This spring Katherine Landry completed her sophomore year at the University of Maine, Augusta (Bangor campus) where she is enrolled in the dental hygienist program. To help financially support her forthcoming junior year (2014-2015), the Boothbay Region Student Aid Fund (BRSAF) has awarded Katherine the Jason Edwin Spinney Memorial Scholarship.

To date Katherine has excelled academically. At the State College of Florida in Sarasota, where she spent her freshman year, her 4.0 GPA earned her the President’s Award. After transferring to the University of Maine, Augusta (UMA), she continued her dean’s list performance. UMA located its dental hygiene program at its Bangor campus, where classes are generally very small, a feature Katherine finds especially attractive. She rejoices that all of her professors there know and call her by her name.

This September she begins the pre-clinical phase of her dental hygienist program, and, next September, she commences her clinical experience where she will work with clients who come from the Bangor community.

Like dentists in Maine, dental hygienists are in demand in Maine, especially in the more rural parts of the state. Once, having completed her education, Katherine hopes to return to the Boothbay region where she “loves the sense of community and togetherness.” Indeed, it was in Boothbay Harbor where Chris Joule, the hygienist at Dr. John Andrews' dental office, influenced Katherine’s decision to pursue a career of her own as a dental hygienist.

The BRSAF applauds Landry’s career ambitions and her determination to succeed so well in her studies. From the start the BRSAF has financially supported her education. Her scholarship for the year 2014-2015, the Jason Edwin Spinney Memorial Scholarship, given to help Southport youth with their higher-education expenses, is in memory of Jason Edwin Spinney who died tragically at age 5.

The Boothbay Region Student Aid Fund recently completed its 2014 annual fund drive. However, it always welcomes financial support. Contributions to the BRSAF can be sent to P.O. Box 293, Boothbay Harbor, ME 04538. For more information on the BRSAF, go to www.boothbayharborstudentaidfund.org.