Poster Contest Winners
Ethan To
2nd Grade - Ralph M. Atwood Primary School, Oakland
Mackenzie Shields
4th Grade - C.K. Burns School, Saco
Constitution Essay Winner
Reese Sullivan
7th Grade - Windsor Elementary School, Windsor
"State Parks: The History and The Memories"
Have you ever been to a state park? State parks are an important part of many Mainers lives. Without the Maine Constitution, many of the beloved state parks would be gone. The Maine Constitution was written in 1819 over a period of three weeks and was approved by Congress on March 4, 1820. It gives Mainers many rights and protects our freedom. One Amendment in particular means a lot to me. Article 9 section 23 of the Constitution states that state park land may not be sold unless two-thirds of the members elected to each house agrees. Even then the same amount of land must be bought for the same purpose in the same county. This may not mean much to many, but it means a lot to some Mainers such as myself.
Maine received its fIrst state park in 1930 when Governor Percival P. Baxter purchased almost 6,000 acres for Baxter State Park. When Baxter purchased and donated this land, he made the condition that it must be kept in its natural state. Baxter later purchased more land making the now 200,000 acre park. The state park system was developed in 1935 not to long after Baxter was purchased. Maine now has 48 state parks and historic sites. State parks all have exciting activities such as climbing Mount Katahdin in Baxter, Maine's highest mountain. In Popham you can explore the 500 acres of land and relax on the beach. You can swim in parks like Popham, Lake Saint George, or Damariscotta Lake. Maine is lucky to have a bountiful supply of wildlife with 90% of the state being forested. That is the highest percentage of forested area in the United States. People come from all around the country to visit Maine's scenery by coming to state parks. Maine state parks can be a big change compared to what people see in other states and may be the only forested nature they get to see.
State parks are important to our state and its economy. State Parks see about two million visitors each year with a record of almost three million in 2018. Not only do they give visitors a good time, but they also provide 1,449 jobs annually. Some of the jobs available are lifeguards, park rangers, and booth attendants. State parks offer activities such as hiking, swimming, fishing, camping, snowmobiling, etc. While they give visitors a fun time, they also hold important pieces of Maine's history. One example of that is Fort Point State Park. Fort Point holds Fort Pownall, which is rich in history. Fort Pownall was constructed in 1759 when Thomas Pownall called for a new fort to be built. The fort was built by 400 men in the shape of a four point star. Surrounding the fort is a palisade and a large ditch. In 1775 on the eve of the American Revolution, the British moved the forts guns to keep them out of rebel hands. As a result the rebels burned the blockhouse and filled the moats to prevent the British from using the fort. Fort Pownall is one of many historic sites protected by state parks. Without state parks, Maine could lose much of it history. Maine state parks are also important to our economy bring in around $100 million annually.
State parks are not just important to Maine, but they are also important to me. Every year my family takes day trips up to Lake Saint George State Park. There is a lot to do with activities including fishing, swimming, camping, and hiking. The lake itself is 1,017 acres which includes my favorite section, the dog beach. My dog loves to swim, but there are not too many places to take dogs. Lake Saint George has a small beach for dogs that gives them an opportunity to enjoy the water. I remember tossing out a water toy for my dog and watching her swim out to get it. She is always so happy coming back from the water which makes me smile. We fish there too. My father once caught a good sized bass, and I caught a tree! The park holds a lot of happy memories that I hope to experience year after year. I also have memories of going to other state parks like Popham. My middle school takes an annual beach trip there at the end ofthe year. The trip is one ofthe highlights of our year, and without it we wouldn't have such an enjoyable time to look forward to. Looking for sand dollars, going out to Popham 's small island, and swimming in the clean water can help create an exciting trip. There are plenty of sights to see on the beach with some extraordinary cases. I went to Popham with family about two summers ago, and we saw a humongus Navy. It was a 610 foot stealth destroyer from Bath Iron Works taking its first test run on open water. My eyes went wide, when I saw the ship just cruising along the water. Ships from Bath Iron Works are no uncommon thing, but it is not everyday you see a huge Navy ship on your trip to the beach.
