WHY
THE ARTS
ARE SO
SPECIAL
HOW
TEACHERS
CAN HELP
THE
STUDENTS
STAND UP
FOR
WHAT
THEY
BELIEVE
EDUCATION CLASS ISSUE ROOM
IN THE
BOOTHBAY
HARBOR $5.95
POP CULTURE
August 2020
DOG
FRIENDLY
CONTENTS
AUGUST 2020
FEATURES 34
EMPOWERING STUDENTS
How teachers can help students stand up for what they believe
38 CREATING A MORE INCLUSIVE CLASSROOM From books to field trips, tips on bringing more inclusivity to classrooms
42
OPEN NEW PERSPECTIVES
A diversity reading list for kids of all ages
46
GEEK OUT
Pop culture in schools
52
ENRICHING EDUCATION
The importance of the arts in education
56
52
ENRICHING EDUCATION
20
DOG-FRIENDLY HIKES
GET OUT
Take a trip to Boothbay Harbor
IN EVERY ISSUE 08
WHAT’S HAPPENING
14
OBSESSIONS
What we can’t get enough of this month
64
THE VIEW FROM HERE
When life bites
ON THE COVER The Education Issue Design by Amy Allen
2 / BANGOR METRO August 2020
PHOTOS: (TOP) MONKEY BUSINESS IMAGES/ADOBE STOCK; (BOTTOM) AISLINN SARNACKI
Local news & sightings
ARTS & CULTURE 10
LISTEN UP
Start your own podcast with these handy tips and advice
FOOD & DRINK 20
IN SEASON NOW
Zucchini growing like crazy? Go beyond the bread with these fun and tasty recipes
HEALTH & FITNESS 20
HIKE ME
Hit the trails with your four-legged friend on these dog-friendly hikes
HOME & FAMILY 26 SENDING KIDS OFF TO COLLEGE
When an end is really a beginning
30
Comprehensive Care at one of the country’s most awarded Rural Hospitals. @carymedicalcenter
800-858-2279 · 498-3111 www.carymedicalcenter.org
163 Van Buren Road · Caribou, ME 04736 Cary is an equal opportunity employer and provider.
CRAFTING WITH KIDS
Cook up some fun in the sun with a simple solar oven
OUTSIDE 62
WOODS & WATERS
Time is simple; how we measure it isn’t
www.bangormetro.com BANGOR METRO / 3
EDITOR’S NOTE
The Educati o n ISSUE MY GARDEN HAS gotten off to a slow start this year. We ended up planting later than usual due to some changes at the Community Garden in Bangor where we rent raised beds. And despite a regular watering schedule, the sustained heat and sunlight of early summer didn’t inspire my plants to grow with the same reckless abandon they did last year. But after years of growing, there’s an important lesson I know fully now: No two years are alike. And, importantly, no two gardens are alike. Everything from the compost you add as a modifier to the soil to the timing of your planting to the weather impacts the success of a garden and the speed with which it grows. As I am writing this, we’ve had several days of rain and greyness. And though it’s also not optimal growing weather, it seems to have encouraged my itty bitty seedlings to finally grow bigger. The peas are stretching their tendrils up to the string trellis we set up. The zucchini is stretching out its leaves. Even the itty bitty lettuce has finally grown leaves that look like … well, itty bitty lettuce. So I am hoping for good things.
BY THE TIME YOU READ THIS, WE’LL PROBABLY HAVE HARVESTED MORE THAN RADISHES. AND WE’LL HAVE GOTTEN A LESSON DOING IT TOO. BECAUSE LIFE IS LIKE THAT — THERE ARE LESSONS EVERYWHERE. Speaking of lessons, welcome to The Education Issue. When we approached this issue, I wanted to tackle it in a different way than we have in the past. Instead of back to school stories you might expect, we’re talking more about inclusivity in schools, the benefits of the arts and more. There’s a special diversity reading list for kids, created using the recommendations of teachers, librarians and community leaders, on page 42. There’s also a story about bringing more inclusivity to classrooms on page 38 that might get you thinking. And don’t miss the story on how geek culture makes education more accessible for some on page 46. Plus, you’ll find all your favorites: Hike Me on page 20; In Season Now on page 16 and more! I hope the words contained within these pages move you. BEST,
SARAH WALKER CARON, EDITOR
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6 / BANGOR METRO August 2020
MEET OUR CONTRIBUTORS
What lesson
Bangor Metro Magazine. August 2020, Vol. 16, No. 6. Copyright © Bangor Publishing Company. Bangor Metro is published 10 times annually by Bangor Publishing Company. All rights reserved. This magazine may not be reproduced in whole or part in any form without the written permission of the Publisher. Bangor Metro is mailed at standard rates from Portland, Maine. Opinions expressed in either the editorial or advertisements do not represent the opinions of the staff or publisher of Bangor Metro magazine. Advertisers and event sponsors or their agents are responsible for copyrights and accuracy of all material they submit. Bangor Metro magazine to the best of its ability ensures the acuracy of information printed in the publication.
LEARNED IN SCHOOL DO YOU USE IN YOUR DAY-TO-DAY LIFE?
Inquiries and suggestions are welcome and encouraged. Letters to the editor, story suggestions, and other reader input will be subject to Bangor Metro’s unrestricted right to edit and publish in the magazine both in print and online. Editorial: Queries should be sent to Sarah Walker Caron at scaron@bangordailynews.com. Advertising: For advertising questions, please call the Sales Director Todd Johnston at 207-990-8129. Subscriptions/Address Change: The one year subscription cost is $15.95. Address changes: to ensure delivery, subscribers must notify the magazine of address changes one month in advance of the cover date. Please contact Fred Stewart at 207-990-8075. Accounts Payable/Receivable: For information about your account please contact Todd Johnston at 207-990-8129.
“
Fractions! I would have never imagined it when I was learning them, but my understanding of how to divide, multiple, add and subtract fractions has come in shockingly handy as an adult. I am constantly using the lessons I learned in school while cooking as I make dinner or work on new recipes.” —SARAH WALKER CARON, EDITOR
COVER DESIGN: Amy Allen
“Everyone says during school that they won’t have to use math ever again. But I still use everything I learned from my 3rd grade math class. As adults, we have to figure out how to pay tips or put a cup of rice in boiling water when all you have is a 1/4 cup. And it’s always important to know the difference between a quarter of a dollar versus a quarter of an hour. So. Many. Fractions. We might not be using the quadratic formula or finding the slope of a hill, but the smaller things still matter.” —ROSEMARY LAUSIER, STAFF WRITER
“My high school AP Government teacher had us not only read the news, but gave us daily quizzes on its contents. I had never kept up with the current events up until that point and spent the entire first semester flunking those quizzes. I went to an extremely competitive magnet high school, was taking six other AP classes, and didn’t think I had time to wake up early and listen to NPR. When I begged my teacher (shout out to Mr. Torrence) for a quick fix, he said there wasn’t one, but that nothing he would teach me in that class would mean anything unless I understood how it made the real world tick. Flash forward a decade later, and I’m a journalist with a political science degree. Go figure.” —SAM SCHIPANI, STAFF WRITER
“I was the kid that was bullied pretty much from kindergarten through high school. So the lesson I’ve taken is zero-tolerance for bullying. I wish I could say I also use algebra on a daily basis. But I remain confident that day will come.” —JULIA BAYLY, STAFF WRITER www.bangormetro.com BANGOR METRO / 7
WHAT’S HAPPENING
SUMMER TRIVIA!
Avoid the summer brain slump and challenge yourself with these Pop Quiz trivia questions! (Answers on page 9)
JUNE 23 Bangor Pride Festival & Parade
AUGUST This outdoor adventure weekend and celebration of community, trails and lifestyle is set for July 31-August 1. Whether you want to tackle the trails for a day of hiking, running or biking, or relax and take part in a variety of events, this weekend should not be missed. Enjoy live music, games for young and old, contests, food , racing and the awesome trails of the Nordic Heritage Center, all with the spectacular backdrop of a Northern Maine summer! Sponsored by the Nordic Heritage Center in Presque Isle.
NORDICTRAILFESTIVAL.COM
JULY 27-AUGUST 7 SCHOODIC ARTS FOR ALL SUMMER FESTIVAL WINTER HARBOR The Schoodic Arts for All festival is moving online this year, but will still offer a diverse array of workshops, presentations, and performances for all ages. Workshops will be held via Zoom. The event is officially scheduled for July 27-August 7, but several of the demonstrations are available anytime. Learn how to make Chinese appetizers and desserts, draw a portrait, enjoy a day of plein air watercolor painting, create gory zombie makeup, and much more. A large number of children’s workshops are also availble. Register and learn more online.
SCHOODICARTSFORALL.ORG 8 / BANGOR METRO August 2020
PHOTO: ©ALLEN PINKALL/ ADOBE STOCK
JULY 31-AUGUST 1 NORDIC TRAIL FESTIVAL PRESQUE ISLE
BE SURE TO CHECK FOR UPDATES OFTEN Everyone is making adjustments this summer to keep their communities and loved ones safe and healthy. As you plan to attend events this summer, be sure to call ahead or check the websites and social media pages of the following events and organizations often for updates. We carefully researched dates and information, but COVID-19 guidelines are changing frequently to help keep the public safe and information may no longer be accurate. If you’re able, consider making donations to your favorite organizations and activities that may be closed, cancelled or facing much smaller crowds than usual this summer. Visit their websites for ways to show your support and keep these organizations up and running so we can continue to enjoy them in the future.
Answers to this month’s Pop Quiz on page 8: Question 1: B; Q2: A; Q3: C; Q4: B; Q5: B. www.bangormetro.com BANGOR METRO / 9
ARTS & CULTURE
Listen UP HOW TO START A PODCAST BY SAM SCHIPANI IF YOU HAVE EVER felt the impulse to make a podcast, you are not alone. According to podcast search engine Listen Notes, a record 292,041 new podcasts were launched in 2019, up from only 8,786 new podcasts in 2007. But while many people are starting podcasts, it’s important to note that it’s not easy. “A [podcast] is a lot more work than people realize,” said Marty Grohman, host of the Grow Maine Show. “It better be something you are intellectually invested in, or you’ll just hang it up.” Here is what experienced podcasters in Maine have to say you need to start your own podcast and have it stand out among the noise. PICK A TOPIC First, you need to choose a topic or theme for your podcast. “You definitely need to have a passion, something that you really want to explore and dig into [so] you can bring your listener on that journey,” Grohman said. Grohman said to choose a theme that is “niche ‘til it hurts.” A unique topic will make your podcast stand out. You will also need to choose a format for your podcast: news, conversational interviews, personal monologues, non-fiction narratives, fiction storytelling or something else entirely. Listening to other podcasts and figuring out what you enjoy can help you decide your format. Cherie Scott, creator and host of Mumbai to Maine, a podcast that interviews Maine’s food entrepreneurs, said that she modeled her podcast after one of her favorites, “How I Built This” hosted by Guy Raz. For Cameron Autry, host of the Southern Maine Report, choosing the format helped him develop his theme. He enjoyed listening to comedy-style podcasts with “free-flowing, conversational style.” “I thought, ‘What’s a way I could do that for my podcast?’” Autry said. “The idea was to find interesting people around southern Maine and talk to them about their arc through life.” 10 / BANGOR METRO August 2020
PHOTO: LEV DOLGACHOV/ADOBE STOCK
www.bangormetro.com BANGOR METRO / 11
ARTS & CULTURE
12 / BANGOR METRO August 2020
“I can think of any number of my episodes that were built around some great conference that nobody thought to record,” Grohman said. The equipment you use doesn’t necessarily need to be super expensive, but it should be the best quality you can afford. Autry estimated it cost him around $500 to get started. BOOK AND RECORD GUESTS Once you’re technically prepared, it’s time to begin work on the content. If your plans include interviewing people on your podcast, cast a wide net and send potential guests a personal message via email or social media. Autry said to avoid using overly-formal email templates when conducting outreach. “Speak to them in what they can get out of it, but make it personal, keep it fun,” he advised. When you are interviewing, Scott said that you should know as much as possible about the guests before you record with them.
