Greetings, Class of ’99 — hope you’re enjoying a great summer.
We’re still looking for a volunteer to report the class news. Please contact abigail.zelz@maine.edu to write this column for the magazine.
Congratulations to Heather Letourneau Anderson, who was named Aroostook County Teacher of the Year. Heather says she knew from the time she was in eighth grade that she wanted to become a teacher. She began her career teaching kindergarten and other elementary grades in Connor, north of Caribou before becoming an English language arts and social studies teacher at Caribou Community School. She is using her year of service as County Teacher of the Year to advocate for students and her fellow teachers, especially on areas of mental health and well-being in schools. To that end, she has incorporated social-emotional learning into her curriculum as well as community service.
Ryan Bishop is senior vice president managing director at Mascoma Bank and Mascoma Community Development. He leads the lending team in the Portland office in originating and managing projects funded through various forms of tax credit financing.
Darcie Umel Fournier ’22G is superintendent of SAD 41. She previously served as the assistant superintendent of the Milo-based district.
In Caribou, Jane McCall G is superintendent of RSU 39. She began her education career as a first-grade teacher and later became a fifth-grade teacher before taking on administrative roles. Last fall, she was addressing budget issues that arose once COVID relief funds had ended.
Congratulations to Kara Hay, who received a Maryann Hartman Award in March. Kara is CEO and president of Penquis, Maine’s largest community action agency. Penquis serves more than 30,000 people each year in the areas of education, health, housing, transportation, family well-being, and financial wellness. She has been recognized for advocating for policies that improve social programs and assistance for low-income families and unhoused individuals. Kara said that for many families in Maine, finding affordable housing is the biggest challenge.
There’s more news, but we need a class correspondent to help. Please consider helping your class — contact the UMaine Alumni Association or Abigail.zelz@maine.edu to write the class column.