KENNEBUNKPORT
Learn about birds through Hog Island program
York County Audubon (YCA) is seeking an educator or community leader to participate in a one-week program on Hog Island this July.
“Sharing Nature: An Educator’s Week” will run from July 17-22. Program details and descriptions are available at hogisland.audubon.org/sharing-nature-educator-s-week.
A YCA scholarship will pay 70 percent of the recipient’s cost for tuition, room and board.
Since 1936, some of the world’s most well-known and highly respected naturalists have come to Hog Island and inspired thousands to learn about and protect birds and the environment. Roger Tory Peterson was among the first teachers on the 335-acre island. Rachel Carson described her visit to Hog Island in her landmark book “Silent Spring.” Kenn Kaufman, who was only nine when he read Peterson’s account of Hog Island, is now an international authority on birds and nature.
This Hog Island scholarship is dedicated to June Ficker, bird bander extraordinaire, who shared her love for birds with thousands of York County residents and visitors. Complete information is available at yorkcountyaudubon.org/scholarships and applications are due by March 15.

KENNEBUNK
Foundation awards grant to Habitat for Humanity
The Webhannet Charitable Foundation has awarded Habitat for Humanity’s Habitat York County with a $10,000 grant to help build two new homes in Cape Porpoise this year.
The Charitable Foundation’s mission is to provide financial assistance to qualified nonprofit organizations focused on meeting the needs of people in Southern Maine Communities. Foundation board member Luanne MacDonald proposed that the funds be awarded to the Cape Porpoise Habitat for Humanity build on behalf of local Derek Harmon and his family. Harmon worked for MacDonald in 2006, when she owned Hurricane Restaurant. “(Harmon) was a great worker, a wonderful man, and a positive role model for Hurricane and for this community, and I am delighted, to make this recommendation to help Derek and his family,” said MacDonald.
Habitat has already begun construction of the first home. The exterior walls and roof are up, and volunteers are welcomed to work at the site in the coming weeks. When the home is complete, it will be sold to the Harmon family through an affordable mortgage. Their mortgage proceeds will be used to support the construction of future Habitat homes.
Volunteers are needed to work with the ReStore team, help with special events, assist with weatherization projects, or help with the build.
For more details, call 985-4850 or email the program coordinator at program@habitatyorkcounty.org.

WELLS
Senior is recipient of Maine Principals’ Association Award
Wells High School senior Zachary Naffah has been selected to receive this school year’s Maine Principals’ Association Award, sponsored by the Maine Principals Association (MPA) in recognition of his academic achievement and citizenship.
Wells High School Principal Eileen Sheehy noted that Naffah exemplifies an outstanding school citizen and is an excellent leader in the school community.
“(Naffah) is academically focused, challenging himself with a rigorous course load,” said Sheehy. “He is a dedicated athlete (and) always willing to lend a helping hand.”
Naffah is a member of the National Honor Society, a three-season athlete, and has received many school awards including Student of the Trimester, Breakfast of Champions, and Faculty Book Awards. In addition to receiving the MPA Award, he will receive a $1,000 scholarship from the high school.

WATERVILLE
Chamber of Commerce accepting scholarship applications
The Mid-Maine Chamber of Commerce is accepting applications for its Joseph B. Ezhaya Memorial Scholarship, in the amount of $750, awarded annually for all four years of college to a recipient upon successful completion of the first semester of college with a 2.0 GPA or better. Successful candidates for this scholarship should share Ezhaya’s interest in citizenship, community service and exemplify his spirit and vitality.
To be considered, applicants must meet the following criteria:
• Be currently attending a Mid-Maine Chamber-area high school: Lawrence, Winslow, Mt. View, Waterville, Messalonskee, MCI, Erskine, Temple Academy or MeANS School;
• Maintain an academic average of a “C” or better;
• Complete a required short essay on citizenship;
• Show evidence of community service and involvement;
• Must be enrolled in an accredited New England college or university.
Please visit midmainechamber.com/cms/joseph-b-ezhaya-memorial-scholarship for more information or call the Mid-Maine Chamber of Commerce at 873-3315.
Submissions may be sent via email to kimberly@midmainechamber.com or mailed to Ezhaya Memorial Scholarship Applications, Mid-Maine Chamber of Commerce, 50 Elm St., Waterville, ME 04901.
All applications must be received by the 5 p.m. April 25 deadline.

WISCASSET
Local students picked for art and writing awards
Five Grade 7 and 8 students from Chewonki Elementary and Middle School took top honors during the Scholastic Art & Writing regional awards last week as a part of the nation’s longest-running, most prestigious recognition program for creative teens.
Nyssa Wilkinson from Bremen received a Gold Key Award for her short story “Dandelions,” while Hunter Winn of Georgetown, Huckleberry Huber-Rees of Alna, and Acadia Guilani of West Bath all received Silver Key Awards. Noah Arbuckle of Newcastle received an honorable mention, as did Wilkinson, Huber-Rees, and Winn for additional entries.
As a Gold Key winner, Wilkinson’s entry will advance to the national level where it will be considered for the highest level of awards.
Copies of the winning entries are available to read on the Chewonki website and include writing in the short fiction, poetry, flash fiction, memoir, and critical essay categories. Visit chewonki.org to access the stories.

PORTLAND & ELLSWORTH
Early childhood organizations awarded $82,000
Early childhood and leadership organizations throughout Greater Portland received a boost from the Edward H. Daveis Benevolent Fund at the Maine Community Foundation (MaineCF). Twelve organizations were awarded a total of $82,500 for projects that ranged from music classes and bereavement support to workshops with performing artists and others. Grant recipients included:
Boys and Girls Clubs of Southern Maine received $10,000 for Torch/Keystone clubs to develop leadership and decision-making skills and build a culture of community service.
Gifts of $7,500 each went to the Locker Project to provide healthy staples to families with young children through partnerships with 16 public elementary schools and nine Head Start programs; Mayo Street Arts to provide students at East End Community School with in-school performances and customized hands-on workshops with visiting performing artists; Olympia Snowe Women’s Leadership Institute to support the “My Values,” “My Voice,” and “My Vision” women’s leadership program in Cumberland County; Portland Public Library to serve youth with early literacy and experiences that inspire imagination, curiosity, awareness, and learning; Portland Stage to continue implementing the Play Me A Story (PMAS) education program and, if necessary, the virtual PMAS Living Room Series piloted during the pandemic; The Opportunity Alliance to address early childhood development in families without English speaking skills and immigrant and refugee families by fostering a more inclusive and accessible learning environment; The Telling Room for an expanded Young Writers & Leaders program to serve multilingual immigrant, refugee, and first-generation teens in Greater Portland; and United Way of Southern Maine to address the impacts of adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) on academic readiness and achievement and grow community-wide ACEs trainings.
The Center for Grieving Children received $7,000 to deliver bereavement and TLC Peer Support programs. Palaver Strings received $3,000 to provide 180 young children from low-income backgrounds access to weekly music classes. Maine Youth Court received $2,500 to relaunch as Youth-LED Justice, to empower youth in Greater Portland.
The fund recognizes the critical roles parents and early childhood education providers play to ensure a child’s readiness to enter school and the importance of youth leadership programs that help develop aspirations and abilities of youth.
Proposals for 2022 grants will be accepted beginning in August. For more information about the fund and to see all the recent grantees, visit mainecf.org.

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