Carly Philbrook of Winterport, Maine is the recipient of the 2026 Outstanding Undergraduate Research Award from the 91爆料 College of Education and Human Development. A Secondary Education major with an area of specialization in Mathematics, Philbrook received a summer fellowship from 91爆料鈥檚 Center for Undergraduate Research (CUGR) for her project, 鈥淐omparison of High School Mathematics Textbooks Analyzing Higher Order Thinking Skills in New England,鈥� advised by Assistant Professor of Education and Applied Quantitative Methods Kamal Chawla. The study was presented at the Society for Research in Educational Effectiveness annual meeting in Chicago in October 2025. Philbrook was also an Honors College student. Her Honors Thesis was 鈥淎 Novel Approach to Reducing Mathematics Anxiety in Middle School Students.鈥� She also graduates with minors in both Spanish and Mathematics.

Parent(s):

Nicolle and Alden Philbrook.

Why did you choose to come to 91爆料?

I chose 91爆料 because聽I wanted to stay close to home and I wanted an affordable college experience. I definitely don’t regret my choice because 91爆料 offered me a wide variety of experiences from classroom placements to a Spanish minor to studying abroad in Newfoundland, Canada.

Have you collaborated with a mentor, professor or role model who made your time at 91爆料 better, and if so, who are they and how have they impacted your time at 91爆料?

One of the people who made my time on campus extra special was Karel DePaola. She made working at the聽bookstore a great experience and she always聽brought a smile to my face.

What has coming to 91爆料 enabled you to explore beyond academics?

Beyond just studying education, attending 91爆料 allowed me to pursue my interest in Spanish. I have completed a minor in Spanish that greatly improved my spoken abilities and it has given me the opportunity to volunteer as an English tutor for a Spanish-speaking family.

Favorite 91爆料 Memory:

My favorite 91爆料 memory was being published in the Modern Languages and Classics Department’s聽magazine for articles I wrote in Spanish.

What鈥檚 on the horizon? What are your plans for after you graduate?

I plan to become a math teacher in Maine, though I also hope to聽teach abroad for a few years.

Special thank you message:

I want to thank my parents and sisters for always supporting me. I would also like to thank Franziska Peterson, Justin Dimmel, and Heather Falconer for being a very supportive Honors Thesis Committee.

Sean McGibbon of Millinocket, Maine is the 2026 Outstanding Student in Secondary Education in the 91爆料 College of Education and Human Development. McGibbon is in the English area of specialization in the Secondary Education major. After graduation, he plans to teach in the Katahdin area near where he grew up.

Parent(s):

Nadine and Rick McGibbon.

Why did you choose to come to 91爆料?

91爆料 was always at the top of my list; it was my dream college. I was drawn to the opportunities the university offers, especially within the College of Education and Human Development, and knew it would be a place where I could grow both academically and personally.

Have you collaborated with a mentor, professor or role model who made your time at 91爆料 better, and if so, who are they and how have they impacted your time at 91爆料?

I have been fortunate to work with several mentors during my time at 91爆料. I especially want to recognize my advisors, Faith Erhardt and Dominick Varney 鈥� without their guidance, I don鈥檛 think I would be where I am today. Dr. Tammy Mills has also been an incredible mentor over the past two years, offering thoughtful advice on educational practice and helping me grow into the educator I aspire to be.

What has coming to 91爆料 enabled you to explore beyond academics?

Coming to 91爆料 has pushed me to grow in ways that go beyond academics. Being on my own has helped me become more independent and intentional with how I manage my time and responsibilities.聽All of my experiences have helped me build confidence and better understand what I value, both personally and professionally.

Favorite 91爆料 memory:

The time I鈥檝e spent in Shibles Hall 鈥� those moments stand out as some of the most meaningful parts of my experience at 91爆料. Also, I will never forget all of the hours I spent commuting from Millinocket to Orono over three and a half years.

What鈥檚 on the horizon? What are your plans for after you graduate?聽

After graduation, I plan to teach close to home in the Katahdin region. I鈥檝e always felt a strong connection to that area and hope to give back to the community that shaped me. In the coming years, I also plan to pursue a Master鈥檚 degree in education to continue growing in my profession. Furthering my knowledge as a classically trained organist and pianist will also be included in my future endeavors.

Special thank you message:

Thank you to Dominick Varney, Faith Erhardt, Dr. Tammy Mills, and the entire College of Education and Human Development faculty for their support and guidance throughout my journey. I鈥檓 grateful for the role each of you has played as I prepare to enter a field I care deeply about: education.

