Staff Writer
AUGUSTA — Students from Region 2 showed their work in a State House ceremony last week.
Photo courtesy of the Department of Education
AWARDED — This group from Region 2 pauses for a snapshot with state officials at the April 15 Service Learning Awards event in Augusta. Pictured here, from left, are: Gov. John Baldacci, Region 2 Service Learning Coordinator Rainie Aucoin, Region 2 students Robbie Aucoin and Nate Goodness and Deputy Commission of Education Angela Faherty.
Area students with the Region 2 forestry class were on hand April 16 when Gov. John Baldacci presented Service Learning Awards to projects that have made a difference both in the realm of education and in their community.
“Education that combines both academics and service to the community is vitally important to Maine students today,” Baldacci said. “These students represent the future of Maine and they make the future look very bright.”
Serving Learning is “a teaching strategy that connects curriculum with community, allowing students to deepen their knowledge and develop civic engagement,” according to a press release from the Department of Education. The goal is to take teaching beyond the classroom, developing and teaching skills by tackling real-world problems and community needs.
“Service learning gets students involved in their own education,” says Glenn Nerbak, who is working the Department of Education on its Service Learning programs.
Region 2 has completed more than one service learning project, but “The Gateway Bridge Plan” was the project on display at the Hall of Flags last week. The project, completed last fall by forestry students, included trimming trees that had become a hazard near Houlton’s pedestrian bridge.
“When we did this project, we learned a lot about stuff like not dropping trees in the water because it can mess up the fish and game and all that,” explained senior Robbie Aucoin, who made the trek to Augusta. “We got to learn all the different aspects of it.”
Nick Goodness, a senior at Southern Aroostook Community School, has spent two years in the Region 2 forestry program. He said he also enjoyed the chance to share the class project in Augusta.
“It was good to meet new people and it was fun to share what we did and why we did it,” he said.
Goodness said projects like this one and the Region 2 forestry program itself have prompted him to pursue that field when he graduates from high school.
Projects like “The Gateway Bridge Plan” not only helped the community, say instructors, they help students apply classroom skills in real life.
“Serving learning isn’t just community service. It’s community service that has an academic part in it. It has to incorporate something students are doing in their classroom,” explained Rainie Aucoin, who works as both Business Technology teacher and Service Learning coordinator for Region 2.
These projects make a major impact on students, she added.
“Students take ownership in these projects for the community,” she said. “It helps them develop a great work ethic to go out into the community, get jobs and be a asset to other people.”
