Quilt Project Covers a Patchwork of Lessons By SARAH LEVASSEUR , LMS Grade 7 Teacher Friday, November 16, 2007 Lewiston Middle School's Team 71 has been stitching together their lessons through an interdisciplinary unit that has immersed them in quilting. Teachers Pamylah Brown, Dwayne Conway, Lindsay Delorme, Howard Ellis, Sarah Levasseur and Allyson White received a Lewiston Education Fund grant to fund this quarter-long project. Students have experimented with hand stitching as well as the power of machine sewing. Students produced their own nine-patch quilt squares that are connected to other team members' squares to symbolize unity. As students were immersed in quilting throughout their subject areas, they were able to develop a deeper understanding of how their separate subjects relate and interact with each other. Students used their laptops to research the history and mechanics of the home sewing machine, inventors, quilting tools and fabrics. They also explored the history of quilting and the different types of quilt patterns that sprang up in Colonial America. Students learned about lab safety rules for science and demonstrated proper cutting techniques. In math, students worked closely with the operations of fractions, as well as geometric patterns and measurement. Historical fiction involving quilting became a basis for responding and connecting to literature in English classes. The students gained an appreciation of fabric textures, as well as an understanding of how a quilt tells a story or history, be it personal or historical. On Oct. 19, students from Leavitt Area High School joined the Lewiston Middle School students to piece together the final quilts.

Grants Fund Teachers' Quests for Student Success

By MONA ERVIN Friday, November 16, 2007

A reading project created by Giselle Cyr, a teacher at Lewiston Middle School, and a math project created by Samantha Wilson, Dennis Mancine, Linda St. Laurent, Tammy Thibodeau, Mary Rider and Elyce Reavely, teachers at Lewiston High School, have been awarded $2,500 grants - the top awards - this year from the Lewiston Education Fund.

Winners of the $1,000 grant awards are a cultural proposal by middle school teachers Dwayne Conway, Lindsay-Rae Delorme, Pamylah Brown, Sarah Levasseur, Howard Ellis and Allyson White; and a math proposal by high school teacher Judy Radigan.

The teachers were recognized at a reception in their honor on Oct. 24.

Established in 2002, the nonprofit Lewiston Education Fund backs projects and programs that expand educational opportunities, foster creativity and enhance academic excellence in Lewiston's public schools. The fund recognizes educators who provide extraordinary experiences for students, and provides an opportunity for educators to augment the curriculum with risk-taking ideas.

Cyr has proposed a new program, "The Book Café." Targeted students reading below grade level will be invited to read in the new Book Café at Lewiston Middle School from 2:15 to 3 p.m., three day a week. A literacy teacher will be available to help students select books and to lead book discussions.

The Lewiston High School group, all math teachers, will align the math curriculum to the updated Maine Learning Results and create classroom activities that focus on performance tasks, project-based learning, differentiated instruction and integrated curriculum. Math concepts will be related to career choices and will be integrated into the curriculum. In particular, activities that integrate English and math will be implemented.

"Get Connected, Stay Connected" is the project from the middle school teachers. It is an interdisciplinary unit that engaged the students in celebrating their shared cultural heritage. Students learn how quilts have traditionally represented the cultural, economic and political atmosphere of the community. Ultimately, the students created a quilt expressing cultural stories. (See story page 12)

Radigan's proposal involves rewriting the Algebra I curriculum into what is called a Layered Curriculum format, in which concepts will be organized into small units designed around student interests and learning styles.

Funds from the organization are generated from individuals, foundations, corporate tax-deductible contributions and fundraisers. A grants committee selects the winning proposals.

The next series of grant applications are now available from the Superintendent's Office, and are due back by Dec. 10. Recipients will be announced in early January.

To learn more about the Lewiston Education Fund, visit www.lewistoneducationfund.org.

Teachers Get Grants from Fund

Tuesday, November 6, 2007

LEWISTON - The Lewiston Education Fund, established in 2002, has grown over the past several years and has become a well known vehicle from which teachers can apply for grants.

The purpose of the nonprofit organization is to fund projects and programs that expand educational opportunities, foster creativity and enhance academic excellence in Lewiston's public schools.

The fund is governed by an independent board of directors of community leaders and educators. It is independent from the school committee but endorsed by it.

Funds are generated from individuals, foundations, corporate tax-deductible contributions and fundraisers.

