Funds for the project were provided by Brunswick Community Education Foundation, a local, all volunteer nonprofit organization, which recently announced its 2016 grant awards. The hoop house grant was one of 23 awarded across Brunswick’s four public schools, totaling more than $40,000 for the coming year. Proposals are solicited from Brunswick School Department employees, then evaluated on their creativity, innovation and educational impact by an independent committee of educators. Funding for the grants came from donations made during BCEF’s 2015 fund drive.

Additional grants funded in 2016 include a revolutionary instructional keyboard for the junior high music department; fiction and nonfiction texts for reading instruction at Coffin Elementary; technology to aid non-verbal students at Harriet Beecher Stowe Elementary; and a “makerspace” room in the Brunswick High School Library. To see the full list, access the BCEF website at Brunswickcef.org.

In a note to the BCEF board following the grant announcements, Coffin Principal Steve Ciembroniewicz said, “Truly amazing – I’m a bit speechless after seeing all these grant awards. … your support will be having an immediate and significant impact on the students of Brunswick.”

BCEF Board President Melissa Fochesato said, “These are ideas generated by our teachers, for our students, supported by our community.”

Dog days at Region Ten Technical

Arika Zielfelder, a recent college graduate from New Hampshire, and her dog Foxon demonstrated the ways service animals help their owners at a recent Region Ten Technical High School in-service day in Brunswick.

“There are service dogs at our sending schools,” said Health Occupations instructor Joanne McMahon. “So we are preparing for any student who might be bringing a service dog to Region Ten.”

Rick Barnaby, trainer for Canine Companions of New Hampshire, explained that students and staff should treat service dogs on duty as medical equipment, and resist the urge to pet and interact with them.

As Arika talked, Foxon rested quietly next to Arika’s wheelchair until she asked him to pick up her dropped keys. When Arika released Foxon, he bounded around the room, wagging his tail and greeting people.

Credit union establishes new scholarships

Atlantic Regional Credit Union has launched a new scholarship program to members who are graduating high school. One $7,500 scholarship, one $2,500 scholarship, one $1,000 scholarship and eight $500 scholarships will be awarded to members who are participating in an accredited two- or four-year undergraduate program.

Entrants need to submit an application, essay, letter of reference, their most recent transcript and a resume. Applications may be downloaded or picked up at any Atlantic Regional branch in Brunswick, Topsham, Freeport or Cumberland. Applications will also be available at Brunswick High School, Mt. Ararat High School, Freeport High School and Greely High School. The deadline for applications is May 6.

The Atlantic Regional Scholarship Committee will choose the $7,500, $2,500 and $1,000 scholarship winners. The eight $500 scholarships will be awarded at random from the remaining submissions.

RSU 1 kindergarten registration open

Kindergarten registration now open for the 2016-17 school year in Bath and other towns in RSU 1. Children who will be 5 years old on or before Oct. 15 will be eligible for the full-day kindergarten program.

To make an appointment for kindergarten screening and registration at Dike Newell School call Kim Burgess at 443-8285 or email kburgess@rsu1.org.

BHS grad completes dental certification

Kensley Richardson, a 2015 graduate of Brunswick High School, was one of 12 students who recently earned certificates of completion from VIP Dental Assistant Training of Maine, based at the dental practice of Dr. Brian D. Boynton in Yarmouth. The program attracts students from across the state, and was founded with the goal of helping to fill the more than 100 vacant dental assisting jobs in Maine.

Dean’s lists

Maine Maritime Academy

Alex Sharp, of Harpswell, majoring in international business and logistics

Tyer Tardiff, of West Bath, majoring in marine engineering operations

Corey Unerwood, of West Bath, majoring in marine engineering technology

University of Maine Farmington

Bath: Taylor Cipriano, Brianna Fowles, Emily Franklin, Shelby Morin, Kaitlynn Morse, Carl Suter

Brunswick: Nicholas Blasens, Amanda Boyd, Alicia Davis, William Doehring, Zoe Donovan, Connor Lynch, Destiny Merrill, Catherine Reno, Alan Smat, Katherine Warner

Harpswell: Katelyn Beedy

Topsham: Lacey Campbell, Carly Raymond, Meghan Schofield

Brunswick Junior High School students Gus Silverman and Henry Heyburn served as honorary pages at the State House in Augusta recently.