“You have to do your homework as a host,” she said. “Knowledge is power.” Grohman said to keep the mic running before and after the official “interview” to catch candid moments (though you should always disclose to guests when these are going to be used in the final cut of the podcast). POST CONSISTENTLY Posting your podcast episodes regularly is one of the most important parts of retaining listeners. “It’s fine to take a hiatus, but if you don’t show up, people will forget you’re there,” Autry said. “Every other week is the bare minimum that you should do. You should shoot for every week or more.” Make sure you are posting your podcast on every possible platform as well: Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, Google Play, iHeartRadio, Overcast, Pocketcast and SoundCloud, just to name a few. “It’s all free to upload your podcasts to any of them, and it’s incredibly easy to do so,”
PHOTOS: LEV DOLGACHOV/ADOBE STOCK
GET EQUIPMENT All podcasters need some special equipment as well as a place to record. The basic tools include a computer with audio editing software (free programs like GarageBand for Mac work fine, Autry said), microphones (Grohman he uses a pair of lapel microphones that cost about $75 each) and headphones (studio headphones are preferable, Autry said, because they are more comfortable to wear long-term and help to cancel out background noise). A home studio with sound-proofed walls (which can be done cheaply with foam pads) works well as a recording space. “Finding a location to record in was incredibly painful in the beginning,” Autry said. “Now, I have a private home studio, [but] I recorded in probably four different coworking spaces [before that].” If you plan to record in the field though, Grohman also recommends having a Zoom H4n microphone.
Autry said. “That might sound intimidating, but that’s about the easiest part.” Some podcasters suggest having a few episodes in the bank before you launch — Grohman recommended having three ready to go before you start publishing — but others think you should just get the ball rolling. “Just put it out there and go for it,” Autry said. “If you release your first episode you can get feedback [before you record your next episode].” PARTNER AND PROMOTE Finding partners with existing audiences — like radio stations, publications, organizations and companies, when appropriate — will make sure your podcast has more reach. This will look different for everyone. Scott partnered with Maine magazine before she even started her podcast. Grohman currently airs his show on WGAN, though he was a podcaster for years before doing so. “It’s very important at the end of the day [to work] with a partner who has a presence in the space where you want to be heard,” Scott said. Make sure you promote your podcast on social media, particularly Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Autry recommended using an app called Headliner to create visual audio bites with captions that are easy to post on social media. Cross-promoting episodes with guests will also help get more ears on your podcast. “Make sure the guests believe in telling the stories, so that they share it on all their platforms, that they put a link to it on their websites,” Scott said. AIM TO GROW INCREMENTALLY When you are just starting out, Autry said not to fret too intensely over small details. A good goal is to try to make everything “one to two percent better” every episode, from sound engineering to promotion, Autry said. Most importantly, remember to have fun. “It should be a passion project,” Autry said. “Don’t go into it thinking you’re going to make any money. You will build a network of people when you podcast. If you stick with it, you’ll benefit in ways you didn’t realize.” www.bangormetro.com BANGOR METRO / 13
FOOD & DRINK
OBSESSIONS
OBSESSIONS WHAT WE CAN’T GET ENOUGH OF THIS MONTH.
LISTEN “SAINT CLOUD” BY WAXAHATCHEE WHY DO WE LOVE IT? Waxahatchee’s new album “Saint Cloud” is taking me on the relaxing sonic road trip that I need during these trying times. The ethereal indie rock band, led by former P.S. Eliot band member Kate Crutchfield, takes you from the trailer parks on Arkadelphia Road in Birmingham to the burning morning skyline of West Memphis through folksy beats and heartbreakingly poetic lyrics. Take the opening lines of the song, Lilacs: “I wake up feeling nothing / Camouflage the wavering sky / I sit at my piano, wander the wild whereby / And the lilacs drank the water / And the lilacs die.” I mean, come on. — SAM SCHIPANI
SIP LAVENDER LEMONADE AT WEST MARKET SQUARE ARTISAN COFFEEHOUSE WHY DO WE LOVE IT? Lavender and lemon has to be one of my favorite flavor combinations. During this warm, humid weather (and especially when you are quarantined in an apartment with no AC) it’s nice to get out for a cold, refreshing drink. West Market has to have one of my favorites: lavender lemonade. It’s sweet, yet tangy, and it — as well as their wonderful employees — makes my day better. — ROSEMARY LAUSIER
14 / BANGOR METRO August 2020
ORDER
READ
Every month, many new books cross my desk. I purchase even more. These are a few that I particularly enjoyed and recommend.
PHOTOS: ©ANNA PUZATYKH, ©ZSV3207, ©MEMORYSTOCKPHOTO/ADOBE STOCK
“SURVIVAL INSTINCTS” BY JEN WAITE — I was first introduced to Maine author Jen Waite through her memoir, “A Beautiful, Terrible Thing,” a few years ago. She’s a gifted writer who weaves gripping tales. So when I heard she had a novel coming out, I was intrigued. And when I read it, I wasn’t disappointed. “Survival Instincts” is a page turner that will draw you in and make you want to read more as you unwind two intersecting stories — one more than a decade prior and one set in the present. Trapped in a cabin with a madman, three generations of women must dig deep to survive. If you like suspense, you’ll appreciate how this delivers it. (SUSPENSE) “A WEEK AT THE SHORE” BY BARBARA DELINSKY — You know a beach read is good when you look for excuses to read just a little more. That’s how I felt with this novel. Three sisters are reunited in the Rhode Island home they grew up with, struggling with their father’s growing dementia and their relationships with each other. Relationships, love and the power of memory are interwoven with the unraveling of family secrets. It will keep you guessing while also intriguing you to the end. (FICTION) “THE ULTIMATE COOKING FOR ONE COOKBOOK” BY JOANIE ZISK — Cooking for one person can be a huge challenge. Most recipes are built for four people or more. But this cookbook takes on the challenge and delivers a menu of delightful foods made in small batches. There’s a big variety of recipes and they are easy to make. My 12-year-old daughter plucked this off our cookbook shelf and whipped up pancakes for one on a recent morning, and I was impressed by how fluffy they were. (COOKBOOK) —SARAH WALKER CARON
RWANDA BEAN COFFEE IN PORTLAND WHY DO WE LOVE IT? I’ve been making efforts lately to support Black-owned businesses. As I sat down to think of a product that I use daily that I could easily and consistently purchase from Black business owners, one thing came to mind: coffee. Rwanda Bean Coffee in Portland not only fits the bill, but offers monthly subscription services delivered straight to your door — no more waking up in the morning realizing that I am fresh out of beans. What’s more, 50 percent of their profits are shared with the farmers they source from in Rwanda, so you can feel really, really good about the dollars spent on your morning cup of joe. As if that weren’t enough, their brews are delicious — as a dark roast kind of gal, I can’t get enough of the Ishema beans, but they offer light, medium and espresso as well depending on your preference. — SAM SCHIPANI
in season now
FOOD & DRINK
ZUCCHINI
BY SARAH WALKER CARON
Or try something new. Hollow out the cavity a bit and stuff it with sausage for a delightful dinner. There’s a recipe for that in this column. Or shred it, as you would for bread, and make vegetable pancakes — delightful with a runny egg. Zucchini, which also goes by courgette, is a good source of Vitamin C and other antioxidants. Eat it raw or cook it — either way, it’s low in calories and can be enjoyed in so many ways. And if you accidentally planted more of it than you planned in the garden (like me), then you’ll want to explore as many ways as possible.
PHOTOS: ©©YARUNIV-STUDIO, ©LITTLENY/ADOBE STOCK
IT’S THAT TIME! If Mother Nature has behaved herself, then zucchini is growing with abandon and you’re probably just beginning to wonder what to do with it all. I don’t blame you. Zucchini can go from “yum” to “there’s more?!?” super fast. Fortunately, there are so many good and easy ways to enjoy this summer vegetable. Baked goods are a natural, of course. Zucchini bread, muffins and brownies are always delightful. But there’s so much more. Eat it raw, chopped or cubed in salads. Use a special cutter to transform tube-shaped zucchini into zoodles, the fun name for noodle-shaped zucchini that is barely cooked and treated as pasta.
16 / BANGOR METRO August 2020
PHOTO: SARAH WALKER CARON
CHORIZO STUFFED ZUCCHINI BOATS Serves 4
INSTRUCTIONS
INGREDIENTS
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
½ lb chorizo, removed from casings ½ cup chopped onion ½ cup chopped green bell pepper ½ cup diced tomatoes 1 clove garlic, minced ½ cup breadcrumbs ½ cup mozzarella cheese 2 medium zucchini, halved
Heat a medium saute pan over medium heat on the stove. Add the chorizo and brown thoroughly. Add the onions and bell peppers and cook, stirring often, until softened, about 3-5 minutes. Add the tomatoes and garlic and season with salt and pepper. Cook for 3-5 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the breadcrumbs and mozzarella cheese. Scoop out the flesh of the zucchini, leaving a boat-shaped shell. Spoon the chorizo mixture into the opening, pressing it down and mounding to fit as much filling as you can. If you are using smaller zucchini, you might need three to use all the filling. Bake for 20 minutes, until golden. Let cool slightly before serving.
www.bangormetro.com BANGOR METRO / 17
IN SEASON NOW
SAVORY VEGETABLE PANCAKES Serves 4
INSTRUCTIONS
INGREDIENTS 2 cups shredded fresh zucchini 1 tsp salt, divided 1 carrot, peeled and shredded (about 1 cup) 1 spring onion or shallot, quartered and thinly sliced ¼ cup all purpose flour 1 large egg ¼ tsp fresh ground black pepper 2 tbsp olive oil
Set the shredded zucchini in a fine mesh strainer over a bowl. Sprinkle with ½ tsp salt and mix together. Let sit for 10 minutes. Use a paper towel to push liquid out of the zucchini. You want to drain as much as you can. Transfer the zucchini to a large mixing bowl and stir together with shredded carrot and spring onion or shallot. Add the flour, remaining ½ teaspoon of salt, egg and pepper. Stir well to combine into a batter. Heat the olive oil in a large nonstick skillet set over medium heat. Drop the vegetable batter in rounds (about 2 tablespoons worth) in the heated oil. Spread gently into a circle. Cook for about 3 minutes per side or until golden brown, flipping once. Transfer cooked vegetable pancakes into a paper towel lined plate until ready to serve.