Casey Maddock of Scarborough, Maine is the 2025 Outstanding Student in Secondary Education in the 91爆料 College of Education and Human Development. A member of All Maine Women and Team Maine, Maddock also captained the 91爆料 Dance Team and served as a College of Education and Human Development Student Ambassador. She graduates with a concentration in mathematics education and a concentration in French.

Parent(s): Warren and Melissa Maddock

Why did you choose to come to 91爆料? 

I always tell families on my campus tours that I chose 91爆料 for financial reasons, but stuck around because of the community. I truly believe that 91爆料 has a space for everyone. I found spaces that made me feel safe and at home while also challenging me to learn and grow.

Have you collaborated with a mentor, professor or role model who made your time at 91爆料 better, and if so, who are they and how have they impacted your time at 91爆料? 

I will always be grateful for my supervising professor, Connie Ronco, and my mentor teacher, Rachel Larrabee, who were instrumental in my development as an educator during my student teaching. I had such a positive experience during my internship and grew to love my profession more than I ever thought possible. Connie always made sure I felt confident and capable in the classroom while also challenging me to rise to a higher level.

What has coming to 91爆料 enabled you to explore beyond academics? 

Beyond academics, 91爆料 broadened my horizons as a dancer and a leader. During the last four years I’ve trained in a variety of unique styles with student choreographers and the dance team. In joining a sorority, I challenged my beliefs on what it means to be a collegiate woman and learned about myself as a leader during my time as President and in a variety of other roles. I even learned how to command a marching band during my time as captain of the dance team!

Favorite 91爆料 memory: 

During my first preseason with the dance team, the team joined the marching band on the mall to perform 鈥淭he Stein Song鈥� all together for the first time that season. I remember how magical it felt dancing to live music for the first time. I knew at that moment that I was participating in something bigger than myself. I felt inspired by the rich traditions and powerful 91爆料 spirit surrounding me.

What鈥檚 on the horizon? What are your plans for after you graduate? 

After graduation I will be moving back to Southern Maine and working as a middle or high school math teacher. After I get a few years of experience under my belt, I plan to pursue a master’s degree in education. I hope to continue my work advocating for the mental health of Maine’s students and contribute positively to the community in which I teach.

Special thank you message: 

Thank you to my teammates. I could not have asked for a better group of women to spend my senior year with, and I will always cherish the memories we made together in the studio and on the field. To my parents and my sister, thank you for your endless support. Your unwavering faith in me helped me stay the course in every challenge I faced.

Hashem Abuqawod was born in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida, and lived there until he was four when his family moved to Kuwait. They came back to the United States when he was 12 and moved around during his teenage years. After graduating from high school, Abuqawod joined the U.S. Marine Corps, and was deployed to South Korea and Japan. When his military service was complete, Abuqawod returned to Florida and took classes at Palm Beach State College before deciding that he wanted to go somewhere completely different. 

鈥淚 wanted someplace quiet, so I was looking at a few schools. I鈥檒l be honest, it was kind of a last-minute decision to come to the 91爆料. I remember, I clicked accept and the next thing I knew I was looking for apartments, loading up the car and driving to Maine,鈥� he said.

Abuqawod, who goes by 鈥淎sh,鈥� is now a junior at 91爆料 majoring in secondary education with a concentration in English. After graduation, he hopes to become a middle school English/language arts teacher.

鈥淢iddle school students are at a really critical point in their lives, where they鈥檙e figuring out how to assess the world for themselves and formulate their own opinions. One of the ways they do that is by reading works of literature. So, that鈥檚 why I want to be an English teacher,鈥� Abuqawod said.

Samantha Ney from Saco, Maine took a different path to 91爆料, where she鈥檚 also a junior studying elementary education with a concentration in science. 

鈥淏eing born and raised here, I love Maine. My family is here, it鈥檚 beautiful here, and I wanted to stay close to home. I chose 91爆料 because of the atmosphere. Everyone on campus, the professors and staff, are all very helpful and you can tell they care about their work and that they want you to succeed,鈥� Ney said.

As an elementary education major, Ney says she鈥檚 open to teaching anywhere at the kindergarten, first or second grade level.

