On Friday, Sept. 25, representatives of Bangor Savings Bank traveled to the Center for Teaching and Learning in Edgecomb to present the school’s service group with a grant for $2,700.

The grant will support the school’s active afterschool service program, led by parent Eugenia Gallagher, in taking on more projects and making an even more significant impact on the local community.

Gallagher explains the program’s goals as twofold: “The first part is helping the kids understand what it means when we talk about ‘community’ and ‘service,’ which includes learning about individuals and organizations in our community who are doing things to help, and also spending time with people in our community who we don't always see. The second part is actually doing meaningful work that gives back to our community in some way.”

In the past, a small activity fee for club members covered the cost of the many supplies involved in the service projects. Now, with the grant from Bangor Savings, the program will be free to anyone who wishes to participate.

Service has always been an important value at CTL. Over the years, students at the school have engaged in food drives, trail clean-ups, preparing meals, singing for our older community members, and the entire student body has collected funds monthly for the organizations Safe Passage and Maine Needs. The past two years, CTL’s Service Auxiliary Program, under Gallagher’s leadership, has taken giving back to the next level by carving out weekly time after school to make contributions to the local community.

As part of the presentation of the grant, CTL students involved in the service auxiliary program shared favorite activities and community connections forged during their work thus far.

“The kids seem really excited about being recognized as people who are making a difference. Not only are they doing work that helps their community, they are experiencing what it means to be seen in the community beyond their school, and they are also learning in a very hands-on way that the help they offer makes a difference. The fact that Bangor Savings Bank recognized their work as meaningful really brings it all full circle!” Gallagher said.

To learn more about CTL, visit c-t-l.org or contact Head of School Katy Inman: 207-882-9706 or katy@c-t-l.org