SARAH WALKER CARON is the editor of Bangor Metro magazine and the author of several cookbooks including “One-Pot Pasta,” “The Super Easy 5-Ingredient Cookbook,” and “Grains as Mains.” Her latest cookbook, “The Easy Appetizer Cookbook,” is out now from Rockridge Press. She is also the creator of the popular food blog Sarah’s Cucina Bella (www.sarahscucinabella.com).
18 / BANGOR METRO August 2020
PHOTO: SARAH WALKER CARON
FOOD & DRINK
www.bangormetro.com BANGOR METRO / 19
HIKE ME
DOGFRIENDLY
HIKES HIT THESE TRAILS WITH YOUR CANINE COMPANION
PHOTO: BDN FILE
STORY & PHOTOS BY AISLINN SARNACKI
JUMPING OUT of the car, Oreo squirmed with excitement, his tail whipping back and forth as a leash was fastened to his collar. Into a backpack, his owner stuffed a collapsible dog bowl, some treats, a poop bag, water and other supplies for their hike. Meanwhile, Oreo expressed his impatience by whining and rolling in the dirt. Mosquitoes drifted lazily through the warm summer air, prompting the hiker to spray down Oreo’s black-and-white fur with dog-friendly insect repellent. Then, after pausing at the trailhead to inspect a map posted on a kiosk, the human-canine pair hit the trail. The hike would lead them through a beautiful evergreen forest to mountainside vistas. And of particular interest to Oreo, the trek would include plenty of fascinating scents and a crystal clear brook to splash around in. It could be argued that there’s no better hiking companion than a dog. With their evident enthusiasm for the outdoors and exploring new places, dogs bring a special energy to a trail. They’re almost always eager to stop for a snack and water break. They rarely complain. And they’re simply good company, fending off any loneliness you might feel while out in the wild. But there are a few things you’ll want to keep in mind when hiking with canine friends. For example, be sure to pack enough supplies for them to stay comfortable and hydrated. Always pick up their poop and dispose of it properly. And keep in mind that trails have different rules pertaining to dogs. Some don’t permit them at all. In addition, some hikes — while open to dogs — may be too steep or strenuous for your particular pup. If looking for some inspiration, here are just a few trails in Maine that are great for most dogs.
MOUNT PHILLIP
IN ROME
EASY TO MODERATE Rising 775 feet above sea level, Mount Phillip is one of the tallest peaks in the Kennebec Highlands, a 5,000-acre block of undeveloped land in central Maine. A 1.4-mile loop trail explores the mountain, leading to ledges near the summit where hikers can enjoy nice views of the region. In some areas, the trail is smooth and footing is easy, while in others, the trail becomes rocky and more challenging with a few short, steep slopes that will get your heart pumping. Mount Phillip is just one of several dog-friendly hikes in the Kennebec Highlands, which is managed by the Belgrade Regional Conservation Alliance in partnership with the Maine Department of Agriculture, Conservation and
Forestry. Other dog-friendly trails in the area explore French Mountain, Round Top Mountain, McGaffey Mountain, Sanders Hill and a landmark simply known as The Mountain. Open year round, from sunrise to sunset. Dogs are permitted off leash if under strict control of their owners. Otherwise, they must be on leash. For more information, visit belgradelakesassociation.org or call 207-495-6039. DIRECTIONS: Drive to the junction of Routes 27 and 225 in Rome. Turn east on Route 225 and drive 1.5 miles. The trailhead parking area is located on the left, directly across from Starbird Lane. www.bangormetro.com BANGOR METRO / 21
HEALTH & FITNESS
HIKE ME
PENNY’S NATURE PRESERVE
IN BLUE HILL
EASY TO MODERATE Named after a beloved dog who once roamed the property, Penny’s Nature Preserve in Blue Hill was donated to the Blue Hill Heritage Trust in 2018 by local residents Rich Storck and Aletha Langham, with the condition that it remain a place where dogs can run and play. The 107-acre preserve features a network of 3 miles of intersecting trails, which Storck mapped out and built over the course of 15 years, accompanied by Penny. Interesting features on the property include a historic granite quarry, a beautiful fern-filled forest and a scenic section of Peters Brook, where dogs can easily wade or go for a swim.
The preserve is open year round for day use. Dogs are permitted off leash if under strict control of their owners. Otherwise, they must be on leash. However, the trails of Penny’s Nature Preserve connect to the neighboring Peter’s Brook Trail, where dogs must be leashed. For more information, visit bluehillheritagetrust.org or call 207-374-5118. DIRECTIONS: From the intersection of Route 172 and East Blue Hill Road (Route 176) in the village of Blue Hill, take East Blue Hill Road and drive east 0.6 mile, then park at the gravel parking lot at AB Herrick
Memorial Landing, which will be on your right. From there, you have two options. You can start your hike on the Peter’s Brook Trail, which is directly across the road and leads to Penny’s Nature Preserve in 0.5 mile. Or you can walk along the side of Route 176, heading east for about 0.3 mile and the trailhead for Penny’s Nature Preserve will be on your left.
www.bangormetro.com BANGOR METRO / 23
HEALTH & FITNESS
HIKE ME
LAND AND GARDEN PRESERVE
IN MOUNT DESERT EASY TO MODERATE Land and Garden Preserve has long been a popular place for dogs. Located adjacent to Acadia National Park on Mount Desert Island, the preserve covers 1,165 acres and features about 9 miles of hiking trails and 9.8 miles of gravel carriage roads. The land also includes lawns and fields for dogs to run and play in, and a brook and Little Long Pond, where dogs can cool off and swim. The majority of the preserve was donated by the Rockefeller family. John D. Rockefeller, Jr. purchased the land around Little Long Pond for its scenic value in 1910. For generations, the Rockefeller family enjoyed the property and opened it up for public recreation, namely horseback riding and dog walking. The preserve is open year round during daylight hours. Dogs are permitted in all areas of the preserve except for Thuya Garden (as well as the nearby Asticou Azalea Garden, which is technically outside the preserve but connected by trail). Dogs are allowed off leash if under strict control. Otherwise, they must
be leashed. For more information, visit gardenpreserve. org or call 207-276-3727. DIRECTIONS: The parking areas and trailheads for the property are located on Peabody Drive in the town of Mount Desert. To get there, drive onto Mount Desert Island on Route 3. After crossing the causeway onto the island, veer right onto Route 102 toward Somesville. At 4.3 miles, turn left onto Route 3-Route 198. Drive 5.7 miles, then turn left onto Peabody Drive-Route 3. Drive 1.9 mile and the western parking area for the preserve is on your left at the end of a drive. Use that parking area for the quickest access to the moderately challenging forest trails and carriage roads on Eliot Mountain (which connect down to the trails around Little Long Pond). Or continue on Peabody Drive 0.3 mile and the eastern parking lot for the preserve is on your left near a gated-off carriage road by Little Long Pond. Park here for the quickest access to the trails and carriage roads around Little Long Pond.
AISLINN SARNACKI is a staff writer for Bangor Metro and the editor of Act Out, a section of the Bangor Daily News. An expert on the Maine outdoors, she is author of the guidebooks “Dog-Friendly Hikes in Maine,” “Maine Hikes Off the Beaten Path” and “Family Friendly Hikes in Maine.” Follow her adventures at bangordailynews.com/act-out.
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HOME & FAMILY
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SENDING KIDS OFF TO COLLEGE WHEN AN ENDING IS REALLY A BEGINNING BY SARAH SMILEY
FROM THE MOMENT a baby is born, everything — from the Centers for Disease Control growth charts to the vaccination schedule hanging on the pediatrician’s wall—tells us that the parenting finish line comes at 18-years-old. Even keepsake albums and novelty frames for school portraits usually top out at 18-yearsold or 12 finished grades. And so, with each passing birthday and grade completed, it feels like we are slowly (and then at warped speed after junior high) marching to “the end.” On my Facebook newsfeed this past spring, I saw that formidable “end” coming for many of my fellow parents. “I can’t believe we’re reaching the end,” one parent wrote about her child’s upcoming graduation. “I have dreaded this day since the day she was born,” wrote another. When I drove my oldest son, Ford, to college last year, it certainly felt like a dreaded day, an end to — something. Everything was telling me this is true. We had already transferred him from his pediatrician to an adult doctor on his 18th birthday. I no longer went to his appointments or knew his schedule. His graduation had been just a few months prior, and already, his face and name had disappeared from the online gradebook that parents can access. The school department sent me his official folder with a picture of him — wide grin, big teeth, a cowlick in his hair — in second grade taped to the front. Inside, I found documents I had completed when I registered him for school. What are his strengths and weaknesses? the school had wanted to know. What motivates him? To which type of instruction does he respond best? In my familiar handwriting, something that hasn’t changed in 30 years, I saw my answers. I knew them like the back of my hand then. Ford was my every breath from morning to night. I knew every ache, his likes and dislikes, his favorite foods. Do I still know those things now? I wondered as I drove him down the interstate, our trunk packed to the rooftop with new bedding for the dorm. Of course, and rightly so, no one asked for my answers when we arrived at the university. Whereas I once told Ford to wait in the elementary school lobby while I completed paperwork and copied his vaccination records, now I sat in the car while he checked in with the Residence Assistant and got the key for his room. I was a passenger. A bystander. www.bangormetro.com BANGOR METRO / 27
And that was certainly an end to something. We hugged outside an arena where he’d soon join hundreds of new classmates and friends and begin his new life — on his own. It felt like a hug goodbye. I held tighter, tighter than he expected, but as tight as I remember him holding on to me when I coaxed him into the kindergarten room for the first time. I watched him disappear into a sea of youth, and it was like I was closing the book on one of my favorite stories. A couple weeks later, Ford came home on the bus for the first time. He arrived with new ideas, new opinions and some favorite foods I had not expected. We all 28 / BANGOR METRO August 2020
stayed up late that night. We played trivia games and Ford and his brothers talked about movies. And it felt like the beginning of something. Each time Ford came home, he was different — and yet, the same. His new knowledge and views of the world required me to stretch my own thinking. He challenged me in ways I used to challenge him as he was growing up. He had new interests, new experiences and new foods he wanted us to try. Sometimes, when Ford came home that first year and his brothers were still in school, we’d go on walks just the two of us. I didn’t need to hold his hand or watch for
cars as he crossed the road. I didn’t need to stop and tie his shoes and tell him about the week’s plan. That part of parenting had indeed come to an end. But something else had begun. Now I had space and time to enjoy this adult child, to talk to him like a friend, to absorb and learn from all his new experiences. The little boy I’ve always known is still there. I see him in his eyes when he is tired or the way he still gets excited about chocolate chip cookie dough. But a new man is just beginning. And although I still sometimes lose sleep over all the things that have ended, I see now that new beginnings can be just as beautiful.
