NEWSPAPERS IN EDUCATION’S SPECIAL EDITION #1
Valley Grange teams up with PCES students for NIE
By Mike Lange
Staff Writer
GUILFORD — Advertising serves many purposes from highlighting events and advocating political causes and candidates to selling products.
In fact, most ads “try to sell you something,” according to Walter Boomsma, the public relations chair of Valley Grange in North Guilford. “But when we’re advertising the Grange, we’re asking people for something.”
Observer photo/Mike Lange
GETTING CREATIVE — Designing an ad for a non-profit organization is different because you’re not selling a product. Taking the instructors word at heart are, from left, Jessie Mayberry, Hailey Cipullo and Kaitlin Cookson. For more of the PCES students hard at work, please see page 2A.
Boomsma and Jane Daniels, the School Administrative District 4 elementary art teacher, teamed up for the annual Grange Newspaper in Education (NIE) contest again this year, a program that uses students’ hand-drawn ads as a teaching tool.
Valley Grange is one of the Piscataquis Observer’s NIE partners and awards prizes for the best display ads submitted by third and fourth-graders at Piscataquis Community Elementary School. The young artists were honored at an assembly on March 21 (see front page).
So what does a typical Grange ad want from its readers? “We need donations, not just monetary, but time as well,” Boomsma told the class.
Valley Grange has donated more than 1,000 dictionaries to third-graders in SAD 4, RSU 68 and SAD 41 through its “Words for Thirds” program.
They host several public suppers each year to raise funds for charitable causes.
The Grange “Bookworms” help third-graders with their reading skills at PCES and the “blistered finger knitters” make caps and mittens for youngsters who need them in the three school districts.
“The Grange is all about community,” Boomsma said. “When you create the ad, you want to get readers interested enough to contact us. So you need to tell them what we do in your display ad. The trick is to put enough information in the ad without making it look cluttered. And always remember to include three things: our name, address and website.”
The youngsters seemed to take Boomsma’s advice to heart with many asking more questions about the Grange, what it does and who can join it.
Daniels said that she enjoys the annual NIE contest in conjunction with the Grange “because I also enjoy giving back to the community.”
What is a Zentangle?
By William Strauch
DRHS freshman
Photo courtesy of Mary Lightbody
Aleah Salsbury, DRHS senior, and William Strauch, freshman
Zentangle squares
The Zentangle method is a new and relaxing art form that anyone can try. Students at Dexter Regional High School have recently been given the assignment of creating Zentangles, which use pattern and contrast.
While making these visually appealing pieces, students are told to use black pen only, and to not erase any mistakes, but to learn to work with them. Making intricate and unique patterns is calming and enjoyable, and when finished, students are surprised to see that the little pieces of paper have turned into elegant art.
Foxcroft Academy student tech team benefits
greatly from trip to ACTEM Conference
By Fern Morrison
Foxcroft Academy junior
Foxcroft Academy’s newly-created Student Tech Team (STT) joined Ms. Mia Morrison and Mr. Andrew Wright for a trip to the annual ACTEM (Association of Computer Technology Educators of Maine) conference in Augusta. This conference brings educators together to share new technologies for use in the classroom. Foxcroft Academy’s tech team consists of Sam Keane, Fern Morrison, Robert Atherton and Andrew Romanov. Although small, the group is mighty. Each student was recruited for their unique skills and interests. Within the group there is a robotics expert, advanced Minecraft competitor and math wiz.
The conference was broken into multiple sessions. During the first block, Robert, Andrew and Mr. Wright attended a session called “What can you possibly learn from Minecraft?” This workshop, taught by Page Lenning from the Waynflete School, explored Minecraft as an educational tool. Sam and Fern used this time to explore the many vendor tables and talk with different educators from around the state. One of the many tables they explored was the Stealcase display. Stealcase is a company that manufactures innovative seating, tables, and educational devices designed for school systems. They talked to the producer of the company and even got a chance to try out some very comfortable seating.
Ms. Morrison on the previous day had presented at ACTEM’s workshops and spent her time networking with colleagues, Apple team members, and those with questions from the workshop. She was inspired with new ideas for future presentations.
During the second session, Mr. Wright, Fern and Sam attended a course titled “JAMF in the MLTI” taught by John Carr from Apple Inc. and Chris Czel from JAMF software. They learned how the JAMF system (the programs that block certain websites) works. Andrew and Robert attended a session on student tech teams and their roles in schools. This course was led by the esteemed tech team advisor Kern Kelley and his students from Sebasticook Valley Middle School. The six attendees regrouped at lunch to share their experiences.
“I came with nothing in my pockets and left with a bag full of goodies,” said Sam. This quote really summarizes the event. We arrived empty-handed and received multiple goodies including stress balls, rubber pigs, calculator rules, and candy, but most importantly we were given ideas, inspiration, and motivation. Although sessions were designed for educators, the four tech team students all agreed that attending it was very beneficial.
The conference was largely a success, and both Assistant Head of School for Academics Jon Pratt and Tech Team advisor Ms. Morrison agree that this will become an annual event for the group to attend. Along with the motivation gained from the conference, there was also a social aspect that may have been equally important. There were many companies and businesses on the cusp of the technology present at the conference, and they were all extremely accessible via time allotted by the conference. The FA tech team fully utilized this time and rubbed elbows with many innovators and high-ranking technology figures; some of the tech team members were even offered possible internships if they applied. Without a doubt this was a priceless experience for all involved and next year the administration hopes to send even more students.
Pony girls’ Senior Night uniforms raise awareness
of breast cancer
DOVER-FOXCROFT — Everyone in the Foxcroft Academy community has been touched by cancer in one way or another. This past summer, senior girls basketball captains Mackenzie Coiley and Amber Anderson had a vision — pink uniforms for the team. The pink uniforms were a dream and one Athletic Director and Assistant Head of School Tim Smith didn’t have room for in the athletics budget. But where there’s a will, there’s a way.
