Teacher named awards finalist
Sally Plourde, a second-grade teacher at Congdon School in Westbrook, was among four teachers named this week as finalists from Maine for the 2012 Presidential Award for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching. The National Science Foundation will select up to one mathematics and one science winner per state to be recognized next spring in Washington, D.C.
The other four teachers are Lauree Gott, a science teacher in Veazie; Elizabeth Vickery, a kindergarten teacher in Cushing; and Karen Jagolinzer, a fifth-grade teacher in Yarmouth.
Winners of the Presidential Teaching Award receive $10,000 awards from the National Science Foundation to be used at their discretion.
Plourde has been teaching for 26 years and is nationally board certified. In the past, she has mentored student teachers from the University of Southern Maine and the University of New England. Plourde has been recognized for her outstanding work many times; she was inducted into the Unum Teachers’ Hall of Fame and is a recipient of the Catherine Sullivan Professional Service Award.
Plourde also represented her district at the Harvard Teaching for Understanding conference, and she has served on the Professional Education Review Board at the University of New England.
Woman’s club ?to hear Adams
Westbrook City Clerk Lynda Adams will speak when Westbrook Woman’s Club meets at 1 p.m. on Tuesday, Oct. 16, at Westbrook-Warren Congregational Church, 810 Main St. Light refreshments will be served following the meeting.
Seniors meal reminder
Westbrook Senior Citizens will feast on a ham dinner at noon on Monday, Oct. 15, in the Westbrook Community Center, 426 Bridge St.
The meal includes ham, macaroni and cheese, beets and a brownie with whipped topping. Easy-listening music will entertain the group.
Poitras celebrates 90th birthday
Fern (Lebel) Poitras was honored by her family on Sept. 22 to celebrate her 90th birthday. Poitras was born on Sept. 19, 1922.
She is a lifelong resident of Westbrook and was married to the late Robert J. Poitras. The party was held at the home of Robin and Kevin Walsh, her oldest granddaughter, in Gorham. The party was put on by her eight grandchildren and spouses: Kevin and Robin (Poitras) Walsh, Rick and Donna (Mitchell) Medlin, Kevin and Terry (Medlin) Parenteau, Peter and Wende (Poitras) Whitten, David and Kathy (Poitras) Usher, Mark and Roxanne (Roux) Poitras, Brendan Poitras and his partner Cortney Reagan and Bradley Poitras and his partner Elizabeth Holden.
Also in attendance were 11 of her great-grandchildren: Heather Larrivee and her partner John Trodella and their children Dominic and Parker, Megan Larrivee, Michael Walsh and his partner Chelsea Husson, Cameron Usher, Lexi Usher, Haley Poitras, Emma Poitras, Brody Poitras, Forrest Parenteau, Hunter Parenteau,Tyler Doyon, and Chris Doyon. Fern’s children Robert and Patricia Poitras, Sandra (Poitras) Rinaldi, and Rudy and Cathy Poitras also attended
“She made note that this was the first time in over a decade that she had just her whole family around her all at once to spend time and share memories,” Robin Walsh said.
Busy month ?at Walker
Walker Memorial Library, 800 Main St., is participating in both Banned Books Week and Teen Read Week in October.
Walker celebrated Banned Books Week with displays and by participating in two video projects. Patrons, board members, and staff all came together to film readings of four banned books – “Hunger Games,” “And Tango Makes Three,” “Ulysses,” and “Fahrenheit 451.”
The reading of “Hunger Games” was submitted to the ALA 50 State Salute as the Maine representative. The video can be seen by visiting http://tinyurl.com/9m6bb64 .
All four videos were submitted as part of the Banned Books Week Virtual Read-Out 2012 on YouTube. The official channel is www.youtube.com/bannedbooksweek
More than 150 videos have been submitted for this year alone. The link for Walker’s playlist is http://tinyurl.com/92tpsw8 .
Youth and Adult services both created displays and both have brought awareness of banned and challenged books to our patrons. Many patrons have asked about the displays and why books would be banned, which has led to conversations about protecting the freedom to read.
Walker’s events for Teen Read Week feature a big movie premiere of “Hunger Games” with food provided, making a keychain book charm craft, the initial meeting of a new young woman’s book group, and video games.
For more information, call Jenny Santomauro, 854-0630.
Rose and Dick Coffin of Brunswick hosted their annual anniversary lobster bake on Sept. 1 at the summer cottage of her parents, Patricia and Arthur McDermott, on Highland Lake in Falmouth. Rose McDermott once compiled the Westbrook column for the American Journal and her parents are widely known in Westbrook. Those attending included many members of the McDermott family and many friends. Pictured are Rose and Dick Coffin with James Turgeon and his mother, Pauline, of Old Orchard Beach and Cape Coral, Fla. Send questions/comments to the editors.
