October 13, 2017
2017 Island Teachers Conference: Meeting island students where they are
Island schools may be small, but the needs and interests of their students are big and varied. How then do island educators provide the wide range of support and rigor needed to ensure a student’s success? Personalized learning plans, trauma-informed classrooms, and integrated creative arts are just some of the innovative approaches that were featured at the recent 2017 Island Teachers Conference.
September 25, 2017
Reflecting on Fellowship: Joe's Boots
Island Fellow alum Gideon Davidson reflects on his year on Swan's Island and shares a special memory that he says will last long beyond his time there — one about unexpected island hospitality.
August 29, 2017
Local entrepreneur helps highlight Maine oysters, growers with new business ventures
Earlier this spring, we caught up with Brendan Parsons, the founder of BP’s Shuck Shack and overall oyster entrepreneur. We first got to know Brendan through the first round of our Aquaculture Business Development program in 2015. Less than a year after getting his first seed in the water, he's started his own retail and wholesale operations and has plans for much more. Learn more about Brendan and how he's influencing the local oyster market.
August 21, 2017
Maine islands are getting energized about the transition to clean energy
Mainers pay some of the highest energy costs in the nation, with costs being especially high on Maine’s islands. Learn how Maine communities are developing creative approaches to address these costs and reduce reliance on expensive and polluting fuels through community-based clean energy initiatives.
August 18, 2017
Commercial Currents: Extending the shoulder seasons with coworking spaces
They’re popping up everywhere! While coworking spaces may be the new trendy thing, they've also become another tool for communities trying to extend the shoulder seasons. When communities can attract seasonal residents and find ways for them to come earlier or stay longer, it can have social and economic benefits for everyone.
July 24, 2017
Summer Institute for Island and Coastal Teachers is a SUCCESS
In mid-July, 22 educators from 11 schools and organizations gathered at College of the Atlantic for an intensive three-day workshop focused on experiential and place-based learning. Learn more about the workshop and the important role differentiation plays in island education from Education Director Yvonne Thomas.
July 20, 2017
MAP Leadership training helps students prepare for next steps
What is leadership? — Does a title convey leadership? — What does it mean to lead by example versus lead from the front? These are just a few of the questions that MAP students grappled with during their three-day Leadership Intensive at Bowdoin College in early July. Read more about the event, and how this new program is supporting Maine island students as they explore their next steps after high school.
July 17, 2017
Regional broadband efforts gain momentum
Increasingly, Maine communities are joining forces to take a regional approach in the pursuit of reliable, high-speed internet infrastructure and service (broadband). In addition to new county-level efforts across the state, individual communities are also seeking cost-efficiencies in potential broadband solutions.
July 6, 2017
Commercial Currents: Small business support helps owners decide how to move forward
If you own a business, you know that nothing is free, although every once in a while, good advice comes at no cost. The Small Business Development Centers of Maine offer free and extensive business support services to entrepreneurs through their advisors. Learn more about these services from David Hill of Chebeague Island, an advisor for 16 years.
June 23, 2017
Motivated coastal residents plan their aquaculture businesses
Now into our second year of our Aquaculture Business Development (ABD) program, we continue to be inspired by the impressive men and women who are looking to diversify their incomes through shellfish and seaweed aquaculture. Read about a recent trip our ABD 2017 participants took to Southern New England to gain information and inspiration for their own businesses.