State parks are an important piece of my life and many other Mainers as well. With so much history, economic impact, and memories I'm very thankful that article IX section 23 of the Maine Constitution protects the state parks that are beloved to Maine.
Works Cited
Fort Popham - Camden Maine Things to Do, www.camdenmainevacation.com/fort-popham.php.
The State o/State Parks - State 0/ Maine's Environment 20i I - Colby College Wiki,
wiki .colby.edu/display/stateofmaine2011 /The State of State Parks.
"Employment Opportunities." Employment Opportunities: Get involved: Bureau 0/ Parks and Lands: Maine DACF,
www.maine.gov/dacf/parks/geUnvolved/employment_opportunities.shtml.
" Forest Facts." Forests/or Maine's Future, www.forestsformainesfuture .orglforest-factsl.
"FOlt Point State Park." Maine Trail Finder, www.mainetrailfinder.com/trails/traillfort-point-state-park.
"History." Baxter State Park, 12 Oct. 2017, baxterstatepark.org/shortcodes/history/.
"Lake St. George State Park - Visit Maine." Maine,
visitmaine.com/things-to-do/parks-natural-attractions/ lake-st-george-state-park.
"Maine Constitution." Ballotpedia, ballotpedia.org/Maine Constitution.
"Maine State Parks." Maine State Parks, www.mainetourism .com/outdoors/state-parks/.
"The Price of Beauty: Maine State Parks Broke Visitor Records Last Year - and They Did It on a Starvation
Budget." Free Press Online,
freepresson line. com/Content/H om e/H om epage-Rotator I Artic I e/Th e-Pri ce-of-Beauty -M ai n e-S tate-Parks-brok
e-visitor-records-Iast-year-and-they-did-it-on-a-starvation-budget/78/720/52449.
Roper, Robert, Charles E. Morris, Thomas Allen, and Cindy Bastey. "Maine' s State Parks: Their Value to Visitors
and Contribution to
the State Economy." Maine Policy Review 15 .1 (2006): 56 -66,
https ://digitalcommons.library .umaine.edu/mpr/voI15/ iss 1/8.
Ryangavin. "How Many State Parks Are There in Maine? More Than 30! [LIST] ." Q97.9, 13 Apr. 2016,
wjbq.com/how-many-state-parks-are-there-in-maine-more-than-35-list/.
"State & National Parks - Visit Maine." Maine,
visitmaine.com/things-to-do/parks-natural-attractions/state-national-parks.
"State Parks." State Parks: About Us: Bureau of Parks and Lands: Maine DACF,
www.maine.gov Idacf/parks/aboutlstate parks.shtm l.
Walker. "Maine State Parks." Fortknox State Park, a Maine State Park,
www.stateparks.com/fortknox_state_parkjn_maine.html.
"Which Maine Beach Appeared in a Kevin Costner Movie?" TripSavvy,
www.tripsavvy.com/popham-beach-in-maine-1600854.
record, hannah laclaireTimes. "Maine State Parks Nearing 3 Million Visitors a Year." Press Herald, 24 Jan. 2019,
www.pressherald.coml20 19/0 II23/maine-state-parks-saw-ll-percent-increase-in-visitors-in-20 18/.
The Importance of Voting and Democracy Essay
Brent Bellanceau
10th Grade - Arthur R. Gould School, South Portland
"The Importance of Prisoners' Votes"
Voting and democracy are important because they represent the people’s voice; so, why aren’t prisoners allowed to vote if the country is founded on voting and democracy? Just because they committed a crime doesn’t mean prisoners’ opinions shouldn’t matter. Everyone should have the right to vote despite what they did. Prison is already a punishment, but stripping a prisoner’s vote makes it even worse because we are cutting down votes that could affect the outcome of elections and policies where they live. According to Politico Magazine, “For one, our constitutional ideals support the right of prisoners to vote, and denying it violates the concept of self-government that the founders cherished.” Over 2.3 million people are in jail and voting can make prisoners feel like they still matter. If states allow prisoners to vote, the change in prisoners’ lives and voting could alter lives by showing them their opinions are important.