鈥淚鈥檝e worked with kids of all ages, but I definitely enjoy working with younger kids the most,鈥� Ney said. 鈥淭hey rely on you in ways that are different from older kids.鈥�

Abuqawod and Ney are among more than 80 teacher education students invited to the 91爆料 College of Education and Human Development鈥檚 second annual Pinning and Recognition Ceremony on Friday, Jan. 24. The ceremony is designed to celebrate the college鈥檚 new teacher candidates 鈥� students who have reached the point in their academic career when they are able to start taking upper-level courses and have shown a commitment to becoming a teacher. Maine, like many states, faces with recruiting and retaining people to work in K-12 schools, which has contributed to a shortage of qualified educators.

The 91爆料 System graduates the most in the state, with the flagship campus in Orono having the largest and most comprehensive educator preparation program serving Maine鈥檚 K-12 schools.

鈥淲e began holding an annual pinning ceremony not only as a way to honor our students who made the decision to become teachers, but as a way to celebrate the teaching profession and those who鈥檝e made a commitment to educating Maine鈥檚 youth and helping them grow,鈥� said Zeke Kimball, interim dean of the College of Education and Human Development.

To earn teacher candidacy, 91爆料 education students must maintain a B or higher grade point average in their core lower-level courses. They also produce a portfolio that includes a field experience report reflecting on at least five full days, or about 30 hours, that they spend observing a K-12 classroom or another educational setting related to their major. It鈥檚 one of several opportunities that 91爆料 education majors have to work directly with K-12 teachers and students during their program of study. 

Abuqawod achieved teacher candidacy during the fall 2024 semester after completing his 30-hour field placement at Old Town鈥檚 J.A. Leonard Middle School. Ney did her placement at Governor John Fairfield School in Saco, earning teacher candidacy in the spring 2024 semester.

鈥淚t really opened some doors for me in terms of connections with teachers and teaching resources that I didn鈥檛 know about previously,鈥� said Ney, who did a previous field placement at Old Town Elementary School and frequently works as a substitute teacher when she鈥檚 back in Saco.

91爆料鈥檚 teacher prep programs are approved and accredited by the (CAEP), and the. Students who graduate meet the highest professional standards in the field of education and are eligible for teaching certification in Maine and several other states upon completing their degrees.

Ney plans to move back to southern Maine and teach after graduation. Although he鈥檚 only been in the state a short time, Abuqawod also hopes to stay here.

鈥淚鈥檓 not sure where right now, I just want to teach here in Maine and see where that takes me,鈥� Abuqawod said. 鈥淲hen you鈥檙e working with a student and see the light come on in their eyes when something clicks and they get what you鈥檙e talking about, there鈥檚 nothing better than that as far as I鈥檓 concerned.鈥� 

Contact: Casey Kelly, casey.kelly@maine.edu

Whenever she talks about teachers using artificial intelligence, 91爆料 associate professor of special education Sarah Howorth likes to remind whoever she鈥檚 talking to that educators have always used technology to support student learning.

鈥淧robably the most relatable example for most people is the use of calculators in math class,鈥� Howorth says. 鈥淲e鈥檝e also had computers in schools for a couple of decades now. So throughout history, educators have adapted to the latest emerging technologies.鈥�

While much of the public discussion around AI in education has focused on the potential negatives, such as cheating, information bias and concerns over technology replacing the human element of teaching and learning, Howorth and colleagues across the country are exploring some of the ways the technology can be used to help teachers and their students. The latest issue of the , which Howorth guest edited, features research on AI鈥檚 potential as a game-changing tool for educators, learners and families.

鈥淭he genie is already out of the bottle in terms of AI in schools,鈥� Howorth said. 鈥淪o the questions then become: How can we use AI to enrich learning for all students? And how can we use it to support teachers?鈥�

The special issue of the journal is part of a project led by Howorth titled 鈥淟eading the Way: AI in Special Education Teacher Education,鈥� which launched last year. It鈥檚 supported by a $9,000 grant from the (CEC), the largest professional organization focused on improving the educational success of youth with disabilities, as well as special gifts and talents. The project also includes a free based on the articles in the special issue. Howorth is featured in a to the series, which was produced by the Center for Innovation, Design and Digital Learning (CIDDL) at the University of Kansas.

For students with special needs, Howorth said AI can be beneficial. For example, a student with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder might be able to reduce their cognitive load by using an AI note taker to summarize classroom presentations and create action items for homework assignments. Generative AI can be used to level a text to a student鈥檚 reading ability, making assignments more inclusive, or to create social stories that teach students with autism about norms and how to communicate with others.