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HOW-TO
CRAFTING WITH KIDS
CREATE A
SOLAR OVEN TURN SNACK TIME INTO A SUNNY SCIENCE PROJECT STORY & PHOTOS BY AMY ALLEN
I’M NOT GOING TO SUGAR-COAT IT — it’s been a long summer. The lack of summer camps, get-togethers, sleepovers and all the other fun that makes summer vacation normally fly by for my kids, is definitely getting to us. Days are dragging, kids are going stircrazy and the constant moaning of “There’s nothing to do” is a lot for parents who are trying to get work done and simultaneously entertain and educate their children. And that’s why I really love this solar oven project — it’s part science project, part craft project, ends with a tasty treat, and the only real prep work is eating pizza. One thing we have been blessed with this summer are hot, sunny days, which is exactly what you need to make your solar oven function. The tin foil panel reflects the sun’s hot rays into the box, which has a double-paned plastic wrap window to trap the heat like a greenhouse and let you see what’s happening inside. Lined with newspaper, the box can hold a surprising amount of heat — up to around 200 degrees on a really sunny day. We tucked a basic meat thermometer in the box to watch the temperature rise. Once you’ve got the solar oven created, use a clear plastic plate or a clear glass pie plate to hold your food and keep the inside clean. You can reuse often to attempt to cook different foods. Some great options include s’mores, nachos, hotdogs, reheating pizza or heating up some canned soup. Bon appétit! 30 / BANGOR METRO August 2020
WHAT YOU’LL NEED: • Pizza box • Utility knife • Tin foil • Plastic wrap • Tape • A sheet of black paper • Newspaper • Thermometer
DIRECTIONS & TIPS 1. Using a utility knife carefully cut a flap in the top of the pizza box, leaving about 1 to 1.5 inches from the flap to the edges of the lid. 2. Wrap the inside of the flap with tin foil and tape into place. Try to keep it smooth as this will be what reflects the sun’s heat into the box. 3. Create a double-paned plastic wrap window in the hole you cut. Tape a sheet of plastic wrap on both the outside and inside of the window, seal all the edges with tape. The window acts as a greenhouse, letting the sunlight in and trapping the heat inside. 4. Line the bottom of the box with black paper. Black paper will help absorb the reflected sunlight and heat the box. 5. Insulate the edges of the box with rolled up newspaper to help trap the heat. A thermometer inside will help you track how hot it is in your oven. 6. Use a clear bottomed pie plate or plastic plate to cook your food. Prop the reflecting panel up with a stick or pencil, angling it to get the most sunlight possible. It will get hot inside, so be sure to use oven mitts to remove your food!
CRAFTING
with KIDS
Questions? Learn More! What is a Bleeding Disorder?
How Can I Show My Support?
A Bleeding Disorder causes the blood to not clot properly. Types of these bleeding disorders include Hemophilia, Von Willebrand Disease, as well as Rare Factor Deficiencies. There is no cure for bleeding disorders.
Join our annual Unite for Bleeding Disorders Hike, scheduled for September 12 at Mt. Battie at Camden Hills State Park. This hike is our biggest fundraiser of the year, and funds go to support things like research for new treatments for bleeding disorders and educational programs for bleeding disorder community members. Anyone can join our hike, create a team or donate to this event — go to our website for more details!
What are the Symptoms? Symptoms of a bleeding disorder can include, but not limited to, spontaneous nose bleeds, easy and excessive bruising, internal muscle, joint and soft tissue bleeds, prolonged bleeding after surgery, as well as heavy menstrual bleeding.
Where Can I Find More Info? Living with a bleeding disorder can often times be a challenge to manage. We here at the Hemophilia Alliance of Maine offer support, guidance, advocacy and education to not only help Maine families who are affected by a bleeding disorder, but to spread awareness as well. Visit our website or email us at info@ mainehemophilia.org to learn more.
For more information, visit: mainehemophilia.org or email info@mainehemophilia.org
HOW TEACHERS CAN HELP STUDENTS STAND UP FOR WHAT THEY BELIEVE BY EMILY MORRISON
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EVERY YEAR, as August evaporates into September, I suffer from back-to-school nightmares — the kind where I wake up in a cold sweat wondering, “Did I really attempt to teach English in the nude, and did all of my students keep talking anyway?” Most of these dreams involve me arriving at school under clothed, under prepared and utterly powerless to change either predicament. Sadly, powerlessness is a common theme in education, and this year — more than any other in the past two decades of my career — teachers, students and parents feel more powerless than ever. How can we keep our children healthy? How can we change our instruction so students don’t fall further behind and parents can finally take off their homeschool teacher hats? Most of all, how can we empower our students to stand up for what they believe?
WHAT IS THE BIGGEST CHALLENGE TO EMPOWERING STUDENTS? The most significant obstacle actually lies in the way we educate America’s youth, our outdated Industrial mode of teaching. “This traditional form of teaching has many drawbacks. One of the major ones is that it can destroy students’ enthusiasm and love of learning. By applying Ford’s factory model to schools and seeing students as objects to whom techniques are applied, students can be disconnected from their learning,” Catherine Broom, professor of education at the University of British Columbia, wrote in “Empowering students: Pedagogy that benefits educators and learners” published in a 2015 issue of the journal Citizenship, Social and Economics Education. This method is a no-brainer, literally. When educators view knowledge as something to be transferred to “empty
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FEATURE
vessels,” students become passive partners in their own education. This version of teaching has often been called the “banking” model, where students follow the rules, do the homework, learn the content and meet the deadlines all in an attempt to store up their teachers’ knowledge. In this impersonal system, rather than empowering students, educators reward good behavior with good grades while simultaneously styming students’ sense of empowerment. WHAT IS EMPOWERMENT? Undoubtedly, one of the overarching goals of public education is to create good citizens, but how do we define a “good citizen”? According to Broom, “Good citizens are individuals who actively participate in their nation’s civic affairs, whether by engaging in more traditional
practices such as voting or more activist means such as boycotting or protesting.” As one might assume, both of these civic duties demand people to be responsive, to take action. In the banking model of learning, students who follow all of the rules don’t necessarily make good, active citizens.
Broom writes,“If instead of micromanaging their students, teachers can learn how to empower them, teachers will make their own lives easier, avoid burnout, and help students take responsibility for guiding their own learning ... It seems counter-intuitive, but by giving students power, teachers gain power and better classroom control.”
WHAT IS THE MYTH ABOUT STUDENT EMPOWERMENT? The most pervasive misconception about student empowerment is that it disempowers teachers. This is simply not true. When teachers share their power, their students become more active and engaged. As any teacher, parent or individual who has worked with youth can attest, the more adults try to control children, the more resistant they become.
WHAT CAN TEACHERS DO TO EMPOWER THEIR STUDENTS? Promote Inquiry September is a good time for teachers to introduce inquiry projects. Broom suggests that as students navigate the learning process, teachers act more like “guides on the side,” easing up on “detailed criteria” and giving students more choice. In inquiry mode, teachers provide general directions and objectives and students take charge of their own learning. www.bangormetro.com BANGOR METRO / 35
FEATURE Dr. Richard Kent, author of several education books including “Writing on the Bus” and professor of Literacy at the University of Maine agrees with Broom. “Our job as educators is to help our student colleagues come to understand what they believe in. Once they have a grasp on their beliefs as young adults, they’re more likely to express themselves with confidence,” Kent said. But how can educators help students build confidence? According to Kent: “We do this work by creating classrooms and schools that provide opportunities for students to explore, wonder, think, and make decisions. There aren’t any worksheets in these classrooms. Kids are involved in problem solving and projects. Ultimately, effective classrooms provide authentic opportunities for students while allowing them to make choices; these classrooms are collaborative spaces… what you and I might call ‘learning communities.’” When students are allowed to direct their own learning path rather than, as Broom writes, “following the teachers’ set conception of how the work should be done,” they can display their learning in various ways. The sheer variety of student work is further evidence of this outside-the-box thinking and truly reflects the multiple intelligences of our learners.
MUCH OF ANYTHING IF THEY DON’T FEEL CONNECTED TO THE PEOPLE WHO ARE TEACHING THEM. THIS MEANS THE REAL TEACHER MUST SHOW UP EVERY DAY — THE PERSON WHO IS HUMAN, CARING AND AUTHENTIC.
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Tap Into Students’ Interests It’s not just how students learn, but giving them choice in what they learn that’s important. When parents ask their children, “Which would you prefer tonight, lima beans or Brussels sprouts?” many children would reply, “Neither.” This response is much the same inside the classroom. When teachers ask, “Would you like to read Tolstoy or Dostoevsky next?” students respond, “Who’s that? Can’t we read something by someone we can pronounce?”
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Establish Trust Like most relationships, teacher-student relationships depend upon trust. Teachers need to be able to trust their students and vice versa. When teachers shift the responsibility of learning to their pupils, educators must believe their students are capable and willing to do the work required of them. One of the best ways to build trust between teachers and students is setting clear boundaries and expectations from the start. There’s an old adage in education that goes, “You can always lighten, but you can never tighten.” Simply put, if educators don’t establish academic, emotional, and social norms with students early on, then enforcing these expectations later on becomes impossible. In that same spirit, people are not perfect. There are many times when, despite all of our best efforts, both teachers and students fail to measure up. This is where establishing an atmosphere of understanding and empathy is absolutely LIFE IS ABOUT crucial. For trust to exist, at the end of the school day students must believe that CONNECTION, AND STUDENTS teachers are on their side and have their DON’T FEEL INSPIRED TO DO best interests at heart.
To hone in on students’ interests, educators must have conversations that sound a lot like small talk. When teachers listen and respond rather than dictate and dismiss, then we allow students to teach us what they’re interested in. Provide Positive Feedback and Care Current education research reveals that the majority of students are not motivated by reward or punishment — they are motivated by connection. Students who struggle with motivation have often experienced many of the consequences that life, adults and/ or teachers can throw at them. What they haven’t experienced enough of is positive feedback and care. Kent echoes this sentiment. “Since learning is about relationships, teachers in 21st century schools serve as mentors and colleagues, not examiners and graders. Our goal must be to offer genuine feedback–– not a number, a letter, or a ‘very good,’ but a full-throated dialog that frames ideas and welcomes further discussion. With that kind of foundation and support in a community of caring, students gain confidence and more readily stand up to speak their minds,” Kent said. Life is about connection, and students don’t feel inspired to do much of anything if they don’t feel connected to the people who are teaching them. This means the real teacher must show up every day — the person who is human, caring and authentic. When we have real relationships with students based on mutual respect, they in turn feel empowered to show themselves to us. WHAT IS THE EFFECT OF EMPOWERING STUDENTS? When educators create an environment where multiple opinions are listened to, lively discussions are the norm, debate is welcome and individuals who hold different values have the opportunity to explain their thoughts, feelings and beliefs, then students will believe they have the ability to effect real change. According to Broom, with an increased sense of self-esteem and positive selfidentity, “Students feel like they can influence their environments positively.” There is no doubt that we are living through trying times, but educators’ response to life and to learning must model for our students the power we each possess to, as Mahatma Gandhi said, “Be the change you wish to see in the world.” www.bangormetro.com BANGOR METRO / 37
FEATURE
38 / BANGOR METRO August 2020
Creating a More Inclusive
CLASSROOM HOW TO BRING MORE INCLUSIVITY TO CLASSROOMS BY KIMBERLEY MORAN
BELONGING IS A HUMAN NEED that must be met before learning can occur. “The psychologist Abraham Maslow proposed that healthy human beings had a certain number of needs, and that these needs could be arranged in a hierarchy, with some needs (such as physiological and safety needs) being more primitive or basic than others (such as social and ego needs),” Neel Burton wrote in a 2020 issue of Psychology Today. For children, this means they need to be fed, clothed, housed, and loved before they are able to learn in school. Humans crave belonging. That’s why they join clubs, spend hours online searching for the people who understand them, and look for jobs, friends, and partners who accept them. Children don’t get a lot of choice when it comes to their classrooms, teachers, and other students. So it’s up to teachers to figure out what it takes to make sure students feel they belong in their classrooms. This means combing through every aspect of the learning experience you create to make sure everything tells children they belong. It might seem overwhelming, but there are some concrete strategies to cultivating an all-races, all-religions, all-abilities, LGBTQ, and gender-inclusive learning environment. MODEL INCLUSIVE LANGUAGE IN EVERYTHING YOU DO. Instead of addressing children by gender, try using non-gendered words like “students,” “scholars,” or “friends” to be more inclusive of all identities. Take this a step further by dividing children according to birth month, color of clothing, or number. Don’t remark on play as gender-related. Resist from commenting on boys who play with dolls or girls who play football at recess. Revise back to school paperwork by ensuring all handbooks, forms and other communications are inclusive of all family structures and gender identities (e.g., use phrases such as “families and caring adults” in place of “moms and dads”). Offer everything in different languages, if necessary, or show parents where they can access a translator.