The fund Grant Committee awards competitive grants to teachers using those funds. Grant proposals may include innovative teaching and learning projects, such as the use of technology, experience in the arts, applied learning and service learning, enrichment activities, such as school/community presentations, career learning and visiting artists and authors.

Curriculum enhancement, faculty development, school programs and extracurricular activities are other areas of consideration.

The fall 2007 grants were awarded to Lewiston educators at a reception hosted by the Grant Committee at the Lepage Conference Center.

A grant of $2,500 was awarded to Giselle Cyr of the Lewiston Middle School. The proposal is titled "The Book Café." Students reading below grade level will be invited to read in the new Book Café at Lewiston Middle School from 2:15 to 3 p.m. three days a week . A literacy teacher will be available to help students select books and to lead book discussions.

A $2,500 grant was awarded to Samantha Wilson, Dennis Mancine, Linda St. Laurent, Mary Rider and Elyce Reavely from Lewiston High School. The math teachers will align the math curriculum to the updated MLRs and create classroom activities that focus on performance tasks, project-based learning, differentiated instruction and integrated curriculum.

Math concepts will be related to career choices and will be integrated into the curriculum. In particular, activities that integrate English and math will be implemented.

A $1,000 grant was awarded to Dwayne Conway, Lindsey-Rae Delorme, Pamylah Brown, Sarah Levasseur, Howard Ellis and Allyson White from Lewiston Middle School. Their proposal is titled "Get Connected, Stay Connected."

The project is an interdisciplinary unit that will engage the students in celebrating their shared cultural heritage. Students will learn how quilts have traditionally represented the cultural, economic and political atmosphere of the community. Ultimately the students will create a block quilt expressing cultural stories.

A grant of $1,000 was awarded to Judy Radigan of Lewiston High School. Her proposal involves rewriting the Algebra I curriculum into a layered curriculum format. It will include choices for the C Layer, the B Layer and the A Layer. The concepts will be organized into small units designed around student interests and learning styles.

The newest round of grant applications is under way. The completed proposals will be due back at the Lewiston School Administrative Offices on Dec. 10. Recipients will be announced in early 2008.

Lewiston Education Fund Names Four New Members

Friday, June 29, 2007

LEWISTON - The Lewiston Education Fund recently named four community members to its board of directors. LEF is a charitable fund that connects donors to public education and programs, increasing learning opportunities for Lewiston youth and the community.

Bethany Turon currently serves as the human resources manager at the Wal-Mart Distribution Center in Lewiston. Prior to this, she served as a training manager at Wal-Mart stores in Ohio. She holds a bachelor of science in business administration for business management, a bachelor of science degree in psychology, and a master's degree in international business from the University of Florida.

Darlene Cadorette-Levesque is the director of Human Resources at White Rock Distilleries in Lewiston. Prior to that she served at Loring Job Corps Center in Limestone, which provides services to disadvantaged youth. She earned her bachelor's degree in business administration from Husson College, where she is currently enrolled in their MBA program. She continues to work with disadvantaged youth through her affiliation with the Job Corps.

Laura Davis is the vice president and co-owner of Rinck Advertising in Auburn, which she and her husband, Peter Rinck, founded in 2000. Prior to her career in marketing, Davis taught in the public school system for 12 years, eight of those at Montello School in Lewiston. She now serves on the boards of the Maine Cancer Foundation and Camp To Belong. For three years, she was a member of the L/A Arts board of directors. Davis was the lead strategist for the Blaine House Conference on Maine's Creative Economy held in Lewiston in 2004.

Michael J. McKenney, CPCU, SCLA, serves as a commercial account executive at Norton Insurance & Financial in Auburn. With more than 10 years of experience in the insurance industry, McKenney holds several advanced insurance designations. He is a graduate of the University of Southern Maine and holds a bachelor of arts degree in business administration. McKenney is a member of the Auburn-Lewiston Rotary Club and the Androscoggin County Chamber of Commerce.

Established in 2002, the Lewiston Education Fund is a nonprofit organization created to fund projects and programs that expand educational opportunities, foster creativity and enhance academic excellence in Lewiston's public schools.

LEF aims to take advantage of new creative opportunities that foster ongoing excellence in public schools that otherwise might be unaffordable. Funds are generated from individual and corporate tax-deductible contributions, as well as from foundations.

For more information, call 795-4100 or go to www.lewistoneducationfund.org.