From left, Fiona Hopper and Bridgid Neptune were presented with the Education for Common Good Award by Doris Santoro. Contributed / Bowdoin College

Bowdoin College’s Education Department awarded Portland Public Schools Wabanaki Studies and Black History Coordinator Fiona Hopper and Indigenous Advisor Bridgid Neptune the Education for the Common Good Award. The annual community award honored their leadership in creating the new Wabanaki Studies curriculum that was integrated into Portland Public Schools pre-K through Grade 12 classrooms this academic year.

Hopper led the development of the curriculum and was advised by Neptune – a citizen of the Passamaquoddy Nation and a Portland Public School parent – as well as a team of Wabanaki advisors from the Penobscot, Passamaquoddy, Mi’kmaq, and Maliseet/Wolastoq nations. In collaboration with Portland Public School educators, students, parents and community partners, the group developed the expansive curriculum on Wabanaki Studies over the past seven years. The curriculum connects to subjects in life sciences, earth sciences and social studies. It was introduced last year at the elementary level and launched across all grades this September.

Bowdoin College’s Education for the Common Good Award recognizes recipients’ commitment to the broader community and the three core values of Bowdoin’s Education Department: be aware of the big picture; embrace theory and practice; and live in and model a spirit of inquiry. Bowdoin Professor of Education Doris Santoro presented the award to Neptune and Hopper on Oct. 17 at the Brodie Family Reception and Dinner in Brunswick.

“(Hopper) and (Neptune) in their partnership and the work that they have done with the Wabanaki communities in order to bring a high quality, truthful curriculum to the Portland Public Schools was incredibly inspiring to us,” said Santoro.

“We really like to recognize educators who have been making a long-term commitment, and we can see value of their work in the things that they build and the ways in which they’re working to sustain them. In particular, we’re really excited about the ways that (Hopper) and (Neptune) let the Wabanaki Nations lead in the development of this curriculum,” she said.

In 2001, the Wabanaki Studies Law was passed, requiring all public schools in Maine to teach students about the culture, history and government of the Wabanaki Confederacy. Hopper and Neptune hope this new Wabanaki curriculum will not only fulfil but exceed the requirements of this law, according to the press release.

“The Portland Public Schools is very proud of (Hopper) and (Neptune) for this well-deserved recognition,” said Portland Public Schools Superintendent Ryan Scallon in the press release.

“Thanks to their efforts, our district stands out as a leader in the state in creating a comprehensive preK-12 Wabanaki Studies curriculum, enabling our students to celebrate the rich history of the Wabanaki and to have a deeper understanding of the complex history of Maine and our nation, from the past to the present day,” said Scallon.