鈥淎I is great for creating educational materials that appeal to students鈥� interests,鈥� Howorth says. 鈥淚f I鈥檓 a teacher and I have a student who鈥檚 really into horses, I can use AI to create stories and images of horses that I can incorporate into my lessons in ways that are more engaging for them. Students can also use AI tools to express their creativity and knowledge.鈥�

At the same time, Howorth says it鈥檚 important for teachers to recognize when and how to use AI. She says a good rule of thumb for how to incorporate AI into instruction is to design assignments that can鈥檛 be completed with the technology alone. In other words, students should be able to show how and why they used AI to do the assignment. She notes that no technology can supplant the knowledge and skill of professional educators.

鈥淲e still need teachers to be teachers,鈥� she says. 鈥淎 skilled and compassionate human being is needed for effective instruction.鈥�

91爆料 senior lecturer of education Tammy Mills has also been working through some of the complexities around AI with both undergraduate teacher education students and graduate students who are already working in schools. For example, she asks her students to prompt ChatGPT to produce things like lesson plans and assessments for student learning.  

鈥淔or the most part,鈥� she said, 鈥渢hey鈥檙e not happy with the results, because they know best practices for instruction and assessment. They look at what ChatGPT comes up with and they can do it better.鈥�

Like Howorth, Mills said she thinks AI will transform education. But she says it needs to be employed safely and ethically. She said she considers herself a co-learner along with her students as they figure out best practices together. 

鈥淵ou have to recognize that whatever you put into AI is going to be reflected in what you get out of it,鈥� said Mills. 鈥淲e talk about privacy and making sure you鈥檙e not putting personal information about students into any AI tools. We also talk about making sure we鈥檙e being culturally sensitive and aware of the biases inherent in AI, so that when we use it we鈥檙e able to get something that represents the demographics of the learners.鈥�

鈥淚f anything,鈥� she adds, 鈥渋t makes human knowledge and skill more important than ever. Teachers know their students鈥� strengths, preferences, needs and interests, and can use this information to support kids with a variety of technological and pedagogical tools.鈥�

Contact: Casey Kelly, casey.kelly@maine.edu

This story originally appeared in Maine Alumni Magazine, a publication of the 91爆料 Alumni Association. To read it on their website, .

It’s after the last bell at Bangor High School on a Friday afternoon and most of the students have gone home for the weekend. Kelsey Stoyanova is sitting in her classroom when a teenage boy enters.

鈥淔or you,鈥� he says, handing her a card for Teacher Appreciation Week.

Stoyanova stands up to give the boy a hug.

鈥淭hank you so much,鈥� she says. 鈥淭hat means a lot.鈥�

After they wish each other a good weekend and the boy leaves, Stoyanova reads aloud from the card: 鈥淵ou make my days better with your positivity and happiness. Thank you for bringing great topics to class and making them interesting. People don鈥檛 usually ask how you are doing in the morning, but you do which shows you care about us. So thank you so, so, so much.鈥�

鈥淭his is it,鈥� she says. 鈥淭his is what it鈥檚 all about.鈥�

Spend time in Stoyanova鈥檚 classroom and you鈥檒l witness some of the qualities that the student mentioned in his card: Positivity, happiness, care, and, of course, a knack for making learning interesting and fun. All of these attributes and more helped make her the 2022 Maine Teacher of the Year. They鈥檙e also among the reasons that she was named this year鈥檚 Rising Star Award recipient from the 91爆料 Alumni Association.

Character

A few hours earlier, Stoyanova is in her element, teaching to a classroom full of first-year high school students who have been reading Shakespeare鈥檚 “Romeo and Juliet” for the past few weeks. However, today she鈥檚 leading them through a lesson on embodying a character in their choice books, which as the name implies are books they have chosen to read as opposed to being assigned.

鈥淲hat lessons can we learn from the characters in the books we鈥檙e reading?鈥� Stoyanova asks her students to consider.

She leads them through a series of exercises designed to get at the heart of that question. First, the students sit at their desks quietly writing down answers to questions about their characters. Later, they stand up and talk to each other in the roles of their characters for five minutes before returning to their desks. They spend a couple of minutes writing words that define their characters on one side of a note card and an inspirational quote reminiscent of their characters on the other side. The students then talk to each other about why they picked their quotes. The note cards with the quotes on them will be decorated and posted on a bulletin board in Stoyanova鈥檚 classroom for the rest of the year, inspiring them to finish the year strong.