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FEATURE LEARN HOW TO SAY YOUR STUDENTS’ NAMES. Never, ever, ever make a negative remark about someone’s name. Your name is your first identity. Be sure to ask every student how to say their name, but do it privately so you can be sure you’ve got it right. STOCK YOUR LIBRARY SHELVES WITH DIVERSE BOOKS. Help students identify their place in the world through stories and materials. In 1990, Dr. Rudine Sims Bishop wrote about mirrors and windows for Reading Is Fundamental. Mirrors are books with characters and settings that resemble their own lives. Windows are books where children can learn about all the diverse people out in the world making it beautiful. Challenge stereotypes out loud when you see them in books. Why is this mom making dinner every single night? Can dads make dinner? Help give kids the voice to challenge what they see and notice. PREPARE FOR TEACHABLE MOMENTS. Brainstorm things you might hear throughout the year and write down what you plan to say as a response. It’s easy to go blank in the heat of the moment when a child says things like, “That’s gay!” or “You act like a girl!” or “You’re not a real family because you have two dads and no mom.” Be prepared to interrupt hurtful comments about a child’s identity or their family. On the website, Welcoming Schools, they explain the importance of not ignoring hurtful behavior. “It doesn’t matter if it’s a first grader who might not know what the word ‘gay’ means, a sixth grader trying to sound cool, or a tenth grader ‘teasing’ a friend. All of these have the potential of creating an unsafe classroom or school environment and must be addressed.” INCORPORATE MARGINALIZED VOICES IN YOUR LESSONS. Curriculum materials are expensive and this means they are often out of date. Be more intentional about finding magazine articles, books, and speeches by people who aren’t white, straight men. This gives your students a wider view of the world. Work to find materials that celebrate every voice. When children see that you love to learn and share stories about and by people of different races, gender-identities, and abilities, they will begin to see that who they are is valuable. MAKE SURE YOUR FIELD TRIPS ARE ACCESSIBLE. Not all disabilities are visible. You may have students with anxieties about certain field trips. There may be some whose culture or religion doesn’t allow them to do certain things. Take time in the beginning of the year to reach out to families to see if there is anything you might not be aware of. Look for ways to accommodate as many differences as you can. You may discover new ways of looking at field trips you never considered before. And if you must leave a 40 / BANGOR METRO August 2020
student behind, consider finding an online field trip for that student so they can experience it virtually. ACCEPT DIFFERENT WAYS OF LEARNING. Some kids cannot sit still. They aren’t being manipulative or testing you, they just need to move more than others. Guess what? That’s okay, too! Keep spaces open for your students who are listening but want to sway or wiggle. Encourage kids to talk about what they’re doing when they learn best. Kids can be very articulate about why they do things. Try to remember to ask a student, “why’d you do that?” before assuming anything. CELEBRATE DIFFERENCES. Encourage everyone in your classroom to talk about their differences. A common practice in the classroom centers around finding things we all have in common, but often sharing our differences helps us come together as well. Push kids to look at differences in everything they learn. How are these two numbers different? How many ways can you look at this one thing? Consider reading the Wallace Stevens poem, “Thirteen Ways of Looking at a
Blackbird,” which helps kids see how valuable examining different perspectives is. LET CHILDREN LEAD. Imagine this, you’re reading a story about a Chinese family and everyone turns to the one Chinese child in the classroom to answer a cultural question. Don’t be that teacher. Instead let children come to lead or offer information on their own. If children wish to be invisible during conversations where the subject might be close to home, let them absorb instead of discuss. One person’s differences do not make them an expert, and they might also be able to learn something from hearing what others can offer about a topic. TAKE TIME EVERYDAY TO LEARN A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT YOUR STUDENTS. You can learn a lot by asking students about their lives. Finding out if kids need two sets of books or papers because they share their time between guardians goes a long way to building trust. Helping students get homework done when their guardians are out of town or working late helps them see that you know they can do it and they matter to you.
DON’T USE FOOD AS A WAY TO CELEBRATE THINGS. Many students may not be able to partake in certain kinds of foods. It tends to be more exclusionary than celebratory for many of the students in your classroom. MAKE IT A POINT TO CELEBRATE EVERY STUDENT’S ACCOMPLISHMENTS. Everyone wants to feel appreciated. When we celebrate a child who isn’t appreciated at home or one who gets in trouble at recess a lot, we show them what it feels like to be seen and accepted. Often this feeling helps a child feel more confident and empowered to grow their identity and become a part of the classroom in a way they never had before. When we think about identity, we may focus on cultural things like clothing, or physiological things like skin color, but it’s also important to understand that our identities are made up of shared ideas, ideologies, biases and ways of seeing the world around us. The more we respect each other and allow everyone to be who they choose to be in safe, kind ways, the better we grow as a community. www.bangormetro.com BANGOR METRO / 41
FEATURE
Open
NEW PERSPECTIVES THIS DIVERSITY READING LIST WILL HELP YOUR KIDS LEARN MORE ABOUT OTHERS’ EXPERIENCES IN THE WORLD COMPILED BY SARAH WALKER CARON
BOOKS ARE MAGICAL. They can both entertain and let readers step into the shoes of others. Each book is a door into a new world, real or imagined. And it’s through reading that people can expand their understanding of the world. The following book recommendations are aimed at kids and their families, with the goal of helping expand reading horizons. They come from those in the know — teachers, librarians, booksellers, etc. You might even recognize some of the names.
EARLY ELEMENTARY KUNU’S BASKET: A STORY FROM INDIAN ISLAND BY LEE DECORA FRANCIS. Lee Decora Francis is Penobscot and a school teacher at Indian Island School. This book tells the story of Kunu who wants to make a pack basket like the other men on Indian Island. When Kanu gets frustrated by the difficulty of basket making, his grandfather steps in to guide him. This is a story about family tradition and learning the importance of being patient and gentle with yourself. — MARIA GIROUARD, a Penobscot tribal historian, former director of Penobscot Nation cultural and historical preservation and current executive director for Maine-Wabanaki REACH, a cross-cultural organization working toward truth, healing, and change here in the Dawnland
WHEN AIDAN BECAME A BROTHER BY KYLE LUKOFF, ILLUSTRATED BY KAYLANI JUANITA. Aidan’s parents thought he was a girl when he was born, but he figured out pretty early on he’s a boy. His story about preparing for a new sibling makes me smile every time I read it. — ABBY RICE, bookseller at The Briar Patch
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THE STORY OF RUBY BRIDGES BY ROBERT COLES, ILLUSTRATED BY GEORGE FORD. Children are so deeply aware of justice and injustice. Coles tells the true story of the first child to integrate a New Orleans elementary school. This book is very effective at touching children’s hearts in a developmentally appropriate way. Children who have not yet consciously witnessed racial injustice. You may want to read this book with your child, first. Make sure to talk with your children after sharing this book with them, and be ready for follow-up questions. — BEN TREAT, director of Bangor Public Library
A BIG MOONCAKE FOR LITTLE STAR BY GRACE LIN. Scrumptious illustrations tell the tale of a celestial mother and daughter who bake a mooncake and leave it to cool in the heavens. Night after night, the daughter, Little Star, sneaks over to nibble a bit of the cake — a marvelous, fanciful explanation for the phases of the moon. A mooncake is a Chinese treat baked for the autumn Moon Festival, which Lin explains in a video on her website. This book won multiple awards and has a sequel, A Big Bed for Little Snow. — ELLEN BOORAEM, author and member of the Word. Literary Festival steering committee.
