Harpswell student to compete nationally in VFW essay contest

Emily Smith of Harpswell will compete at the national level after taking top honors statewide in the VFW’s Voice of Democracy program for her essay on the topic, “Why My Vote Matters.”

Smith and second-place winner Grace Trebilcock of Topsham were sponsored by Reverend Joseph Lamarre Memorial Post No. 2197 of the Veterans of Foreign Wars, based in Topsham. 

Local winners in VFW’s national scholastic programs were honored by the Post in  December and also included Nick Chonko of Topsham and his brother, Benjamin Chonko, who came in first and second, respectively, in the Patriot’s Pen program for junior high students. The theme for that competition was “Why I Honor the American Flag.” 

The first-place winning entries were submitted to the District 7 Mid-Coast competition, where Smith’s was judged to be the best in the region.

Smith’s entry was named top in the state in her category at an awards banquet in Bangor on Jan. 12. She will go on to compete in the national competition in Washington, D.C., in March.

In the 70-year history of the Voice of Democracy program, Smith is only the second student sponsored by Post No. 2197 to reach the state competition and the first to win.

Advertisement

Bath middle-schoolers learn from community leaders

Students from Bath Middle School and Woolwich Central School welcomed 11 local community leaders to a special Waypoint Community Panel on Jan. 22 at Bath Middle School. The event was designed to engage students from Regional School Unit 1 in civic life and help shape their understanding of the work it takes to make a community strong.

The students are all members of the Chewonki Waypoint Program, a six-year, grant-funded initiative to raise the aspirations of middle and high school students in RSU 1, based in Bath.

Students and leaders broke into small groups to get to know each other better. The students asked the adults questions and tallied points for their group by gathering data on things they share in common, such as how many have a pet, paddled a canoe or helped a family member in the past week. The community leaders also talked about their backgrounds, experience and education, in addition to their vocations and careers. 

A common theme that emerged was the commitment and affection the leaders have for their work. As Fire Deputy Chris Cummings put it, “I like to help people and that’s what my job is about … Nineteen years in, and I still feel like it’s a great job.”

Portland schools to showcase faculty talent

The music departments in the Portland Public Schools will host a Faculty Showcase at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 13, in the auditorium at Portland High School, 284 Cumberland Ave. The concert is free and open to the public, but donations will be accepted to support scholarships and enrichment programs.

Emily Smith, who was sponsored by VFW Post No. 2197 in Topsham, is the Department of Maine VFW winner for the Voice of Democracy program. Smith will go on to compete at the national level in March in Washington, D.C. Flanking Smith are Christopher Armstrong, the VFW department commander for Maine, and Robert Wallace, the national assistant adjutant general.

High school seniors Cam Ridley and Shane Merrill from Brunswick High School and Clay Munsey from Mt. Ararat High School in Topsham completely rebuilt a snowmobile engine as part of their Outdoor Powersports program at Region 10 Technical High School in Brunswick.

Maine Coast Waldorf students Grace Kessler, Aniela Holtrop, Alec Benton, Jack Byrne, Louis Walker, Isla Barmby, Lydia Sharp, Nora Goldberg-Courtney and Ruby Harrison participated in the District Instrumental Honors Festival at  Oxford Hills High School on Jan. 11 and 12, when they rehearsed with notable conductors and played in a concert.


Only subscribers are eligible to post comments. Please subscribe or login first for digital access. Here’s why.

Use the form below to reset your password. When you've submitted your account email, we will send an email with a reset code.