The Portland Press Herald / The Maine Sunday Telegram

March 17

Briefly Greater Portland

STATEWIDE

ST. MARK'S EPISCOPAL Church of Augusta announced winners of its 2010 Photography Contest. First place was awarded to a member of the Capital Area Camera Club, William Haley of Hallowell. Second place to Gary Mann, of East Winthrop, a contractor with appreciation for historic buildings. Paula Anastasio of Augusta received third prize, and is a member of the Maine Traditional Film Photographers and the Capital Area Camera Club. Honorable mention was awarded to Angie Muhs, deputy managing editor of the Portland Press Herald. To purchase a greeting cards made from the photos for $2, or $15 for a dozen, call 662-2424.

 

THIRTEEN TEACHERS have been nominated for the 2011 Maine Teacher of the Year. The winner will be announced in September. Nominees are: Alice Barr of Yarmouth High School, William Buzza of Leavitt Area High School in Turner, Jim Fratini of Hermon Middle School, Kate Gardoqui of Noble High School in North Berwick, Tracy Gendron-Turner of Montello Elementary School in Lewiston, Amy Hediger of Poland Community School, Nancy Kane of Sanford High School, Walter LeBlanc of Westbrook High School, Shelly Moody of Williams Elementary School in Oakland, Eddy Naples of Region 9 School of Applied Technology in Mexico, Cynthia Shepley of Abraham Lincoln School in Bangor, Sandra Swan of Woodland Consolidated School and Jason Tremblay of Massabesic High School in Waterboro. For details, go to: www.maine.gov/education/toy/.

WINDHAM

REGIONAL SCHOOL UNIT 14, the Windham-Raymond School District, has launched the good-better-best food rating system in their schools. In partnership with Guiding Stars, prepared meals, snacks, salad bar and grab-and-go items will be rated based on nutritional value. This starring system is the same that can be seen on tags and signs in grocery stores throughout the Northeast.

PORTLAND

JUNIOR ACHIEVEMENT'S Fourth Annual Titan Challenge, in which students create businesses, was won by the Stags 3 team from Cheverus High Schoo in the Upper Field with each member receiving a $150 savings bond. Cheverus' Stags 1 team placed second, with a $100 savings bond. Thornton Academy's Golden Trojans 1 team placed second in the lower field division as did the Portland Bulldogs team with all team members winning a $50 savings bond.

 

THE PAUL HARRIS FELLOW was presented by Portland Rotary Club in recognition of Grace Valenzuela's contributions to the education of immigrants. She has worked 20 years as an educator with specialization in the field of English as a Second Language, billingual education, multicultural education and immigrant education. Valenzuela is director of Portland Public Schools' Multilingual and Multicultural Center, as well as a teacher of graduate courses on linguistics and cultural diversity at the University of Southern Maine.

 

THE PORTLAND ROTARY CLUB recognized Cheverus HIgh School senior Elizabeth Cook with its annual Youth Service Award. Cook, the daughter of Scarborough residents Mary and William Cook, was honored for her service activities, such as volunteering at Mercy Hospital, serving at Cheverus as a Freshman Retreat Leader, a member of the student council and a Peer Helper. Coo has been elected to the National Honor Society, is a registered Junior Maine Guide and holds a teaching position at the Maine Conservation School, the new Bryant Pond 4-H Camp and Learning Center.

CAPE ELIZABETH

THE MIDDLE SCHOOL CHESS team won the Junior High Maine State Scholastic Chess Team Championship with 17 out of 20 possible points. Top scorers included Matthew Reale-Hatem, seventh grade, Matthew Fishbein, sixth grade and Wesley Parker, fifth grade, all with perfect scores, and eighth grade students Danny Brett, Ethan Duperre and Nicholas Shedd. Also contributing were Leo Wing and Arden Wing, both in seventh grade.

FREEPORT

Freeport Middle School has joined the "Fuel Up to Play 60" program with activities for sixth grade students thanks to a $750 grant from the Maine Dairy & Nutrition Council in collaboration with the National Football League. The grant funds nutrition education and physical activities to encourage students to eat healthier and be more active. The program started in January and will run through March. Activities coordinated by school health coordinator Anne-Marie Davee, physical education teacher Joe Cormier and health educator Matthew Greear and take place for 40 minutes during Monday, Tuesday and Friday mornings.