On July 3, at a Barry Manilow concert at the Cross Insurance Arena in Portland, Gorham High School band and music teacher Isaac Hawkins was presented with the Manilow Music Teacher of the Portland Area award by Barry Manilow.

In February, GHS announced that Isaac had been nominated for a Manilow Music award and that the top vote recipient would receive $10,000: $5,000 in cash and $5,000 in Manilow bucks to purchase instruments for the music program. The community showed tremendous support for Isaac and the music program at GHS, and in March he was announced as the Portland area winner.