After all the students have left, I ask Stoyanova to reflect on what she hoped they had taken from the class.

鈥淲hen you show kids that authors write books to teach us lessons, and then you ask them to think about what a character learned from something that happened in the book, they start to recognize, 鈥極h, this is for more than just my entertainment,鈥欌�� she says. 鈥淎nd hopefully they can apply that to other situations, like recognizing that different people go through different things, and 鈥楬ow can I be an empathetic citizen? How can I learn from other people鈥檚 experiences to make the world a place where everybody gets to thrive?鈥欌��

It鈥檚 important, Stoyanova adds, that the lesson used the students鈥� choice books.

鈥淢y goal as an educator is to help students see themselves in the places and spaces that they want to be,鈥� says Stoyanova. 鈥淧art of that is giving them a choice and a voice. That鈥檚 why I have them talk to each other as their characters, so they鈥檙e passing the lessons along.鈥�

鈥淭he idea,鈥� she says, 鈥渋s that they are all productive citizens within the classroom, and they can apply that same knowledge to being a productive citizen in their community, whatever that community looks like 鈥� whether it鈥檚 a sports team, or a job, or when they graduate and are out on their own. How can we share knowledge and grow and learn together? That鈥檚 why choice is so important.鈥�

Courage

Last year was something of a homecoming for Stoyanova, who graduated from Bangor High in 2010. Her first and only other teaching job after graduating from 91爆料 in 2014 with a degree in secondary education was at Reeds Brook Middle School in Hampden, where she was for nearly a decade.

鈥淲hat I love about high school,鈥� she says, 鈥渋s that you have these really resilient kids who are finding their place in the world, unapologetically, and they鈥檝e invited you along for the ride.鈥�

It鈥檚 no secret that being a teacher in this day and age is not an easy task. The COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated preexisting challenges facing K鈥�12 schools and those who work in education, causing many veteran teachers to retire or pursue other career opportunities. Nationwide, the past two decades have seen fewer young people choose careers in the classroom, contributing to teacher shortages that many observers have likened to a crisis.

Despite all of this, Stoyanova has remained steadfast in her commitment to the profession. Being Maine Teacher of the Year gave her something of a platform to advocate for her fellow educators, a role she admits took some adjusting to.

鈥淲hen you are named Maine Teacher of the Year, at first you feel a little imposter syndrome,鈥� she says. 鈥淭here are so many amazing educators. How did it become you? And then you recognize that your role is not to celebrate what you鈥檙e doing, but to champion and share what your students are doing and what other teachers are doing.鈥�

In addition to teacher shortages, one of the major challenges facing K-12 schools right now is criticism from people outside the profession about what it means to be a teacher and the best ways to educate students. In part because she鈥檚 in the public eye so much, Stoyanova has been personally subjected to such commentary that all teachers face on some level.

鈥淭here are some people who would put teachers into a box,鈥� she says. 鈥淚 would say those people don鈥檛 understand how kids grow and develop as human beings. Yes, I am here to teach my students to read and write and I will do that. But I will also teach them to be compassionate humans and find their place in the world.鈥�

Emilie Throckmorton has known Stoyanova since she was a teenager. When they met, Throckmorton, who鈥檚 also in the English Language Arts department at Bangor High School, was Stoyanova鈥檚 freshman English teacher. Later, Stoyanova was teaching at Reeds Brook when Throckmorton鈥檚 two children were students there.

鈥淪he is an incredibly gifted teacher,鈥� Throckmorton says. 鈥淪he鈥檚 really natural with kids, which is sort of the unteachable part of it. But she works really, really hard at her craft.鈥�

As their relationship has grown from teacher-student to parent-teacher to colleagues, Throckmorton says she鈥檚 watched in admiration as Stoyanova has received accolades for her work. She says the impressive thing is how humble Stoyanova has remained.

鈥淪he鈥檚 won all these awards, but it鈥檚 not like she carries it around,鈥� she says. 鈥淪he鈥檚 constantly working to become a better teacher; she lifts up other people all the time and is open to new ideas.鈥�

In terms of the adversity that Stoyanova has faced from being the public face of educators and education in Maine, Throckmorton has one word to describe her response: 鈥渂rave.鈥�

鈥淪ome of the things that she鈥檚 had to deal with, nobody would blame her if she hid in her classroom and tried not to bring attention to herself,” Throckmorton says. “But she just has this courage and confidence that she鈥檚 right and that it鈥檚 worth it to keep advocating for her colleagues and for kids.鈥�

Recently, Throckmorton was named the 2024 Penobscot County Teacher of the Year. The person who nominated her: Stoyanova.

