BIDDEFORD — Bill Gervais does more than teach students electrical technology at the Biddeford Regional Center of Technology; he teaches them any mechanical skill he thinks will help them in life.

“I’ve never paid a contractor to do anything, so I try to share that knowledge with the kids,” Gervais, a 52-year-old Biddeford native who now lives in Buxton with his wife and daughter, said Tuesday, sitting in his classroom. “I try to do as much as I can with the students and whether it’s electrical or not, it’s all mechanical aptitude and ability and it’s all skills they’re going to be able to use.”

More than 25 years ago, Gervais began teaching BRCOT’s electrical technology program, a program which he graduated from in 1981. He left briefly to work in the private sector but returned to the school 17 years ago and hasn’t looked back. In addition to teaching high school students, Gervais also teaches adult education courses three nights a week.

“I love what I do,” he said bluntly.

Gervais’ accomplishments as a career and technical education, or CTE, teacher recently earned him a nomination for the Maine CTE Teacher of the Year award. (Brandon Soards, who teaches design technology at the Mid-Coast School of Technology in Rockland took home the award at the annual Maine Administrators of Career and Technical Education CTE Convention in Lewiston Friday.)

One of his proudest achievements, Gervais said Tuesday, was working with the Downeast Education Construction Foundation and legislators to change state law to give high school and community college students access to free, twoyear licenses to perform electrical work in Maine; they previously had to pay a $96 fee.

“We’re trying to attract young folks to the construction related trades, and I felt that was a barrier,” he said.

Looking to the future, Gervais said he would like to work with lawmakers to present a bill that would allow high school students to earn up to 1,000 hours of work experience – edging them closer to the 8,000 needed for a journeyman electrician’s license.

In a statement released Monday about his nomination, BRCOT and Biddeford School District officials gave Gervais high praise.

“It’s a well-deserved recognition of the good work that Bill does with kids every day,” BRCOT Director Paulette Bonneau said in the statement, “and it also shines a light on the diverse and valuable program offerings at the COT.”

Gervais is the second Biddeford teacher to recently be nominated for a state award. In May, Biddeford High School English teacher Nick Wilson was named York County Teacher of the Year, making him a finalist for the Maine Teacher of the Year award.

“It’s a wonderful backto back recognition of two of the finest teachers in the state of Maine,” Superintendent Jeremy Ray said in the school district statement. “I could not be more proud of the good work our faculty and staff are doing on behalf of young people.”

For Gervais, the most rewarding aspect of his career is seeing his students succeed – both in the classroom immediately or years down the road.

For example, in an email Wednesday, Gervais said his students’ average score on last year’s National Occupational Competency Testing Institute Construction Electrician Exam exceeded the state average by 18.7 points and the national average by 19.2 points; on average, his students also scored 7.4 points higher than the average for post-secondary students, who take the same exam.

But sometimes, Gervais said Tuesday, it’s years later that he sees his students’ successes.

“I’ll see somebody drive by with their name on the van and it’s like, ‘Wow, I had him 10 years ago or 12 years ago,’” he said. “The rewarding piece is knowing that you made a difference.”

— Staff Writer Angelo J. Verzoni can be contacted at 282-1535, ext. 329 or [email protected].