Lubec

The Lubec Communities for Children became a Community of Promise in November 1999, sponsored by the Regional Medical Center at Lubec. It goals are to fulfill all Five Promises for 250 children and young people: to provide 250 youth with caring adults; 250 with safe places; 50 with a healthy start and future; 100 with marketable skills; and 150 with an opportunity to serve.

A partnership with Maine Telemedicine Services provided training, education programs, workshops and speakers. Teleconferencing capabilities have opened doors in this rural area. An after school program also provides summer programming in four Washington County school districts. The Lubec C4C coordinated with the high school grounds maintenance class and the middle school service-learning project to establish a playground maintenance committee. This project mobilized the entire community and brought together youth, parents and residents of all ages to build a community playground. A photograph of the opening celebration for this popular C4C project is featured on the cover of this report.

In partnership with the Washington-Hancock Community Agency, the C4C is introducing the research-based Second Step curriculum into five Washington County school districts. Second Step is a program that teaches the fundamentals of peaceful existence to students in grades K-5. This Community of Promise also helped start a safe school initiative with the five school districts.

Four Washington County school districts are participating in the 21^st Century Learning Center initiative, funded by the U.S. Department of Education. This initiative will establish 10 community learning centers that will provide after-school and summer programming through 2002. The Washington County Consortium for School Improvement and the Partnership for a Tobacco-Free Maine will help coordinate the project.

School Administrative District #19 integrated health and safety education throughout the school curriculum. It is reviewing, rewriting and developing policies addressing violence prevention, harassment, substance abuse and other topics, with emphasis on tobacco prevention, nutrition education and increasing physical activity for youth. The Maine Women’s Fund supports a Girls Club for girls in 4-8. Through 2002, the Lubec C4C will provide 10 middle schools with Project Adventure, an adventure-based education challenging students in the classroom and through an outdoor ropes course.

Girl-Friends pairs women community volunteers with girls in grades 4-9 once a week after school. Each week the girls learn a skill taught by a woman in their community. The program also organizes two weekend retreats, planned by the girls, and four out-of-town field trips. The Washington County Youth Council – 66 middle school students from 11 county schools - meets monthly in a leadership/exploration forum. Downeast Healthy Tomorrows, a substance abuse prevention initiative, will send two middle school girls to Camp Kieve’s Summer Science Exploration Camp to expose girls to outdoor adventure, science-based learning, and mentoring opportunities.

Contact Lubec C4C