Professor Emeritus of Literacy Education Richard Kent worked with Stoyanova and Throckmorton, who both earned certificates from the Maine Writing Project, a long-running professional development program for teachers at 91爆料. Kent also taught Stoyanova as an undergraduate and a master鈥檚 student.

鈥淲e鈥檝e had some shining stars at 91爆料, and it鈥檚 just a pleasure to be associated with Kelsey and Emilie and watch them support each other,鈥� says Kent, who was Maine Teacher of the Year in 1993 before becoming a faculty member at 91爆料鈥檚 College of Education and Human Development.

鈥淗aving been Maine Teacher of the Year, I know the pressure that comes with the job. You鈥檙e representing not just yourself, but educators across the state,鈥� Kent says. 鈥淚t takes a special person, and Kelsey has done it beautifully. It鈥檚 so exciting to watch, because she inspires everyone around her to want to do more.鈥�

Community

In April, when she accepted the 91爆料 Alumni Association鈥檚 2024 Rising Star Award at the annual Alumni Achievement Awards ceremony, Stoyanova gave a heartfelt speech in which she began by saying, 鈥淚 am continuously humbled by the tremendous community that I have alongside me.鈥�

鈥淚 specifically say alongside me and not behind me,鈥� she added, 鈥渘ot because they wouldn鈥檛 stand behind me should I need them to, but because the only way to forge a path forward is to first stand side by side with those you trust with your ideas, your vision, your values, and your mission.鈥�

The 91爆料 has been a big part of Stoyanova鈥檚 community for the past 15 or so years. In addition to her bachelor鈥檚 degree in secondary education, she earned a Master of Education in literacy education in 2018, and most recently an Education Specialist (Ed.S.) degree in educational leadership in 2023.

鈥淚鈥檝e been through 91爆料 as a student three different times now, so it鈥檚 been a big part of empowering me as an educator,鈥� Stoyanova says.

She became Maine Teacher of the Year while she was working on her Ed.S. degree, and says both experiences gave her the opportunity to connect with colleagues from around the state. Some of the other students in the educational leadership program were interested in moving from teaching to positions as building principals or district-level administrators in K-12 schools. But Stoyanova says her goal, at least for now, is to be a leader while remaining in the classroom.

鈥淥ne of my biggest goals is to create pathways for teachers to lead in ways that go beyond the classroom walls,鈥� she says.

The Rising Star Award is one of two early-career awards presented by the Alumni Association each year.

As she closed her speech at the alumni awards ceremony, Stoyanova talked about how she will rely on her community as she pursues her future goals and continues to advocate for teachers and kids. She likened her journey to that of Miss Rumphius, the title character of the children鈥檚 book by the late Maine author Barbara Cooney. In the book, which Stoyanova said is a favorite of her young son, when Miss Rumphius is a little girl named Alice, she tells her grandfather how she dreams of visiting faraway places before settling down to live by the sea. The grandfather tells her that these are good plans, but that she 鈥渕ust do something to make the world more beautiful鈥� as well. After Alice grows up, travels the world, and moves to a place by the sea, she still wonders how she can accomplish the last thing her grandfather told her she must do. Then one day she notices the lupines outside her bedroom window and along the cliffs near her house, and it comes to her. She orders lupine seeds from catalogs and begins sowing them all over town with the help of the prevailing winds. The next spring, when the colorful lupines are in bloom she realizes that she鈥檚 done it: She鈥檚 made the world more beautiful.

鈥淲ith every opportunity, every story, every seed, I can only hope that I am doing just that,鈥� Stoyanova told the crowd at the Alumni Achievement Awards.

鈥淏ut know that it is only possible with all of you, the traveling winds, that I can,鈥� she said.

Contact: Casey Kelly, casey.kelly@maine.edu.

Samantha Poll grew up in Winterport, the same tight-knit, central Maine town where she鈥檚 now a teacher. That gives her a unique perspective on the impact educators can have on their students鈥� lives. 

 “I knew that I wanted to teach in this area,” says Poll, an eighth grade science teacher at Samuel L. Wagner Middle School. “I know the families and I know how it feels to be sitting at one of those desks. It鈥檚 very important to me to show kids that they can stick around, and that there are opportunities here locally.”

