I’m a young adult growing up in a tight-knit, small town on the coast of Maine, and a sense of community means everything to me and my way of life. That’s why I’ll be voting to re-elect state Sen. Justin Chenette, D-Saco, in November, because he is a leader who not only represents my interests in Augusta, but also actively works to build up his community back home. It’s one thing to be involved – it’s another thing to create new ways of improving people’s lives, especially for the next generation.

Justin started a nonprofit to live out his passion for service in our community. His volunteer organization invested close to $10,000 to advance arts education, connect homeless veterans to job training, help students afford college, and improve the lives of his constituents.

Every year he offers college scholarships to students at Old Orchard Beach High School and Thornton Academy to incentivize good civic engagement and promote local entrepreneurship. His arts grants helped to fund a world map mural project at OOB High School that can now be seen in the hallways, and new stage equipment at Saco Middle School. He has also enabled Loranger Memorial School to start a ukulele program, and the Burns School to purchase ethnic instruments for the students and double its strings budget.

No wonder Justin has been honored by two U.S. presidents – George W. Bush in 2008 and Barack Obama in 2016 – with a gold-level Volunteer Service Award for his community work.

I’m supporting Justin Chenette for re-election to the Senate because there is no one who works harder for us and lives by what he preaches.

Nicholas LaCourse

Old Orchard Beach