BOARD OF DIRECTORS MESSAGE: Monday, June 9, from 6 to 7 p.m., marks “Graduation” night for the Southern Midcoast Maine Chamber’s Young Entrepreneurs Academy (YEA!). We’ll celebrate at Southern New Hampshire University (SNHU), 10 Tibbetts Drive, Brunswick.

SNHU is a sponsor for the YEA! program for the second year in a row, including providing classroom and computer room space for the students. Other sponsors are FairPoint Communications and Atlantic Regional Federal Credit Union.

This year’s class has accomplished much, starting three unique businesses.

Coming into the program, we had several goals for the students. The most visible goal was for students to start their own business or social movement, but there were more.

— For students to recognize the power of their ideas and develop the skills necessary to turn those ideas into meaningful enterprises.

— For students to become creative, collaborative thinkers and leaders who could articulate their ideas.

— To expose students to real world experiences, while at the same time increasing their public speaking skills, their confidence, their drive to succeed.

— For students to not only be entrepreneurial, but to leave the program with the entrepreneurial mindset.

Accomplishing these goals would allow students to leave the program, not only with a business, but with a set of skills and abilities that they could take with them and use in any aspect of their lives.

It was a tall order, but over the course of the last nine months, these skills have developed in each of the students. Through hard work each student has accomplished so much. They have done what many twice their age could never do, and they have done it with spirit, energy and enthusiasm.

Congratulations to the class of 2013: Chloe Headley, Bash Events, Charles Levan, Knights of the Pines and Mardi Farmer, Nail Paintz. UPCOMING EVENTS: — Dana Connors, president of the Maine State Chamber, is the presenter for the June 11 Chamber Regional Luncheon. The event is Wednesday, June 11, 11:15 a.m. to 1 p.m., at the Brunswick Hotel & Tavern, Noble and Maine streets, Brunswick. Reservations are requested.

— On June 12, 1:30 p.m., Timothy Mayo will be administered the oath of office as the newly appointed Brunswick postmaster. In addition, there is a ribbon-cutting ceremony and grand reopening of the newly renovated post office.

— The Business Success Seminar “Understanding Your Financial Statements as a Road Map to Success” takes place Wednesday, June 18, 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m., at the Topsham Public Library. Managing director of PFBF CPAs, Jamie Boulette, is the presenter. The event is free and participants are encouraged to bring a brown bag lunch.

— June’s Chamber After Hours is hosted by People’s United Bank at its 112 Maine St., Brunswick branch. The date is Wednesday, June 25 and the event is open house style from 5 to 7 p.m. Business owners and their staff are invited to attend free of charge for some of the most energetic networking in the Mid-coast region.

See our scrolling calendar at www.midcoastmaine.com for more information and to register for all events. For some, the seating is limited. Don’t miss out.

Our annual sponsors: Thank you to Mid Coast Health Services, Mechanics Savings Bank, Bar Harbor Bank and Trust, Burgess Computer, RE/MAX Riverside, The Brunswick Hotel & Tavern, Electricity Maine, Coastal Ortho Performance Training Center, FairPoint Communications, Southern New Hampshire University, Parkview Adventist Medical Center, Atlantic Regional FCU, TownSquare Media, The Cryer, WCME Radio 9 and The Times Record.

WELCOME NEW MEMBERS: The chamber welcomes Elite Roofing LLC, based in Richmond, and Curtis Built (custom art furniture).

The chamber proudly serves 760 businesses and organizations in the following communities: Arrowsic, Bath, Bowdoin, Bowdoinham, Brunswick, Dresden, Edgecomb, Georgetown, Harpswell, Phippsburg, Richmond, Topsham, West Bath, Westport Island, Wiscasset and Woolwich.