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FEATURE NOT MY IDEA BY ANASTASIA HIGGINBOTHAM. For white families with small children, Not My Idea is a picture book perfect for read alouds that facilitates conversations about power and privilege and what white children can do to help fight for justice. — STEPHANIE HENDRIX, an English teacher and Humanities Academy Coordinator and Civil Rights Team Advisor at Bangor High School
UPPER ELEMENTARY THE ARRIVAL BY SHAUN TAN. In this wordless graphic novel, a man leaves his family for a foreign country and has to find his way, observing trauma, tragedy, loneliness, generosity, and love. While certainly not “giving people a taste of the immigrant experience,” the book does put the reader in the position of having to puzzle their way through interpreting the culture and practices of a new land. — BEN TREAT
REMEMBER ME: TOMAH JOSEPH’S GIFT TO FRANKLIN ROOSEVELT BY DONALD SOCTOMAH. Remember Me is a children’s book that tells about a special friendship between a Passamaquoddy Elder, Tomah Joseph, and a summer resident of Campobello Island, Franklin Roosevelt, who went on to become the 32nd President of the United States. This book describes a little known connection and appreciation that Roosevelt had for the Passamaquoddy Indians who have lived along the shores of Passamaquoddy Bay since time immemorial. — MARIA GIROUARD
WITCH BOY BY MOLLY KNOX OSTERTAG. Witch Boy is a magical graphic novel that seems like it’s just a fun adventure on the surface, but is truly about identity, belonging, and being yourself. — ABBY RICE
ONE CRAZY SUMMER BY RITA GARCIA-WILLIAMS. This is the first in a funny, endearing, multiple-award-winning trilogy of books about Brooklyn’s Gaither sisters, 11-year-old Delphine and her two younger sisters. They’re Black. The first book sends them to Oakland, CA, in 1968 to spend the summer with their estranged mother, who puts them in Black Panther camp when they were hoping for Disneyland. In all three books, the girls and their family are the main attraction — compelling characters all — but we’re also immersed in their times and their culture. The sequels are P.S. Be Eleven (set in Brooklyn, NY) and Gone Crazy in Alabama (set in the rural South). — ELLEN BOORAEM 44 / BANGOR METRO August 2020
MIDDLE SCHOOL GENESIS BEGINS AGAIN BY ALICIA WILLIAMS. When I first picked up Genesis Begins Again, I found myself putting it down for a day or two as it made me feel uncomfortable to witness Genesis’ life, and yet, I had to remind myself that this is what good fiction does to readers, it causes us to “feel,” to empathize, to walk in someone else’s shoes and in the end we’re all better for having read to the very last page. Those who choose to read this award-winning title will meet a 13-year-old girl who thinks she has 96 reasons to dislike herself. As the story unfolds, we see Genesis desperately trying to fix all of the problems she thinks she has created, and yet, it becomes clear that the problems and obstacles Genesis and her family experience are in many ways tied to our country’s long history of racism and injustice. In the end, Genesis learns to forgive and love herself, and readers are offered a glimpse of a better life for Genesis and her family. — LORI PATTERSON, Library Media Specialist at James F. Doughty School
THE REMARKABLE JOURNEY OF COYOTE SUNRISE BY DAN GEMEINHART. Coyote is a strong female main character who is confident, sassy and has quite a bit of spunk. Her dad, Rodeo, is just the beginning of the many characters you will meet on this journey of laughter, tears and life lessons all in a refitted school bus. A journey that you wish you were riding along with them. — KELLY BROOKS BAY, middle school librarian and director of the Orrington Public Library. She’s also author of Sea Glass and the Lighthouse and The Rainbow Pants
GHOST BOYS BY JEWELL PARKER RHODES. When young Jerome is killed by a police officer, the ghost of Emmett Till helps him process it all. This book absolutely broke my heart, but we need it now more than ever. — ABBY RICE
THE FORGOTTEN GIRL BY LINDA HILL BROWN. Mesmerizing and haunting this story will stay with you more than any just the basic ghost story. Iris and Daniel are middle schoolers who stumble upon an old grave marker in the woods behind their house. That is just the beginning. Spinning into the supernatural mystery to historical and culturally relevant story of racism through segregation it is a beautifully written story. — KELLY BROOKS BAY
HIGH SCHOOL MARCH BY JOHN LEWIS AND ANDREW AYDIN, ART BY NATE POWELL. Representative John Lewis tells the story of the civil rights movement through his own experience as the leader of the nonviolent SNCC, and as a participant in the March on Washington and the Bloody Sunday attack on the Edmund Pettis Bridge. As the only surviving member of the stage party from the March on Washington, Lewis was on stage when Dr. King gave his most famous speech. — BEN TREAT
WOMEN OF THE DAWN BY BUNNY MCBRIDE. Women of the Dawn (1999) is important because it highlights ways in which Wabanaki women experienced their worlds. Although Wabanaki tribes are traditionally matriarchal, the importance of women's roles is seldom reflected in literature. This historical fiction is about four Wabanaki women all named Molly who lived in different time eras, and illustrates the timeless roles that women played as keepers of the traditions and the families. — MARIA GIROUARD
HOUSE IN THE CERULEAN SEA BY TJ KLUNE. House in the Cerulean Sea is a sweet hug of a story about finding family in the most unlikely places. — ABBY RICE
STAMPED: RACISM, ANTI-RACISM AND YOU BY JASON REYNOLDS AND DR. IBRAM X. KENDI. One book I think every middle and high school student should read is Stamped: Racism, Anti-racism, and You by Jason Reynolds and Dr. Ibram X. Kendi. This “not a history book” adopts a very conversational style to discuss and describe how America’s racist past is shaping its present and its future. — STEPHANIE HENDRIX
HOW IT WENT DOWN BY KEKLA MAGOON. A gut-punch of a book about the aftermath when a white man shoots a 16-year-old Black kid on an urban street in front of multiple witnesses. Was Tariq holding a gun, or was it a Snickers bar for his little sister? In a series of short bursts, we hear versions of Tariq’s story told by witnesses young and old, as well as family members and even a Black political candidate—and none of them quite match up. Each speaker has his or her own drama going on, deftly drawn. There are no easy answers. — ELLEN BOORAEM
AN UPRIVER PASSAMAQUODDY BY ALLEN SOCKABASIN. An Upriver Passamaquoddy (2007) is a contemporary history based on the author’s memoirs of growing up in Motahkmikuk (Indian Township, Washington County) A lot of material is packed into this small book that describes the cultural richness of a poor tribal community. Struggles that they experienced such as racism and cultural losses are important truths to know about as we, as a society, keep striving toward a better way of being together in this world. — MARIA GIROUARD
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46 / BANGOR METRO August 2020
GEEKING OUT
ON POP CULTURE IN SCHOOLS BY ROSEMARY LAUSIER
BACK WHEN I was a sophomore in high school in 2010, my classmates and I made a “Timeline of Your Life” project for our World History class. We picked events that happened through the course of our lives in Bangor, the state and the nation, as well as our personal lives. Then we presented it to the class. One student focused on Pokemon and how that impacted his life and pop culture around the world. Reflecting on that class 10 years later, I appreciate that my teacher, Jaime Jarvis, always tried to incorporate our passions into the curriculum and made learning history fun. Basically, she let us “geek out” in school. “By incorporating pop culture, it really can get kids excited about getting engaged with [the curriculum],” Jarvis told Bangor Metro. Because of the increased interest and engagement in geek and pop culture more teachers are using it in the classroom to help them relate to their students and pique their interests with their curriculum. But does it have an impact?
WHAT IS A “GEEK”? A geek is an enthusiast or expert, especially in the technological field or activity, according to the Merriam-Webster dictionary. However, the term also has darker connotations as it used to refer to a carnival performer who would perform grotesque acts such as biting a head off of a chicken or snake — no joke.
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FEATURE
“Geek” was used as a derogatory term for people considered to be social outcasts as early as the 1950s. They were portrayed as being obsessive with interests and obscure hobbies like Dungeons & Dragons (D&D) — a popular roleplaying game with a strong following today — and computers later on in the 70s and 80s. “Geek” no longer has an association with biting off chicken heads, but those who identify as “geeks” started reclaiming the phrase in the 1990s to express their pride in their involvement and appreciation of sci-fi, fantasy, comic books and cosplay, instead of avoiding being identified as such. Furthermore, geek culture has started to become more mainstream. The term can now be used for anyone who is passionate about something including things like sports or baking. “Never before has the boundary between geek culture and mainstream culture been so porous,” Noah Cohen wrote in his 2014 New York Times article “We’re All Nerds.” “Once-fringe nerd-friendly obsessions like gadgets, comic books and fire-breathing dragons are increasingly everyone’s obsessions.”
POP CULTURE IN BANGOR CLASSROOMS Thematic classes that incorporate pop culture elements have been increasing in the Bangor School System. From American history and pop culture to film and comic books, teachers are bringing mainstream geek culture back into the classroom. Jarvis developed a thematic class for U.S. History through pop culture in 2012 with a focus on what the middle class of a certain time period were investing time and money into — such as movies and cartoons. The class also focuses on how popular culture reshapes our view of our current time period. One of her projects requires students to pick a superhero or villain and research the time period they debuted. They have to explain how the superhero or the villain highlights what’s going on in America and how that superhero will change over time such as Captain America fighting the Nazis in WWII and the Russians in the Cold War. “It allows them to personalize their experience and I’m able to maintain a core curriculum,” Jarvis said. “It drops some of the barriers that students have with their teachers.”
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Ryan Bachtel, an English Language Arts teacher at Bangor High School, teaches an elective called “Visual Storytelling,” a class about comic books and comic book culture. Bachtel, who personally “geeks out” to Star Wars, comic books and “Star Trek: The Next Generation,” incorporates pop culture into his classroom because the older a piece of literature is — such as a work by Shakespeare — the harder it is for the audience to connect with it. But having a modern take on an original work — such as reading the graphic novel sequel to “Frankenstein,” “Frankenstein Alive, Alive” — opens a gateway to the original work to students. Students will often seek Bachtel outside of class to tell him something they’ve seen or read and how it reminded them of an idea they covered in his class. “That’s what art does… when you open the door to the world of pop culture, students have a way to connect what they care about with whatever you are trying to teach them,” Bachtel said.
INCORPORATING “GEEK CULTURE” IN THE CLASSROOM Heather Wolpert-Gawron — an award winning middle school teacher from Los Angeles, California, and author of “Just Ask Us: Kids Speak Out on Student Engagement” — said teachers share their own interests so that students can know that being a geek is safe and in turn, they can learn to respect one another’s ideas and interests. In her blog post “Creating a Geek Culture in the Classroom” for the George Lucas Educational Foundation, Wolpert-Gawron gave examples of how to incorporate that culture in the classroom. • GIVE STUDENTS THE OPPORTUNITIES TO TEACH OTHERS ABOUT THEIR PASSIONS • CELEBRATE UNIQUENESS AND PASSION AS AN ONGOING THEME IN THE CLASSROOM • MAKE SURE YOUR METAPHORS AND COMPARISONS CONNECT TO MANY INTERESTS — DON’T JUST BRING UP STAR WARS OR SUPERHEROES, BUT CONNECT WITH THOSE WHO GEEK ON ARCHITECTURE OR FOOTBALL.
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That’s how some teachers are incorporating geek culture here in Maine too. For instance, Jarvis gives assignments each quarter related to sports — such as the origin of lacrosse or how boxing became popular — to cater to those with that passion. This year, Bangor High School was also one of 70 schools to participate in a pilot “Hamilton” program from the Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History. The students worked through primary documents to create an original piece — poem, scene or rap — surrounding a founding father or influential Revolutionary figure, similar to how Lin-Manuel Miranda created the original musical. “Their personalities bring the content to life,” Jarvis said. Importantly, geek culture can also be a way for students to connect with the material. “[Students] that appreciate the [geek] culture recognize a lot of what you’re trying to do, are interested in working more with that, and connect on that level,” said Anthony Crabtree, an English teacher at Bangor High School. “Oftentimes, these are students who have had a harder time connecting to school for one reason or another, and it’s good for them to have a place where they feel comfortable.”
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FEATURE
ENRICHING EDUCATION THE IMPORTANCE OF THE ARTS IN EDUCATION
MANY REMEMBER BEING excited to enter art class or finally pick up that flute and learn to play. Enrichment programs (or what some call ‘specials’) in education are designed to give students a variety of options and allow them to explore learning in a whole new way than the typical classroom offers. These programs can include everything from sports to music to art to coding. Many kids look forward to the change in their academic day and thrive during these activities, many of which they may not ever stumble upon if they weren’t offered in school. While some of these enrichment programs are taught in a classroom setting and are graded, some aren’t. When my youngest son, who isn’t a fan of school at all, decided to take a coding class as an ungraded elective I saw an engagement in him I’d never witnessed before. This is supported by many studies. For instance, a study by researchers at the University of British Columbia published in the Journal of Educational Psychology indicated that students who participated in music averaged higher scores in math, science and English at both the middle school and high school level. Another study by Dr. Frank Wilson, an assistant clinical professor neurology at the University School of Medicine in San Francisco, indicated that music can enhance coordination, concentration, and memory, as well as improve hearing and eyesight. According to “Critical Evidence: How the Arts Benefit Student Achievement,” a publication by the National Assembly of State Arts Agencies and the Arts Education Partnership, students who participate in the arts do better in school academically and socially. Importantly, according to the publication, the benefits of the arts go beyond the arts themselves, helping kids to better master literacy, mathematics and more. “Certain types of music instruction help develop the capacity for spatialtemporal reasoning, which is integral to the acquisition of important mathematics skills,” Critical Evidence says. Moreover, dramatic readings of stories can help kids better understand what they are reading, and dance can help open up creative thinking for kids, according to Critical Evidence. 52 / BANGOR METRO August 2020
PHOTO: ADOBE STOCK
BY KATIE SMITH
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PHOTO: ADOBE STOCK
FEATURE
In the classroom, Maine teachers see the benefits of arts learning in action. “It promotes problem solving skills, critical thinking and they improve students’ ability to concentrate, be more focused, and build relationships,” said Sarah Helgesen, a Special Education Teacher at Thornton Academy in Saco. Enrichment activities are fun so children don’t realize they are learning, she said. Kelsey Boucher, a K-6 Visual Arts Educator at Connors Elementary School in Lewiston, agrees, saying children are 54 / BANGOR METRO August 2020
like sponges and will absorb everything in. “The earlier they are exposed to the arts and languages, the more confident they are in these areas as they grow older,” Boucher said. Exposure to arts, music and languages early also helps with motor skills and speech and language skills, Boucher said. Plus, she believes, those subjects can open up “pathways for students to learn.” “I will never forget the time I asked an entire sixth grade class what symmetry was. Not one student could raise their hand
and tell me. I got a bit nervous because the lesson I was introducing was not only revolved around symmetry (hoping they already knew what it was), it revolved around radial symmetry,” Boucher said. “I pushed on through the project and every student was able to show me the answer to my question, even though they weren’t able to express it with words. We, as arts/enrichment educators, strive to connect our programs to their every day learning to help support the students and be successful everywhere.”