Voting in prisons could solve our voting problems in this country and could help prisoners feel they still have their voices. Allowing votes from prisons could be helpful to the communities they live in. “The last thing we want to do is start putting up insurmountable barriers to participation in civic life because someone has been convicted of a crime," a spokesman for the Republican Party, Mike Donohue, told NBC News. “Peoples right to vote is sacred.” The prison systems would be more effective if it were accountable to its voters. Formerly incarcerated people should be in the discussion when it comes to changing laws because they have experienced those laws first hand.
Allowing prisoners to vote would be helpful to people being released and teach them how to vote and the importance of democracy itself. It can be a learning moment for some and help them understand their rights as a U.S. citizen. According to NBC News “Advocates say the rehabilitative effects of letting incarcerated felons have a voice in their communities are profound while critics argue they shouldn’t be permitted to take part in a process that could end up affecting the very laws they’ve broken.” Prisoners should be able to vote to change laws because if they feel the laws are unjust and unfair, they have as much equal right as anyone else does to change laws. Allowing prisoners to vote could be a major move in teaching U.S. citizens how to use their voice.
Why are prisoners counted in the population if there right to vote has been stripped? They are counting people without a voice because they feel it is part of the punishment of committing a crime. We should be counting them because they would know more about those laws then someone that hasn’t broken those laws. According to Politico Magazine, “The vast majority of state prisoners cannot vote, yet they’re often counted in the population for the legislative district of their prison, the main factor that determines a states number of representatives and its electoral votes.” Politicians are also looking for ways to reform our broken criminal justice system. It is unfair if prisoners are counted in the population because they can’t vote and they can’t speak out if something is not fair. Not allowing prisoners and ex-felons makes a class of U.S. citizens that can’t speak out but are still subjected to the laws.
Giving prisoners the vote makes them feel that they still matter and helps them become a part of civic life again. We want them to become better citizens and allowing them to vote could be their way back. “When you’re incarcerated, it’s hard to feel a part of a connection to the community,” said Tom Dalton, the executive director of Vermonters for Criminal Justice Reform. “We want people who are incarcerated to remain connected to the community and to be civic minded and be moving in that direction, so when they’re coming out they’re interested in being productive members of society.” Allowing them to vote can change how they want to live or become a better person. It makes them want to take responsibility for their own lives.
Not allowing prisoners to vote can promote discrimination and make prisoners feel their mistake can cost them their voice. Disenfranchising prisoners is not justified because they have rights as a U.S. citizen to vote, and it hurts how people view the incarcerated and how other countries look at our government. In a piece published by The Guardian in late August, Senate minority leader Chuck Schumer condemned the “methodical and pernicious way which [Trump’s] administration is promoting discrimination, both subtle and not so subtle, in it’s polices and action – especially when it comes to undermining the universal right of every American to vote.” Not allowing prisoners to vote affects our citizens’ views of our government and how other countries view us.
If the U.S. allows prisoner’s to vote it could significantly improve lives. Incarcerated and formally incarcerated citizens should be in the conversation when it comes to the laws. Allowing prisoners to vote empowers them to have a voice; counting them could change how society should work. Imagine what it would be like if they were allowed to use their voice. By upholding our citizens’ voices, not only would we be benefitting democracy and America, but also we would be making the founding fathers proud.
Works Cited
Brettschneider, Corey, et al. “Why Prisoners Deserve the Right to Vote.” POLITICO Magazine, 21 June 2016, www.politico.com/magazine/story/2016/06/prisoners-convicts-felons-inmates-right-to-vote-enfranchise-criminal-justice-voting-rights-213979.
Gumbel, Andrew. “America's Shameful History of Voter Suppression.” The Guardian, Guardian News and Media, 13 Sept. 2017, www.theguardian.com/us-news/2017/sep/13/america-history-voter-suppression-donald-trump-election-fraud.
Time, Jane C. “Voting Is a Sacred Right. Even for Some Prisoners.” NBCNews.com, NBCUniversal News Group, 26 Feb. 2018, 4:43 AM, www.nbcnews.com/politics/politics-news/states-rethink-prisoner-voting-rights-incarceration-rates-rise-n850406.