AUGUSTA – A Blaine House Reception was held on May 2 for the 2006 Commissioner’s Recognition Awards Ceremony. The purpose is to recognize individuals who have made a significant contribution to meeting the needs of children and youth at risk in their schools and/or communities.

Nominations are received from Local School Districts Dropout Prevention Committees and are received by the State Advisory Committee on Truancy, Dropout and Alternative Education.

Recipients are chosen due to their impact on many young people whose lives might have turned out quite differently if not for the caring and intervention of these individuals.

Area award recipients were:

Catherine Wood, educator, Elm Street Elementary School, Mechanic Falls. As a teacher of grades seven and eight, Wood provides her students with the tools necessary for a successful experience in high school. She conveys a sense of caring and her students know she has a stake in their learning.

Bernard McAllister, community member, Lisbon High School. For 21 years McAllister has served as a role model, teacher and coach in a volunteer capacity. He is also responsible for a new program, “Lisbon Education Employment and Delinquency Prevention Program.”

The program is designed for ages 16 to 19 years and has helped several adolescents involved in the criminal justice system. The program was created with the assistance of Lisbon School Department, Maine Department of Corrections and local employers. Lisbon has been awarded a grant to formalize this program through Weed and Seed of Androscoggin.