Davis Maine Scholars receive consistent mentoring and support from Mission staff throughout their last year of high school and all four years of college as well as a full cost of attendance, four-year scholarship at one of three partner colleges: Clark University (MA), University of New England (ME), and Wheaton College (MA). These partner colleges were selected based on their commitment to supporting first-generation students including those from rural communities.

Davis Maine Scholars are chosen in the spring of their junior year. As high school seniors, selected Scholars participate in cohort workshops, college visits, and guided preparation and transition to college.

Students apply in their junior year and are enrolled at a Washington County high school or Charles M. Sumner Learning Campus. Qualifications include having a cumulative 3.0 GPA and would become the first member of their family to attend college, also known as first-generation college students. 

Applications are accepted until Sunday, April 14. Learn more about the Davis Maine Scholarship and see the application.  

The employees of Bar Harbor Bank & Trust recently donated $2,780 to the Mission through the bank’s “Casual for a Cause” charitable giving initiative. Employees who participate in “Casual for a Cause” dress casually on Fridays in exchange for a payroll deduction to collectively fund a charity. The bank matches 50% of the total donation made by its staff. Each quarter, the employees vote on which nonprofits will receive their contributions. In the fall of 2023, Bar Harbor Bank & Trust employees selected the Mission as a recipient.  

The Mission will apply the donation to its Journey program, which serves 7th to 12th graders in Washington County. Downeast youth participating in Journey explore the outdoors and their communities to develop the tools needed to successfully transition to high school and through higher education and career pathways. The program provides individual support, outdoor excursions, immersive experiences, access to professionals, college exploration opportunities, preparation workshops, and help applying for scholarships. Participating students benefit from the Mission’s close partnerships with local middle and high schools, colleges, and community organizations.  

Since the “Casual for a Cause” giving program began in 2018, the bank and its employees have donated more than $250,000 to more than 115 nonprofit organizations serving Maine, New Hampshire, and Vermont residents. In addition, each year, the bank donates to more than 450 community organizations across Northern New England. The bank works to partner with nonprofits to enhance local projects and programs that provide crucial services for those in need. The bank’s partner organizations support affordable housing, economic development, financial literacy, arts and culture, youth and family, and health and human services. Since the Mission’s founding in 1905, Bank Harbor & Bank & Trust has been a committed support of the Mission.  

“Casual for a Cause is a great opportunity for our employees to be philanthropists together,” said Jack Frost, VP Director of Community Giving at Bar Harbor Bank & Trust. “By combining their individual contributions, our employees are able to make significant donations to nonprofit organizations that are, in turn, making a difference in our communities. This is truly a testament to our belief that good things happen when we work together.”   

Their answers touched on both the academic and social changes they experienced. Marissa, Joseph, and Laney noted the academic challenges they encountered with their college courses being quite different than their high school classes. Their responses stressed the importance of asking for help, making new study habits, taking detailed notes in class, and going to professors’ office hours. Marissa, who is attending Clark University, writes “I was surprised to find that my biggest challenge was studying for mid-terms and finals. I had to devote a lot more time studying for exams.” Joseph, at UNE, and Antonio, at Clark, both said scheduling and time management were new things they had to figure out during the semester. These answers were similar to those of last year’s cohort of Davis Maine Scholars, who also remarked the change in academic demands from high school to college was sometimes overwhelming until they figured out a system which worked best for them.  

And knowing they had this support, the Scholars tried new things. Tori, who is attending Clark, says she tried new foods and hobbies, even things she never thought she would try. She says this “can be enjoyable even if the experience of the new thing is bad, like having boba tea for the first time and getting it in matcha, a double whammy of things I never tried before.” She also started volunteering for an afterschool program. Antonio found out he had a passion for making music and started playing squash. Marissa started cooking and was “able to develop a great circle of new friends who supported her.” 

And with this help from the Davis Maine Scholarship, the Mission, their colleges, and their families and friends, these students are more likely to succeed and graduate from college. First-generation students are less likely than their peers to graduate from college and access the resources their institutions provide from studying aboard to career counseling. However, with more support, this changes. UNE offers a First Generation Bridge program for students and Clark has an Office of Identity, Student Engagement, and Access that supports first-generation students and helps them learn more about what opportunities are available for them.  

The Davis Maine Scholarship program is also trying to help students succeed by creating a series of workshops for high school students. These workshops focus on many of the topics the Scholars have highlighted as things they wanted to learn more about time management, how to transition from high school to college academics, and more.  

Juniors at Narraguagus Jr/Sr High School, Sumner High School, and students participating in Bowdoin Upward Bound in Washington County can apply for the Davis Maine Scholarship starting on March 1. 

To learn more or apply for the Scholarship, visit the Davis Maine Scholarship web page. 

The Mission’s Housing Improvement program works to make homes warm, safe, and dry. Each summer hundreds of volunteers fan out across Downeast Maine replacing drafty windows and doors, creating easier access to homes with decks and stairs, and much more. Homeowners in Washington and eastern Hancock Counties can now apply for this year’s program.  

Since the program began in 2003, hundreds of volunteers have traveled to Downeast Maine to help with the program. “This program has allowed community members to stay in their homes which is vital to our mission of supporting and strengthening communities,” says Jennifer Kempthorne, Housing Improvement Program Director.  

In addition to providing repairs, the Mission partners with Downeast Community Partners (DCP) who identify homes DCP can weatherize after Mission volunteers make improvements. This work lowers homeowners’ heating costs over time. This partnership between the Mission and DCP is supported by the C.F. Adams Charitable Trust. The Mission also works to connect homeowners with other resources and services offered by the Mission and other community partners.  

Homeowners qualify for Housing Improvement program if they:  

• Self-identify as low to moderate income 
• Provide proof of homeownership 
• Own one home  
• Live in the home receiving repairs  
• Live within a 30-minute drive from the Mission’s Cherryfield campus  

Homeowners can apply online through the Housing Improvement web page. For assistance in applying, call (207) 546-4466 or visit the Mission’s Cherryfield office.  

The Mission is also currently accepting applications for volunteer groups. Interested groups can contact Jennifer at [email protected] or call (207) 460-9322.

The Mission is now accepting volunteer groups for the 2024 season. Housing Improvement Program Director Jennifer Kempthorne shares, “Volunteers make this program possible. Their support and commitment to the program allow us to focus our resources into repairing more homes.”

William Mennell has been coming to volunteer with Mission for three years with his church group. The group includes a mix of adults and teens, and William explains while people might be unsure if they can help without knowing much about building, anyone can make an impact. “You do not have to be a ‘weekend warrior’ or even handy. You do not have to be an expert,” he says. “There is always a leader you can look to.” With the teens he volunteers with, they often show them how to do a piece of the project and then let them go to work, providing guidance when needed. He adds the Mission always provides support and there is always a Mission staff member on hand at each site. 

Jennifer pairs volunteers with projects that fit their skill sets with many properties having multiple needs. This means everyone has a role and task for the day and throughout the week. Volunteers with more building experience can tackle larger projects like building ramps or replacing doors, while other volunteers can work on mudding or painting. 

William says he has continued to volunteer at the Mission and in Downeast Maine because the group sees the impact they are having on the community. There are often multiple groups volunteering at the same time which is “great for the kids to interact with and learn from each other.” 

 The Mission is now accepting applications for the Housing Improvement program. Interested groups can reach out to Jennifer.