FARMINGTON — Poverty and its impact on students and communities is the focus of the second annual “Teaching and Working in a Diverse World” conference planned for Thursday at the University of Maine at Farmington.

The half-day conference is geared for educators as well as community members, said Johanna Prince, UMF instructor and conference organizer.

It is free and open to the public, who can attend one or multiple sessions between from 11:45 a.m. and 5:30 p.m. on Oct. 22 in the North Dining Hall of the Olsen Student Center.

“Because poverty can have a variety of impacts on kids and the community, our goal through the conference is to help people understand what services are out there, what support can help students and families deal with poverty, and how what goes on at home impacts what happens at school,” Prince said. “The focus is to explore the many faces of poverty in Maine and provide participants with the practical knowledge, support and resources that can help all students succeed.”

To support the goal of making a difference to children living in poverty, a food drive to benefit the Farmington and Wilton food pantries will be held the day of the conference. Those attending are asked to bring a a monetary donation or nonperishable food item, especially dried pasta or canned baked beans, to the conference.

The conference begins with a presentation by Elyse Pratt-Ronco, an educational counselor for the UMF Upward Bound program. An educator who has earned her doctorate, she has spent the last 10 years working with adolescents living in rural poverty. She will address how poverty impacts students’ lives and how it can result in both negative and nurturing outcomes.

Following her presentation, there will be a series of 50-minute sessions presented by UMF faculty and students on the challenges of living and learning with poverty. Community members such as representatives from Western Maine Community Action, the Department of Education and local high school teachers will present on the subject as well.

More details on the conference are available at the conference Web site at http://teachereducation.umf.maine.edu/diversity-conference/2009-2010/.

The conference is sponsored by the UMF Offices of the Associate Provost and the Dean of Education and the UMF Diversity Committee. The first conference, held last February, had a broader focus on teaching in a diverse world, she said.

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