Tears, Laughter Mingle at Island Fellows Dinner

 

Island Fellows Dinner 2008

At the annual Island Fellows Dinner, held at the Boathouse in Belfast on August 7^th, 60 island residents, members of the Institute staff and community members said a fond, and sometimes tearful farewell to six Island Fellows whose placements ended this summer.  They gathered to celebrate the accomplishments of all 10 2007-2008 Fellows and to say goodbye to six whose placements ended recently. 

Leaving this year are Scott Sell, the William Bingham Fellow for Rural Education from Frenchboro, Alden Robinson, the Louis W. Cabot Fellow from Long Island, Amanda Ravenhill from Islesford, Anne Bardaglio from Matinicus, David Steckler from North Haven and Brooke Brewer from Peaks Island. 

Among the tributes was one by Barney Hallowell, principal of North Haven School, who pointed out the difficulty in letting go by saying, "When we're as lucky as we have been to get Fellows who do good work, who fit in our community, who build strong relationships with colleagues and kids, we want to keep them." Mark Greene of Long Island echoed this sentiment, saying about Alden Robinson that "he will leave behind a stronger, better community able to face future challenges and needs."