Expecting NMCC student gets unexpected shower
PRESQUE ISLE — Angela Forino of Caribou was expecting to learn about asset acquisition recently in her accounting class at Northern Maine Community College; instead the class focus was on a most precious asset she and her husband, Mark, a fellow NMCC student, are about to themselves “acquire.”
MARK AND ANGELA FORINO, 
seated, of Caribou, share a laugh after she opens a gift given by one of her classmates during a surprise baby shower thrown in the couple’s honor by students in NMCC instructor Nancy Cowett’s Intermediate Accounting II class. Also pictured are four of Angela’s classmates who organized the baby shower, from left: Jodina Cormier, Sharon Grass, Margot Burnett and Tia Crouse.
The Forinos are anxiously awaiting the birth of their baby boy at the end of March, and Angela’s accounting classmates held a surprise baby shower for the expecting couple.
“I am totally shocked. This is wonderful,” said Angela, after entering the classroom, hearing the word “surprise” from her classmates and seeing the wrapped baby gifts and spread of food her friends had prepared and placed on the instructor’s desk at the head of the classroom. “I can’t believe you did all this!”
The entire class of 15 students worked for three weeks to plan the baby shower, being extra cautious not to tip off Angela. They did, however, let Mark in on the secret so that he could be excused from his sheet metal class for an hour to attend the event.
“This is great,” said Mark. “We are both full-time students and things are tight financially. This will help tremendously.”
The birth next month of Aiden Tripp Forino will be the couple’s first child. Angela has a 9-year-old daughter named Sydney from a previous relationship.
“I was talking with Angela and Mark, and they said that no one was planning a shower. She’s such a good person and we’ve taken a lot of classes together, so a bunch of us decided we wanted to do something,” said Tia Crouse, one of the key organizers of the baby shower.
That’s when Crouse and her classmates approached Nancy Cowett, instructor in their Intermediate Accounting II class, about helping make the surprise event possible. Cowett gave them the green light to throw the shower Feb. 10.
“I thought it was a marvelous idea. They are doing actual team building,” said Cowett. “They’ve been in classes together for two years. I’m proud of them for coming together to do something like this.”
With the well wishes of their fellow NMCC students and new baby gifts, the Forinos are looking ahead to the birth of their son in late March. The timing of the delivery is set for right around the time of the college’s spring break, which should be helpful as the couple will shortly thereafter be preparing for final exams and graduation.
“We think we’ll have family take care of Aiden at graduation. But, if for some reason they can’t, we’ll take turns holding him while the other goes up on stage to get their diploma,” joked Mark.
Angela will receive an associate degree in accounting information systems while Mark will earn a certificate in welding and metal fabrication.