Photo courtesy of Foxcroft Academy
PINK PONIES — The Foxcroft Academy girls basketball team wore pink uniforms for the Senior Night game vs. Old Town this past season, trading in the team’s normal maroon and white for breast cancer awareness.
On the shoulders of a very successful summer basketball program, Foxcroft Academy girls head coach Blake Smith and assistant coach Rob Stevens transformed a dream into reality. Through their generosity, captains Coiley and Anderson and the rest of the girls varsity hoops team donned their pink uniforms at several away games in 203-14 and wore them one last time for the Senior Night game vs. Old Town High School.
“Wearing white at home games is a requirement by MPA rules,” said Smith, “but a waiver was applied for and granted for a one-time exception.” Smith continued, “Blake and Rob’s gift made this possible for the girls and Foxcroft Academy. It’s a great thing for girls and the community as we always focus on ways to give back and show support for those who support us.”
The Ponies suffered a 49-46 loss to Old Town in front of the season’s largest crowd, but it was an awareness victory for all, and one in which all participants’ demonstrated support for cancer awareness. The visiting Coyotes sported pink socks, and even the referees had pink whistles.
Each year Foxcroft Academy students initiate special programs and events with a specific purpose, such as promoting cancer awareness, supporting Womancare events working toward the end of domestic violence, volunteering at community-building Pine Tree Hospice events, coming to the aid of families in need, and much more. Whether it is through athletics, music programs, clubs, community organizations, or simple volunteering, Foxcroft Academy students have demonstrated time and again that it is important to them to give back to a community that supports them year in and year out.
OBSERVER VISIT
Observer photo/Stuart Hedstrom
On the afternoon of Wednesday, March 5, members of Tiger Cub Scout Den 3 of Pack 100 in Dover-Foxcroft visited the Piscataquis Observer office to learn about the newspaper. One of the requirements for the Tiger Cub badge is to visit a newspaper or radio or television station to learn about how the media outlet communicates with others. From left is Nathan Durgin, Brayden Hand, Jaxson Zimmerman, Cameron Pratt and Justice Gerrish.
Students contribute to development of new FA viewbook
DOVER-FOXCROFT — Foxcroft Academy has a new viewbook, thanks in large part to the efforts of many talented students. In particular, 2013 graduates Mae Vo and John You played a pivotal role in assisting the Communications and Admissions offices in the production of the new viewbook, which will be a valuable recruiting tool for Foxcroft Academy.
Vo did much of the design work, You helped with the layout and contributed several high-quality photos, and many other students (notably 2012 graduate Soki Du who captured the cover image) contributed photos.
University of Maine Cooperative Extension 4-H participates in the Piscataquis Valley Fair
DOVER-FOXCROFT — Five 4-H clubs from Piscataquis County, the Solon Pine Tree Club from Somerset County and the Morison Memorial School Kids Can Grow after-school group from Penobscot County participated in the 2014 Piscataquis Valley Fair. There were educational club exhibits, a poster contest, and over 120 individual projects entered for display. In addition to the displays, children were invited to learn about wind power by making “human powered air circulators” (also called fans), making pinwheels and generating electricity using a small windmill. They could also learn about the effects of static electricity on a variety of common powdered substances. The Adventures in Health Science-Guilford group, took blood pressures for fair-goers on Friday.
The Mid-Maine Minutemen Boys and Girls Club won first place in the club exhibit entries with their interactive shooting sports education board. Second place went to the Parkman Area Adventure Club for their mobile titled “Brainstorm”. Third place was claimed by the Adventures in Health Science — Greenville group for their poster about how to bandage a wound. Each of the clubs received a premium for their excellent work.
The theme for this year’s poster contest was “A Century of Maine 4-H.” Like the individual project entries, the posters were judged using the Danish system. In the Danish system, entries are judged against a standard, rather than against other entries. Excellent entries closest to the standard receive a blue ribbon, red ribbons represent entries that have specific errors and a white ribbon indicates that many improvements would be needed to meet the standard.
In addition to the blue, red and white ribbons, two individual project entries received purple Best In Show awards. This year those awards went to Shea-Lyn Moulton for her creative writing entry “Unsinkable” and to Tyler Libby for his display of a well-equipped backpack for hiking. Both Moulton and Libby are members of the Parkman Area Adventure Club.
In addition to the exhibition hall, 4-H is also involved in Animal Land. Some of the animals there belonged to 4-H members, who helped to care for the animals and taught the public about them. This year fair-goers could see a miniature horse, a miniature donkey, chickens and roosters along with 17 chicks that hatched out at the fair, rabbits and a pig. Pigs from the pig scramble stayed at Animal Land until their new owners were ready to take them home.
PCES STUDENTS NIE CONTEST
Observer photo/Mike Lange
LAST-MINUTE DETAILS — PCES students, from left, Hailee Hartford, Corbin Toner and Kaitlyn Sherwood get some last-minute instructors on ad design from Walter Boomsma and art teacher Jane Daniels.
Observer photo/Mike Lange
PUTTING IDEAS ON PAPER — Keeping an ad simple but attractive was one of the challenges in the NIE contest. Pictured, from left, are Mary Morin, Zoey Dow-Cookson and Sadie Davis.
Observer photo/Mike Lange
ARTISTS AT WORK — Students Steven Williams, left, and Austin McLaughlin start work on the Valley Grange display ad.
Observer photo/Mike Lange
CLOSE ATTENTION — Art students listen as Valley Grange public relations chair Walter Boomsma explains the ad design rules. Pictured, from left, are Samuel Bridges, Matthew Chadbourne and Pierce Fagan.