Helgesen has witnessed nonverbal students “enunciate sounds to music and play instruments to the beat while having the best time,” and said that’s when she feels enrichment programs have proven to be the most successful, adding value to every student. And while students will experience and benefit from enrichment programs in different ways, they can help children of all abilities to succeed. Music and art are designed to let kids get a bit more creative, for instance, even though no one is going to sing or draw alike, according to Helgesen. “It’s
not as much of a competition. All students engage and excel differently,” Helgesen said. Helgesen also said that when students are involved in different activities during the school day, such as art or music, it gives them more confidence and they are more likely to sign up for other programs beyond the school day. “It’s never too early to introduce children to enrichment opportunities. I believe that there are many social and academic benefits and the earlier the introduction, the better,” Helgesen said. www.bangormetro.com BANGOR METRO / 55
GET OUT
BOOTHBAY HARBOR
GET OUT:
BOOTHBAY
HARBOR TAKE A TRIP TO THE COAST STORY & PHOTOS BY JULIA BAYLY
NOTE: Information in this piece was accurate and up to date when going to press in July. It is highly advisable to call or check a business’s website for the most current COVID-19 related information. Up to date state COVID-19 guidelines can be found at www.maine.gov. You can also check out the Boothbay Harbor Chamber of Commerce website at www.boothbayharbor.com for updated local COVID-19 information.
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R WHEN HEADING INTO BOOTHBAY HARBOR on Maine 27 South, prepare to slow down for the ducks. If I knew nothing else about that region, the presence of that slow duck zone would be enough. The June day I drove down from Bangor, drivers were actually dropping down from the posted speed limit of 50 mph to a slow crawl of around 20 mph for the several hundred feet bounded by those two crossing signs. But there’s so much more to this coastal community that is equal parts working waterfront and tourism destination two hours southeast of Bangor. The waterfront community is currently home to around 3,000 year-round residents. It was colonised by English fishermen and farmers in the early 1600s who were later joined by Scotch-Irish families in the early
1700s. By the late 1800s, steamer ships were bringing summer tourists from Portland and Boston and the area’s tourism boom was born with summer vacation colonies, inns and eateries popping up alongside the fishing docks, ice houses and shipyards. A lot has changed in the last 200 years but a fair amount still remains. Sure, there’s high speed internet, modern buildings, speed boats and car traffic. But those shipyards, fisheries and tourism remain the main sources of income for the resident population. That all meant when I visited Boothbay for the first time ever, I got a chance to experience the best of the old and the best of the new in what one local described to me as “The Boothbay Bubble,” a world apart from the hustle and bustle, stress and commitments of workaday life.
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BOOTHBAY HARBOR
A stroll through the Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens is a wonderful way to spend an afternoon in Boothbay while getting to know some of Maine’s native plant species.
What could be better than fresh steamed lobster and corn on the cob enjoyed alfresco on a Maine summer day?
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DO Here’s what you need to know right off the bat when you drive into Boothbay. The main road into town is Maine 27 South out of Augusta. It eventually becomes Oak Street in town. It also becomes a one-way street that makes a circle as it becomes Townsend Avenue where it runs along the water. For the uninitiated it felt a bit like the longest and most confusing traffic circle ever. I circled around the quarter mile or so looking for the way to actually exit downtown and feeling a bit like Charlie on the MTA. Eventually, my friend and I found our turn by taking a right off Townsend that looked like it would take us back up to catch 27. It did. From there we were able to circle back in and park in one of the many on-street parking slots. Downtown Boothbay hugs a peninsula of land jutting out into Boothbay Harbor. The downtown is an eclectic mix of galleries, souvenir shops, boutiques, restaurants, clothing stores, bars and coffee shops. In other words, it’s my idea of the picture perfect small town center. Speaking of picture perfect, that’s the best way to describe virtually every view from downtown looking out into the harbor. Small dinghies bob at moorings that hold at-sea lobster boats or larger pleasure vessels. Tall masted sailboats line the docks next to fishing crafts or other working vessels. The green algae-covered piers of the docks provide the perfect low tide color contrast to the blue water of the harbor and the darker blue-greens of the spruce, fir and pines of the hills overlooking the town. Seagulls wheel and cry overhead and lighthouses are visible just over the rocky points that mark the entrance to the Gulf of Maine and the Atlantic Ocean beyond the horizon. It’s basically Maine the way anyone who has ever heard of it pictures it. To start your visit, my advice is this: Drive into downtown, park and explore the town by foot. If you find yourself doing a bit of shopping, you are never going to be too far from your car to stash your purchases and head back out. I found many interesting things to purchase during my trip. Walk over the foot bridge spanning the harbor that connects the east and west sides of Boothbay and you find yourself smack on the working docks. Here boats come to offload their catches of lobsters, mussels, clams and other bounty from the Gulf of Maine.
Ocean and fishing equipment combine to create the picture-perfect Maine coast view on Boothbay Harbor’s working waterfront.
Overlooking the docks and harbor is Our Lady Queen of Peace Catholic Church where in 1962 President John F. Kennedy attended mass while vacationing on nearby John’s Island. Locals who were there still talk of the event when more than 2,500 people gathered to greet the president and his entourage. And that foot bridge? No word if any Kennedys ever walked it, but plenty of residents and visitors have over the years. It’s gained a bit of a reputation as the go-to spot for a romantic interlude and it is widely believed that officials never replaced a bulb in one of the bridge’s lamps that burned out years ago so those romantic couples could have some privacy to steal a kiss or two. Along the water are several boating companies that can take you whale watching, seal watching, bird watching, cruising or all of the above. Plying the waters in around Boothbay Harbor this summer are Capn’ Fish’s
Cruises [42 Commercial St., 207-6137339, www.boothbayboattrips.com] with daily cruises and promises of whale, seal and puffin sightings and an opportunity to haul in some lobster traps. Capn’ Fish has modified its policies and capacities this summer with a maximum of 50 people allowed on their boats at one time, down from the 150 they normally accommodate on each vessel. Passengers are asked to wear masks and the crew reserves the right to screen passengers for COVID-19 symptoms and deny boarding to anyone appearing symptomatic. Also running this summer is Cabbage Island Clambake [22 Commercial St., 207633-7200, www.cabbageislandclambake.com] where you can book passage on the Bennie Alice for the hour long cruise from Pier 6 in Boothbay to Cabbage Island. On the island you have three hours to explore, relax and enjoy a traditional Maine clambake and lobster boil on the water’s edge. Calling this
the quintessential coastal Maine experience would not be an oversell. This summer Cabbage Island Clambake is also operating on a COVID-19 modified schedule and reduced capacity on its vessel. Guests must have a mask to board the Bennie Alice and are asked to wear masks while in any of the public areas on the boat or on the island. Masks are not required during the clam bake. When checking in, one person should go to the booth to pick up tickets and to maintain six-feet between yourself and other guests whenever possible. There are things to do away from the water in Boothbay and top among this is a must-do visit to the Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens [132 Botanical Gardens Drive, 207633-8000, www.mainegardens.org]. A 10-minute drive from town it’s the largest botanical garden in New England. It covers almost 300 acres and includes 17 acres devoted to Maine native plants and plants suited to northern coastal ecosystems. www.bangormetro.com BANGOR METRO / 59
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BOOTHBAY HARBOR You could spend all day walking the footpaths around the different gardens, through the butterfly house, alongside fountains and the new apiary. There is always something in bloom from spring to fall. And when the last of the plants goes dormant for the season, the gardens come alive from November through Christmas with lights, music and other decorations for the annual Gardens Aglow light display. More than 650,000 lights transform the garden and this coming year organizers are adding a sculpture exhibit to the event. The staff at the gardens recognize the importance of the natural world and the peace and beauty the garden offers during this period of the pandemic. They are working hard to keep the gardens open, albeit on a modified schedule and ticketing procedure. Advance ticket purchase is required this year either online or by phone and no walk-ins will be allowed. When you buy your ticket you are reserving a specific time slot and can only enter at that time. Visitors are asked to wear face masks in any of the garden’s buildings and maintain 6-feet of social distance on the trails. Some of those trails are now one-way to prevent people from having to walk around each other. The gift shop and cafe are open as are some — but not all — restrooms.
