Student skaters

From left, Lily Matluk, Marion Nichols and Sky Jensen ice skate on a pond at Mast Landing in Freeport during the 5th annual Winter Kids Winter Games held January and February.  Southern Maine students completed four weeks of WinterKids “Olympic” Winter Games challenges with their friends and families. Contributed / Winter Kids

Lincoln Middle School names new principal

Marisa Ayala, an educator with leadership and bilingual teaching experience with the Boston and Chicago public schools, will be the new leader of Lincoln Middle School in Portland, effective July 1.

Ayala

Ayala is currently an assistant principal with the Boston Public Schools.

“Marisa is an exceptional trilingual candidate whose work as a teacher and leader has centered diverse students in urban settings,” Superintendent Xavier Botana said. “I am enthusiastic about the tremendous value she will add to the work at Lincoln Middle School and to the district’s administrative team as a whole.”

Lincoln Middle School serves more than 450 students, of which more than 40% are students of color and about 15% are English language learner students. After a nationwide search, Ayala was selected from an initial pool of 18 applicants. The selection process included a site-based interview committee with 12 Lincoln staff from a variety of roles and positions, two district administrators, and three parents. The committee also had a focus group made up of a diverse group of six students.

Ayala, who is fluent in Spanish and also speaks French, holds a master’s degree in school leadership from Harvard University and also a master’s degree in bilingual education.

“First and foremost, is my belief in equity and anti-racist practices,” Ayala said. “I believe that all children can learn as long as we are providing the appropriate and necessary support while shaping an environment that is healing, revitalizing, and that is the catalyst for their growth.”

Show & Tell tickets on sale

Tickets are now available for “Show & Tell: A Literary Spectacular,” The Telling Room’s annual celebration of storytelling, featuring authors and musicians from Maine and beyond as they share their stories alongside The Telling Room’s diverse group of young writers.

The April 6 event features storytelling by Mandy Gonzalez, Hari Kondabolu and Morgan Talty; a solo musical guest appearance by Genevieve Stokes; and writing by Telling Room Student & Alumni – all produced and directed by Sean Mewshaw.

The show may be enjoyed live virtually or at a later time. Those who join the Host Committee can attend a limited capacity, in-person cocktail reception and viewing party at the Portland Museum of Art on April 6. More at showandtellportland.com/host-committee.

Dollars for scholars

Maine students interested in careers in journalism are invited to apply for a Guy P. Gannett Journalism Scholarship at Maine Community Foundation. The scholarship provides renewable support for students majoring in journalism or a field reasonably related, including print, broadcast or electronic media at an undergraduate, graduate, trade or technical school. The application deadline is April 1; apply online at mainecf.org.

The Atlantic Federal Credit Union Foundation College Scholarship Program is now accepting applications. Members who will be graduating high school this spring are eligible to apply. Atlantic will award one $10,000, one $5,000 scholarship, one $2,500 scholarship, one $1,500 scholarship and one $1,000 scholarship, for a total of $20,000. See atlanticfcu.com/about/scholarships.html for details.