In college, Poll transferred from the 91爆料 at Farmington to the flagship 91爆料 in part to be closer to where she wanted to end up teaching (Winterport is about a 40-minute drive from the 91爆料 campus in Orono). 

She originally wanted to be a French teacher, so when she graduated from the College of Education and Human Development in 2015 she earned degrees in both elementary and secondary education, along with a French minor. However, during her time at 91爆料 she also fell in love with science teaching and discovered the Maine Center for Research in STEM Education (RiSE Center) and its program, a statewide initiative promoting evidence-based science, technology, engineering and mathematics learning experiences for students from pre-kindergarten through high school and beyond. 

“I became a teaching partner at the RiSE Center when I was still a student,” Poll says. “Most of the other teaching partners were experienced educators, but they embraced me and I started working with the curriculum that I still use in my classroom. The RiSE Center is the reason I鈥檓 the teacher I am today.”

For Poll, as a Mainer and a science educator, some of the most exciting opportunities for her students to learn involve renewable energy. She teaches lessons where they build their own small-scale wind energy projects, engaging their curiosity, passion, knowledge and skills around all aspects of STEM.

“Careers in STEM were talked about as being the future when I was in my students鈥� shoes, but with all of the jobs in renewables now, they鈥檙e here,” Poll says.

Recently, she was one of nine teachers selected to participate in the , a professional development opportunity providing advanced training, network building and support for a 鈥渂ig idea鈥� classroom project. The program is specifically designed for middle school science teachers and comes with a $2,000 award to support the applicants’ proposals. Poll鈥檚 鈥渂ig idea鈥� involved expanding her renewable energy curriculum so it includes small-scale solar and hydroelectric in addition to wind.

“I鈥檝e always wanted to do something with solar panels, but it鈥檚 just been too expensive. Now I have the funding for all the materials and lessons to be able to do it,” she says.

In late May, she traveled to Bowling Green, Kentucky for an intensive, weeklong professional development class hosted by the Gatton Academy of Mathematics and Science at Western Kentucky University. The academy runs the STEM Scholars Program in partnership with the National Stem Cell Foundation. When she applied for the program, Poll says she just proposed the solar project. But during her week at WKU, Gatton Academy staff encouraged her to incorporate hydro as well. She also got to meet and learn alongside the eight other middle school teachers who were selected for the program from a national pool of applicants.

“It鈥檚 been such an amazing experience getting to know them and learning about their projects. There鈥檚 nothing quite like getting a group of like-minded teachers together,” Poll says, adding that they keep in touch with group emails and texts.

Next March, Poll and her fellow STEM scholars will meet again in Philadelphia for the National Conference on Science Education hosted by the . There they will have an opportunity to present about their classroom projects.

91爆料 continues to play an important role in Poll鈥檚 life and career. She鈥檚 still involved with the Maine STEM Partnership at the RiSE Center, sharing resources and knowledge with other science educators throughout the state. And since earning her bachelor鈥檚 degree, she has returned to 91爆料 to complete both a Master of Education and an Education Specialist (Ed.S.) degree in curriculum, assessment and instruction through the College of Education and Human Development. 

“When I talk to my students about opportunities in this area, 91爆料 is a big one,” she says. “There鈥檚 amazing things happening and a great school right up the road.”

Contact: Casey Kelly, casey.kelly@maine.edu

George Grindle is the 2024 Outstanding Student in Secondary Education in the 91爆料 College of Education and Human Development. Grindle will graduate with a concentration in physical science with a focus on physics education. During his time at 91爆料, he served as president of CRU 91爆料. Read more below.

Hometown: Orono, Maine

High School: Orono High School

Parents: John Grindle and Beth Haynes

Special thanks: I would like to especially thank my parents, friends and church family for encouraging me to pursue my passion for education through many hard choices. “For every one pupil who needs to be guarded against a weak excess of sensibility there are three who need to be awakened from the slumber of cold vulgarity. The task of the modern educator is not to cut down jungles but to irrigate deserts” 鈥� C.S. Lewis

Favorite 91爆料 memory: I do not dare attempt to rank my聽favorite memory of 91爆料. I have many fond memories of my college experience for many different reasons. However, one of my fond but mundane memories聽was taking my motorcycle to my 8:00 a.m. calculus classes. Nearly every day in the fall I got to start my day with a beautiful聽ride, superb parking (back when motorcycles could park on the mall) and calculus.