Elementary Education Archives - College of Education and Human Development

Sylvia Valentin: Dean’s Award

Sylvia Valentin of St. Paul, Minnesota is the 2026 recipient of the Dean’s Award from the University of Maine College of Education and Human Development.

Hunter Towne: Outstanding Student in Elementary Education

Hunter Towne of Freeport, Maine is the 2026 Outstanding Student in Elementary Education in the University of Maine College of Education and Human Development.

Meg Leddy of Ellsworth, Maine is the 2025 recipient of the Dean’s Award from the University of Maine College of Education and Human Development. This award recognizes a student who has overcome significant challenges along the path to graduation, who is dedicated to their field and shows perseverance and commitment to their program.

Erin Kennedy: Outstanding Undergraduate Research Award

Erin Kennedy of Glen Ridge, New Jersey is the recipient of the 2025 Outstanding Undergraduate Research Award from the University of Maine College of Education and Human Development.

Claire Loeser: Outstanding Student in Elementary Education

Claire Loeser of Saco, Maine is the 2025 Outstanding Student in Elementary Education in the University of Maine College of Education and Human Development.

Abby Bourgeois: Outstanding Student in Early Childhood Education

Abby Bourgeois of York, Maine is the 2025 Outstanding Student in Early Childhood Education in the University of Maine College of Education and Human Development.

A composite image of Samantha Ney and Hashem Abuqawod.

Hashem Abuqawod and Samantha Ney: Future teachers prepare to strengthen Maine’s K-12 workforce

Abuqawod and Ney are among more than 80 teacher education students invited to the UMaine College of Education and Human Development’s second annual Pinning and Recognition Ceremony on Friday, Jan. 24. The ceremony is designed to celebrate the college’s new teacher candidates — students who have reached the point in their academic career when they are able to start taking upper-level courses and have shown a commitment to becoming a teacher.

An illustration showing a laptop computer with book pages appearing to come out of the back of the screen.

UMaine experts leading conversations around best practices for AI in schools

Whenever she talks about teachers using artificial intelligence, University of Maine associate professor of special education Sarah Howorth likes to remind whoever she’s talking to that educators have always used technology to support student learning.

Kai Dube: First-year elementary education student aims to be a positive force for kids

During her final year of high school, Kai Dube volunteered at Old Town Elementary School, just a couple miles down the road from the University of Maine. The experience helped solidify her choice to major in elementary education at UMaine, where she’s part of this year’s first-year class.

Samantha Poll: UMaine education grad receives national recognition for STEM teaching

Samantha Poll grew up in Winterport, the same tight-knit, central Maine town where she’s now a teacher. That gives her a unique perspective on the impact educators can have on their students’ lives.