Goham teen receives distinguished award

Lulama Moyo Hawkes of Gorham on Feb. 25 was named the Distinguished Young Woman of Maine and awarded $1,400 in cash scholarships during a statewide scholarship program for high school girls held at Lewiston Middle School in Lewiston.

Moyo Hawkes was one of six high school senior girls from Maine who competed to represent the state as the Distinguished Young Woman of Maine for 2012. Participants were evaluated in the categories of scholastics, interview, fitness, self-expression, and talent.

The 55th national finals will take place on June 28, 29, and 30, in Mobile, Ala. Moyo Hawkes will travel to Mobile along with 49 other state representatives to participate in personal development activities and community service projects before competing for the opportunity to become the Distinguished Young Woman of America for 2012 and for a share of more than $130,000 in cash scholarships.

“I’ve never been to Alabama, so I’m incredibly excited to be going to the national competition,” said Moyo Hawkes. “I will admit that I am a little nervous for what awaits me, but this is a great opportunity.”

Moyo Hawkes is the daughter of Otrude Moyo and Roland Hawkes and is a senior at Catherine McAuley High School in Portland.

Throughout the next year, she will represent Maine at various public events and serve as a role model to young people by spreading the program’s national outreach message of “Be Your Best Self.” The outreach program is designed to encourage self-esteem and excellence in all young people through its five principles: Be Healthy, Be Involved, Be Studious, Be Ambitious, and Be Responsible.

Moyo Hawkes’ achievements include Maine State Poetry Out Loud champion 2011; One Act’s All Festival cast award; performed at the Blaine House with poet laureate; most outstanding offensive player for field hockey; National Honor Society; guest speaker for the Telling Room’s Slant; Miss Teen Portland’s first runner up for photogenic; Spanish Club vice president; International Club treasurer; competed at the state level of track for shot put.

Other activities include Poetry Out Loud; field hockey; community activist; International Club; Slam Poetry and Performance Poetry; poem published in a local newspaper; Spanish Club; Mock Trial; Miss Teen Portland; and various young writer’s conferences.

Gorham High student in state poetry finals

Ellyn Touchette from Gorham High School is among 10 students from high schools across Maine who will compete in the Poetry Out Loud contest on Friday, March 23 at the Olin Arts Center on the campus of Bates College in Lewiston. One student will walk away with the title of Maine State Champion and the added honor of representing the state at the national finals in Washington, D.C., in May.

The finalists have already progressed through their school competitions and regional finals to be among the final 10 from approximately 8,000 that began this contest in December. Now these students will recite their choices of classical and contemporary poetry from memory, in front of a live public audience. The event will also be broadcast live on television and the Internet through MPBN.

The winner of the state finals will receive $200, and the winner’s school will receive a $500 stipend for the purchase of poetry books. The second place finalist will receive $100, with $200 for his or her school library. The state champion will also receive an all-expenses-paid trip (with a chaperone) to compete in the finals in April ,where a total of $50,000 in scholarships and school stipends will be awarded.

Plowman earns honors

Emily Plowman, a senior, earned academic honors for the winter trimester at Lawrence Academy in Groton, Mass. She is the daughter of Bonny and Steven Plowman of Gorham.

Special license plates pay for books and more

Gorham dairy farmer Bill Rust, master of the White Rock Grange, recently announced that students in more than 600 classrooms statewide heard volunteers read the children’s book “Seed, Soil, Sun, Earth’s Recipe for Food,” which is sponsored by Maine Agriculture in the Classroom with funding from the agriculture specialty license plate. The book, by Cris Peterson, describes the process by which air and water combine with seed, soil and sun to create nearly all the food we eat. Using the corn plant as an example, she takes the reader through the story of germination and growth of a tiny corn seed into a 6-foot plant.

Funding from 13,000 license plates paid for books and materials for farmers and other agricultural volunteers to read and give to classrooms. The license plate program and grants in 2011 generated more than $60,000 for the student program for pre-kindergarten through Grade 12.

For more information, visit www.MaineAgintheClassroom.org

Senior center schedule

The Lakes Region Senior Center, 40 Acorn St., in Gorham is open 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Monday through Thursday. Upcoming activities are:

Monday, March 26, 9 a.m. – Coffee Cafe, conversation and refreshments-$1.50; 9:30 a.m. – cribbage – all levels welcome.

Tuesday, March 27, 9:30 a.m., exercise video in the movie room; 10 a.m., card and board games; knitting with Teresa. She will instruct us on how to knit a Trinity pattern shawl. Take No. 11 needles and four skeins of bulky yarn. Florence will be knitting baby/doll hats.

Wednesday, March 28, 10 a.m., learn and play poker with Ray; 1p.m., dominos.

Thursday, March 29, 10 a.m., Bingo – 25 cents per card, first card free.