If you are undecided as to which lobster will make the perfect meal, the crew at the Boothbay Lobster Wharf is ready to make the selection for you. 60 / BANGOR METRO August 2020
EAT/DRINK Lobster. I could start and end there. But I won’t because there is so much more to enjoy in Boothbay when it comes to local food. Did I mention the lobster? At the Boothbay Lobster Wharf [97 Atlantic Ave., 207-633-4900, www.boothbaylobsterwharf. com] the steamed lobster — or shrimp, mussels, clams and oysters — are so fresh they taste as if they jumped on your plate directly from the waters with only the briefest of stopovers in the pot or on the grill. That’s because pretty much they have. The restaurant has its own boat that brings the seasonal catch in daily. Lobster features heavily on the menu — in the ubiquitous Maine lobster roll or in a rice bowl, quesadilla, tacos, chowder, a BLT or on its own steamed next to an ear of corn on the cob and cup of melted butter, which is how I took mine. The 1.25 pounder was sweet, tender and perfectly complemented by that ear of corn and a serving of local craft beer. My friend opted for the lobster roll, which
was prepared using mayonnaise and had changes from streamlining the check-in limited and daily housekeeping rounds so much lobster that it was more of a procedure to housekeeping as part of the have been eliminated for rooms in which salad with bread hidden underneath. She measures put in place to help control the the same guests are staying for more deemed it delicious. spread of COVID-19. than one night. Rooms and common There is plenty of outside seating on According to the Boothbay Region areas have also been outfitted with picnic tables for an alfresco meal where Chamber of Commerce, there are plenty of modern air purifiers. you can watch boats come and go and rooms available this summer at the hotels The restaurant at the inn will no longer enjoy the harbor view. But watch out for and inns open for business. serve breakfast and all tables inside and those seagulls — they are sneaky and they Among them are the Fisherman’s Wharf out have been rearranged or taken out to are hungry and they won’t miss a chance to Inn and the Tugboat Inn, both owned and make sure there is at least six-feet between snag a free meal off your plate if you are operated by Ramsey Lafayette, with 118 them. Once guests do check out, the rooms not careful. combined rooms and some of the best views are thoroughly sanitized. Area restaurants offer other non- of the harbor you are going to find. All those precautions aside, Lafayette seafood options like grilled steak, pork Sitting on the deck of Fisherman’s is not about to let COVID-19 burst his and other meat dishes using ingredients Wharf Inn or on the rooftop of Tugboat Boothbay bubble. “We are open and we grown and raised by local farmers. It Inn is the perfect way to start your day are ready to welcome people here,” he makes eating in Boothbay the ultimate in told me as we sat on his deck. “We’ve surf and turf. done everything we can to make sure our For a more formal sit-down experience, guests are safe and comfortable. There is check out Ports of Italy [47 Commercial no reason to think you won’t have a great St., 207-633-1011, www.portsofitaly. experience here this summer.” com/boothbayharbor], as authentic To find other lodging in THE LOCALS IN Cucina Italiana as you are likely Boothbay or the surrounding area to find in Maine. Chef Fabrizio check out Cottage Connections BOOTHBAY LOVE THEIR Ventricini relies heavily on local of Maine [207-633-6565, ingredients when it comes to w w w. c o t t a g e c o n n e c t i o n . COMMUNITY, AND IT SHOWS. seafood meats and vegetables com] an online clearinghouse GIVEN ANY OPPORTUNITY used in the homemade pasta, for vacation rentals. They homemade ravioli, bread, would have the most up-toTHEY ARE READY TO CHAT focaccia and desserts. date information on what The exception is is open and any COVID-19 WITH NEWCOMERS AND IT the whole branzino fish related information on WON’T TAKE LONG BEFORE imported directly from specific accommodations. Italy. Once in Maine and You can tailor your request YOU START FALLING IN at the Port of Italy, the to the type of loding you branzino — also called want, dates, number of people LOVE WITH THIS COASTAL a European sea bass — is and even pet friendliness. COMMUNITY YOURSELF. roasted with rosemary and garlic and even deboned tableside DON’T MISS if you want to leave that step to the No matter where I travel near or professionals. far, I love immersing myself in an New on the Boothbay food scene is area — even if it’s just for an afternoon Food Trucks-A-Go, a collection of food — to get a sense of a community’s vibe. carts clustered at 798 Wiscasset Road. So while in Boothbay, don’t miss an The trucks, carts and seating have all been with a cup of coffee and map to plan your opportunity to talk to the locals and set up with COVID-19 social distancing in adventures. Or to watch boats and birds ask their advice on where to go, what mind and selections include pizza, lobster while eating lunch. Or enjoying a drink to see and what to eat. That’s how I rolls, lobster salad, lemonade, fudge and and dinner as the sun goes down. Okay, ended up having the perfect steamed other local goodies over the summer so pretty much those decks are perfect no lobster, hand-picked for me by a [www.foodtrucksago.com]. matter what time of day it is. smiling woman at the Boothbay Lobster These are certainly not the only eateries This summer Lafayette said he is Wharf. The locals in Boothbay love in Boothbay where, as fortune would have streamlining operations at the lodgings their community, and it shows. Given it, you are never really far from a great due to COVID-19 concerns by reducing any opportunity they are ready to chat place to grab a bite or to sit down for a guest-staff contact as much as is with newcomers and it won’t take long leisurely meal. practicable to not impact the overall before you start falling in love with this hospitality experience. Check in for both coastal community yourself. STAY properties is at Fisherman’s Wharf Inn, a There are lodging options open in Boothbay plexiglass divider has been installed at Just don’t forget to slow down for the this summer, but all of them have made the front desk, portaging of luggage is ducks. www.bangormetro.com BANGOR METRO / 61
WOODS & WATERS
ON SUMMER TIME TIME IS SIMPLE; HOW WE MEASURE IT ISN’T
AH, SUMMER. Beautiful sunsets, twilit evenings. The sun shines high overhead at noon. Well, actually, the sun is highest overhead at 1 p.m., due to daylight saving time, you know. But even that’s incorrect. Here in Maine, the sun is highest overhead around STORY & PHOTO BY BOB DUCHESNE 12:30, an hour earlier than, say, Cleveland, which is in the same time zone. Due to the rotation of the earth, Maine’s sunlight is an hour ahead of Ohio. How did we make this so complicated? The concept of time is simple enough. It’s a succession of moments from the past to the future, irreversible except in the movies. Those moments can be assigned a unit. The concept of 60 seconds in a minute and 60 minutes in an hour goes all the way back to the Babylonians, 4000 years ago. And they got the idea from the Sumerians before that. GEOGRAPHICALLY, For most of history, time has been local. It was noon whenever the sun was at its highest. To calibrate the day, the Egyptians invented sundials. MAINE SHOULD BE ON ATLANTIC Later, they crafted a dripping water clock that worked at night. Then came the hourglass. Ferdinand Magellan had 18 on board when he TIME, WITH CANADA’S MARITIME became the first to circumnavigate the globe. In the 11th Century, the PROVINCES. BUT THAT WOULD Chinese added gears to their timepieces. Measuring time was critical for sailing vessels. Navigators PUT THE STATE OUT OF SYNC WITH figured out how to determine latitude pretty early. They could ascertain how far north or south they were by measuring the angle THE EAST COAST ECONOMY. THE of celestial bodies relative to the horizon. East-west longitude was a tougher nut. One method was to use a chronometer to measure LEGISLATURE REVIEWS BILLS EVERY time, and a knotted rope thrown overboard to measure speed. YEAR PROPOSING CHANGES, BUT SO From that, you could determine how far you had traveled. This navigational trick needed a reference point from which to measure
FAR NONE HAS EVER PASSED.
time, and the sailing world settled on the Royal Observatory in Greenwich, England — what became known as the Prime Meridian. For most of the land-based world, however, time remained local. High sun equaled high noon. As telegraphs and railroads spanned America, this presented a problem. It’s hard to publish a schedule, when noon is different wherever you go. At first, railroad companies created their own time zones — over a hundred of them. The four time zones we know today were adopted in 1883, and these were later enacted into federal law in 1918. Today, standardized time zones have been adopted across much of the world, although they are less common in Asia. Geographically, China spans an area large enough to encompass five times zones, but the country has mandated just one standard time to serve the whole nation. Thus, on the June 20th summer solstice, solar noon occurs around noon in Shanghai, but at nearly 2 p.m. in Tibet. Historically, China did observe five time zones. It was
Communist Party chairman Mao Zedong who decreed in 1949 that all of China would henceforth follow Beijing Time. Time is a constant, but how we measure it can be a political variable. Take daylight saving time. The seasonal length of daylight doesn’t change much near the equator, but in industrialized countries, where seasonal differences are more acute, too much useful summer daylight elapses before breakfast. Since most of society follows a rigid clock-based schedule, it’s easier to change the clocks than to change the operating hours of individual businesses, schools, buses, etc. Other arguments favoring daylight saving time included more light for recreation in the evening, reduced crime, and energy savings to help the war effort. World War I paved the way for federal adoption of daylight saving time. But politicians gave states the choice to opt out. Some did.
Daylight saving time remains a political football today, especially in Maine. Eastern Daylight Time is an inconvenient compromise for the easternmost state. The summer solstice sunrise occurs at 4:49 a.m. in Bangor. If the state remained on standard time, the sun would rise an hour earlier than that. If we switched to permanent daylight saving time, as some states are considering, the winter solstice sun wouldn’t rise until after 8 a.m. Geographically, Maine should be on Atlantic Time, with Canada’s Maritime Provinces. But that would put the state out of sync with the east coast economy. The Legislature reviews bills every year proposing changes, but so far none has ever passed. And that is why you can take a postdinner cruise in a pontoon boat on a Maine summer night, and still make it back to the dock before dark.
BOB DUCHESNE is a local radio personality, Maine guide, and columnist. He lives on Pushaw Lake with his wife, Sandi.
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THE VIEW FROM HERE
WHEN LIFE BY EMILY MORRISON
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By late afternoon, my backside was throbbing something awful, so I headed into my doctor’s office. “You don’t need to give me one of those gowns. I can just pull down my pants and leave my underwear on,” I told the doctor. “I have three children and one bathroom. I’m fine with it.” I dropped my trousers, rolled over and thought of England. Understandably, there was a lull in conversation. I tried to take his silence in stride. Perhaps he needed quiet as he searched my rear for the remainder of a foreign body? “I’m going to need to get my magnifying glass,” he said. “You don’t mind hanging out like this for, ah, another moment, do you?” “No, not at all. I had all three of my kids naturally. I’m good,” I said. What my natural childbirths had to do with my exposed left butt cheek is beyond me. When he came back in with his magnifying glass and tweezers, I was fairly certain I was in for some discomfort. The bite wasn’t infected. I didn’t need an antibiotic, and we were just going to have to “wait and see” if anything developed. “What symptoms should I be on the lookout for?” I asked. “Oh, fever, fatigue, headaches. Those kinds of things. You shouldn’t have a cough though. That’s something else.” He didn’t need to explain. As you might expect, I was pretty bummed. Was I going to spend the next two weeks waiting for symptoms to emerge that mimicked the symptoms of something worse? I could have. But I’m glad to say I didn’t. Instead, I ran, walked the dog, went on hikes with my children, and took them to the lake. I ate my salad, washed my vitamins down with water, and resisted the neurosis I find myself drawn to so often in my life. Life’s too precious to worry it away, even when it bites you in the ass.
PHOTO: ©SOLOVIOVA LIUDMYLA/ ADOBE STOCK
A COUPLE OF MONTHS AGO I was going about my new normal, which looks a lot like my old normal, especially in the morning. After my second cup of coffee, I reminded myself to feed the dog and get to work. As I hopped off the kitchen stool, I felt an itch on my left buttock and then a sense of pinching. Before I even started to scratch, I knew what it was. Now, depending on where you’re from, you may or may not know how annoying ticks are. In Maine, they’re a common nuisance. If you check your mail, go out for a walk, bum around your backyard, or sleep with your dog, you’re going to pull one of these little suckers off you from time to time. This one was just starting to embed himself, so I screamed my husband’s name and proceeded to pull it out before drowning said nuisance in my drinking water. I realize there are a whole host of problems with this approach. You’re supposed to use tweezers or else the head can remain inside you. You’re also supposed to put ticks in rubbing alcohol to kill them. This is proper “tick removal etiquette” people in New England have been practicing for years, which I generally disregard when I see something moving sticking out of me. I just panic and pull. My husband threw himself out of bed and began disinfecting the wound. As I watched the dime-sized spot grow, I cursed my luck. “Who gets Lyme while quarantining against Corona? Doesn’t that just sound like the punchline to a bad joke?” He looked at me and smiled his “I used to pull ticks off me all day while hiking the Appalachian Trail, distilling rainwater and cooking my dinner over an open flame” kind of smile. “How do you know you’ve instantly contracted Lyme?” he asked. “I don’t know. I just feel it.” A few hours later, I skipped my usual salad and ate cereal. I chased lunch with a Cadbury Creme Egg and then chased the egg with a blueberry Poptart. I drank coffee and eschewed water.
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EMILY MORRISON is a high school English teacher, freelance writer and editor from coastal Maine. She is living happily-ever-after with her handsome husband, three beautiful children and two beloved dogs. And a cat.