Frisbie Hospital Auxiliary Presents Scholarship Winners

ROCHESTER—
Frisbie Memorial Hospital Auxiliary presented their Annual Student Scholarships on May 26th to four deserving area high school seniors who plan to enter the healthcare field. Auxiliary President, Bette Jane Meulenbroek, and Scholarship Chair, Mary Lou Donatello, presented the scholarships to the following recipients: Kayla Wheeler and Jerrica Chambers of Spaulding High School, Liana Tetreau of Prospect Mt. High School, and Devin Rowe of Coe-Brown Academy. Kayla will attend the University of New England and plans to become a nurse. Jerrica will attend the University of New Hampshire and plans to become a physician’s assistant. Liana will attend D’Youville College and plans to become an occupational therapist. Devin will attend Colby Sawyer College and plans to become a nurse.
Each FMH Auxiliary Scholarship is given in the amount of $2,000. For more information on this program, please call the Mary Lou Donatello at (941) 412-4288 or email at mld1@metrocast.net.
Photo caption: Scholarship students with their parents: Front Row Students (left to right) — Kayla Wheeler, Jerrica Chambers, Devon Roe and Liana Tetreau. (Courtesy photo)

30th Annual Somersworth International Children’s Festival

SOMERSWORTH—
Main Street of Somersworth and the Noble Pines Park become an area of entertainment on Saturday, June 19th from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. With three stages on Main Street of continuous acts, you can enjoy kids entertainers to adult entertainment from Blues to Rock and Roll music. Also we will have lots of ethnic entertainers. There will be a large variety of kid’s activities, such as the Expo Tent with free hands-on demonstrations such as making kid’s crowns and learning about exotic animals from the Wildlife Encounters and actually being able to hold a snake. We also have an Early Childhood Play Area where the tiny ones can make bubbles and play in the sand or finger paint. There will also be a variety of all American and ethnic foods. Over 80 crafters will bring their ware for you to buy. Take a trip around the world and visit the World Cultural area, which will feature roughly 18 countries. This area includes groups from Brazil, Poland, China, Rwanda, Indonesia and many other countries with different ethnic and cultural backgrounds. They will demonstrate aspects of their heritage. As children learn about a country, they will have a passport stamped for that country. When they have stamps from all the countries represented, they will be entered into a drawing for many great prizes. In this area many of the countries will offer foods from their native lands. Then take a First Student bus up to the Noble Pines Park. There will be pony rides, a free petting zoo, llamas, food vendors and another stage of entertainment to amuse the children and the young at heart. The festival has a large variety of over 200 vendors, crafts, activities and food for the young and old alike. For more information call the Somersworth Festival Association office at (603) 692-5869.

Dover Chamber Names 2010 Educator of the Year

DOVER—
Cited as an “an individual that exemplifies every piece of our school’s mission and philosophy” and for her leadership not only within the school, but throughout the community, St. Mary’s Academy Kindergarten Teacher, Mary McKernan is named as the Greater Dover Chamber of Commerce’s 2010 Educator of the Year. Underwritten by Liberty Mutual and Measured Progress, the program was developed to honor local educators who demonstrate excellence in education. Ms. McKernan will receive a $500 cash award to be used for educational purposes, as well as a special commemorative award designating her as the 2010 Educator of the Year.
Nominations for McKernan were received from parents, colleagues, administrators and students. St. Mary’s principal Bobi White commented in her nomination letter, “Mary is the strongest member of our team who constantly offers support and is a true team-player. Its hard to believe one person can accomplish all that she does.”
The selection of the Chamber’s Teacher of the Year is based on the following criteria. The teacher must: have daily contact with students and instill in them a desire to learn and achieve; understand the individual needs of students, encourage their talents, and build confidence and self-esteem; demonstrate a thorough knowledge of subject matter and the ability to share it effectively with students; be making a positive contribution to the community; and demonstrate participation and leadership in professional development activities and Foster cooperative relationships with his or her colleagues.
The Educator of the Year Award is selected annually by the Education Committee of the Chamber of Commerce. The committee’s goal is to work with local educational institutions and businesses to promote an educated workforce. “We were pleased with the amount of nominations we received from both public and private schools in the greater Dover area,” said Executive Director, Kirt Schuman, “The wide array of positions, from teachers, to teams, to librarians, represented by our nominees illustrates the strength of the educational opportunities available in our community and why Dover is rapidly earning the reputation as the Family Capital of the Seacoast.”
McKernan provides the ‘critical step’ in a child’s education and helps a child make the right choices early in their educational path. Beyond being a kindergarten teacher, she organizes ski trips for the students, coordinates staff volunteer opportunities, runs the summer and in home programs and lastly, even works to ensure that school sidewalks are cleared on snowy days.