« August 2026

Welcome to the Androscoggin Retired Educators Association newsletter for August 2026.

Next Meeting

September 9, 2026

East Auburn Baptist Church

Registration Form

Or - pay through Stripe and skip the registration form

Dues - 10.00

Meal - WHAT EVER

President's Message

Dear AREA,
I hope everyone enjoyed this summer. First we had way too much rain now we haven’t had enough rain – oh well that’s Maine. I want to remind everybody that our November meeting at East Auburn Baptist Church will be on the third Wednesday of November. We found that our speaker for that meeting and many others have too many things going on on Veterans Day that conflict with trying to get to our meeting. Therefore we changed the date. My hope is that’s not too much of an inconvenience as we want everybody to enjoy our get togethers.
See you all on September 9th

Take Care
Dave Wing

Secretarial Reports

from Gina Fuller

From the State House

From Crystal Ward

AREA Legislative Report for August    Crystal Ward

 It is an election year and everything is moving to high gear.  MEA has been holding screening and endorsement meeting.  The MEA Government Relations committee made a very comprehensive questionnaire for the candidates to answer.  For the Maine House of Representative and Maine Senate people who had a score  at least 80% were endorsed if running again.  This means on 11 Roll Call votes taken on bills in the House or Senate this person voted with the MEA position at least 80% of the time. Many voted with us 100% of the time!  For the rest, about 50 members from across the state met and went ovar the questionnaires very carefully and discussed and voted. These recommendations then went to the MEA BOD for their action and a list will be made to distribute to all members.  

Candidates for Governor, US House of Representatives District 2 and US Senate were sent questionnaires and had a screening and endorsement with an  hour long interviews for those participating. Votes were taken and sent to the MEA BOD for final approval.  These results will be made available to all members.

The Maine elections are very important to MEA and MEAR members across the State.  Education funding, MainePers pension funding, taxes of all kinds and 100’s of laws will be decided by these people ….so voting for candidates who support us is critical.

Helping candidates is always needed; you can help in many ways big and small.  Giving $5.00 to a candidate to apply to be a clean election candidate (funding only from the State Fund )  it’s easy. Driving them around so they can knock on doors and talk to folks, writing a letter to the editor, putting up signs, or allowing a sign on you land, helping with office work, and others.  If you want to help but do not know who to contact or who is running contact Jan (John) Kosinski MEA Government Relations .  Jkosinski@maineea.org

“Elect Good People: The MEA staff and members are hard at work trying to make sure we get our friends elected to the State House and State Senate. While the Governor’s race and the US Seante race will generate all the headlines, the state house and state senate races are often decided by just a handful of votes and our members can be even more impactful.” Jkosinski

QUIZ

Jamie Escalante

Confucius

Booker T. Washington

1. This man during his time serving as a representative and senator in the legislature of Massachusetts and lastly Secretary of the Massachusetts Board of Education, used his influence to advance changes in the American educational system. We can thank him for teacher training colleges, free libraries, and free public education to all children through taxation.
2. This man knew first hand the difference an education can make in a person’s life. As the head of an all Black college he knew first hand the difference an education can make in a person’s life. He became a dominant and influential figure among politicians and the general public and did much to pave the way for later civil rights and desegregation of public education. It was his belief that education was the African-American community’s best chance for social equality and a better future.
3. This woman developed methods that remain the popular choice for many parents who seek an alternative education for their children, especially for the early childhood through the primary years. She began day cares that put her theories into practice for "backward" children.
4. This educator is known for his work teaching mathematics to underprivileged students in Los Angeles.  He proved that with the right support, every student can succeed. His story, told in the film Stand and Deliver, continues to motivate teachers around the world.
5. This woman's impact has been immense.  As a teacher of a unique special needs student, her patience and innovation in teaching communication to a deaf-blind student demonstrated how empathy and persistence can redefine what education means.
6. This individual encouraged students to ask questions and think critically instead of memorizing facts. His legacy shaped the principles of Western education and inspired thinkers for centuries.
7. This individual is often called one of the greatest teachers of the world. He emphasized respect, morality, and lifelong learning. .....
8. A high school teacher, she made history when she became the first American civilian selected to go into space in 1985. On January 28, 1986,she and her crewmates boarded the Challenger space shuttle in Cape Canaveral, Florida. The shuttle exploded shortly after lift-off, killing everyone on board. As a tribute to her memory, a planetarium in Concord was named after her, as well as an asteroid and a crater on the moon. In addition, a Center at Framingham State College was established in her name to carry on her legacy and support the advancement of educational practices throughout the region.
9. This educator promoted learning by doing, emphasizing experience and reflection in education. His ideas inspired project-based and experiential learning models used today in international programs and schools. Dewey’s vision helped redefine what it means to prepare students for real-world challenges.
10. This educator keeps her fellow educators abreast of all legislative issues that impact students, learning, educators and educational support staff.