LEWISTON — Dust off that college hat, squeeze yourself into that jersey, pull that T-shirt from your drawer. Or grab the shirt that announces the college your son, daughter, grandchild, niece, nephew or friend attends.

Wear it with pride on Friday.

It will be the first College Day for all of Androscoggin County. Students and workers at all K-12 schools, colleges and businesses are asked to wear college garb Friday.

Macri, the former aspirations director for Lewiston High School, heads the aspirations program for Androscoggin County at the College for ME at the University of Southern Maine’s Lewiston-Auburn College.

Macri will wear her blazer with the patch from Beaver College, where she went to school in Pennsylvania. The college has since changed its name to Arcadia University.

Androscoggin County Chamber of Commerce President Chip Morrison will wear a warm-up shirt from his football college team, if he can find it, and if it still fits, he said. Morrison played for Carleton College in Minnesota.

Friday will be a celebration and “tons of fun,” Macri said, but the reason for the day is serious. “We’re trying to change the culture of the county from ‘Will I go to college?’ to ‘What will I study when I go to college?” 

The percentage of adults with two- or four-year college degrees in Androscoggin County lags the state average, which lags the New England average. A future where incomes are higher and people have more money is an Androscoggin County where more adults hold degrees, Macri said.

According to the 2000 Census, 16 percent of working-age adults in Androscoggin County have bachelor’s degrees, compared to 25 percent in Maine, and 34 percent in New England.

In Androscoggin County, 24 percent have associate’s degrees, compared to 33 percent in Maine, and 34 percent in New England.

Schools in Livermore Falls, Auburn, Turner, Lewiston, Lisbon, Oak Hill and Poland will participate in College Day, Macri said.

“Teachers will wear college garb and talk about college to their kindergartners or third-graders,” Macri said. The chamber sent letters to more than 400 businesses inviting them to get involved.

Friday also will be the day of the fourth annual College for Me — Androscoggin awards ceremony, at which attendees will hear inspiring stories from individuals using education to better their lives.

At the luncheon there will be a sea of college garb, plus Hillview Housing youngsters wearing “Future College Graduate” shirts, and Auburn kindergartners wearing their “EL Class of 2022” shirts.

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