Equipping Maine learners with the confidence and skills to realize their full potential
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Dear Friends & Supporters,
During this festive season of harvest, brilliant colors, and thanksgiving, we pause to marvel at the abundance that surrounds us. Throughout our organization’s long history, we have been blessed by the generous support of so many local residents and community partners. We hope that the arrival of this newsletter each month is a helpful reminder of the vital services we provide across the region. Our passionate team remains committed to offering transformational learning opportunities to the children and youth who engage in our programs. If you would like to know more about our impact or witness one of our programs in person, please do not hesitate to contact us – we are always proud to share our work. We encourage you to pass along this newsletter to friends and neighbors who might not be aware of all that we are doing to enhance our community. We appreciate your belief in our efforts to equip Maine learners with an abundance of confidence and skills. Cherish the splendor of Fall!
Peace,
Thomas McLaughlin – Executive Director |
Biddeford students have had a fun, engaging October. We had our first field trip to the UNE pool for swim & water safety instruction, which was a huge hit! We also had our Lights On Afterschool event, where parents joined us for electricity-themed games and crafts. Students created a brainstorm board of how to treat others with kindness and respect. Parents wrote and sent postcards to state legislators about the benefits of our program for their families. Our staff and students enjoyed connecting with families and learning together.
October was a month of exploration, creativity, and hands-on learning across our Portland locations. Students dove into a Nature of Numbers unit, discovering the fascinating ways mathematics appears in the natural world through patterns, shapes, counting, and problem-solving. Students also explored the principles of sound and design in an acoustic engineering unit. They experimented with how sound travels and used design thinking to test solutions. These engaging activities gave students opportunities to make discoveries, ask questions, and see the concepts come to life.
October was a busy, fun-filled month for the Saco program. We completed a mini unit on pumpkins. We have also started a longer Go2Science unit on dinosaurs, which has included learning about paleontology, fossils, and dinosaur diets. Families joined us to celebrate LightsOn Afterschool, a national event that highlights the importance of out of school time programs. Families got to see a number of student projects and also completed a series of stations about thermal energy. We appreciated having an enthusiastic crowd for our students.
In Waterboro, our STEAM unit on ancient civilizations is off to a great start. Through hands-on activities that bring history to life, students are learning how people lived, built, and created in the ancient world. We have also been excited to see new staff bring fresh ideas and energy to our student clubs. From knitting to sports, students have a wide range of opportunities to discover new passions and build new skills. We celebrate all the creativity and joyful learning that we see happening in our program each day.
Service Works efforts were widely scattered across southern Maine throughout last month. In Cumberland County, participants continued work on a mural at Portland-based Food For All, painted fences at the Maine State Society for the Protection of Animals in Windham, and supported deliveries with Furniture Friends in Westbrook. Leaves have been flying in York County. We began fall cleanup efforts with Thriving in Place in Sanford. Participants assisted with clearing trails for seasonal pony rides at the LaDawn Therapeutic Riding Center in Dayton. The crew also continued to support operations at the Saco Meal Program, Community Roots Farm, and Biddeford Community Garden.
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