Jobs for Maine Grads donate to cause

Houlton Pioneer Times Photo/Joseph Cyr
CHECK PRESENTATION — Houlton High School’s Jobs for Maine Grads program presented $1,000 to the Hope and Justice Project in Presque Isle during a special ceremony Wednesday at the school. The project was chosen by the students from a pool of eight groups requesting the funds. The only stipulation was the funds had to be given to a group that worked with youths. Taking part in the ceremony are, from left, Leslie Gervias, from the Hope and Justice Project; and JMG students Brittany Britton and Megan Hannigan. Seated behind the three women are additional members of the JMG class.
By Joseph Cyr
Staff Writer
    HOULTON — Thanks to the efforts of Houlton High School’s Jobs for Maine Grads program, a local organization will be better able to help families or individuals affected by abuse and violence.
    Houlton’s JMG program presented $1,000 to the Hope and Justice Project, formerly known as the Battered Womens’ Project in Presque Isle, during a special ceremony at the high school Wednesday morning.
    The Houlton JMG chapter was charged with dispersing $1,000 in grant money it received from the Unity Foundation. The only stipulation was that the funds had to go to a local non-profit group that worked with children.
    “We started this project by hand delivering invitations to dozens of local non-profit organizations that work with youths,” said student Brittany Britton. “We received eight requests for our $1,000 donation.”
    Of those eight groups, four — Ski for Life, Project Story Boost, Aid for Kids and the Hope and Justice Project — were selected for consideration by the students.
    “Our classmates discussed each grant request with each other and invited each of the top four to come into our classroom and tell us why they wanted the money,” added student Megan Hannigan. “We chose Hope and Justice because of their longstanding work with relationship abuse and prevention.”
    According to its website, the Hope and Justice Project provides prevention education and training programs that encourage and support safe, joyful relationships. It also encourages community members to recognize and understand the nature of abuse and violence, to help repair the harm done, and to change the social conditions that tolerate and foster violence.
    “Thank you very much for this donation,” said Leslie Gervais, prevention educator for the Project. “I look forward to working with the students at Houlton High School.”
    The JMG program is a non-profit group initially created or high school seniors as a school-to-work program, but has evolved into an organization serving more than 4,000 students per year in more than 60 school-based sites around the state, according to the group’s website.
    JMG students were also recognized at the assembly with certificates of completion. Those students include Alexis Rush, Amanda Carmichael, Amanda Fogarty, April Smith, Ashley Drew, Ashley Wilkins, Breanna Phillips, Brittany Britton, Brooke Clark, Brooke Emerson, Caitlin Tingley, Carlie Woodworth, Chris Richardson, Christian Palmer, Cyruss Brooker, Daniel Smith, Danielle Perry, Dylan Gard, Elizabeth McLaughlin, Felicia Prosser, Gabrielle McGuire, Garry Fowler and Gregory Smaligo.
    Also, Haley Prosser, Hannah Mooers, Heather Bendlin, Ian Small, Jacob Henderson, Jayde McNinch, Joshua Bragan, Joshua Chambers, Joshua McNinch, Julia Oullette, Kassandra Reeves, Kelsey Fitzpatrick, Logan Nason, Makala Folsom, Maryah Ranck, Megan Anderson, Megan Hannigan, Meghan Clark, Morgan Fitzpatrick, Nick Chase, Patrick Graham, Rachael Torres, Rebecca Crandall, Robert Courtemanche, Samuel Fitzpatrick, Shelby Boyce, Tayler Merritt, Taylor Lindsay, Taylor Bailey, Taylor Merritt, Tessa O’Donnell, Tyler Swimm, Whitney Moran, Wyatt Jenkins, Zachary Abbotoni and Zachary Ritchie.
    For more information about the cause, visit www.hopeandjusticeproject.org.