What do you get when you pair 8th and 5th graders together on a large-scale scavenger hunt throughout town? The Amazing Race of Gorham.
On May 20, Aspire Gorham partnered with the Town of Gorham’s Economic Development Division to organize an event for Gorham students that challenged them to meet and converse with various local businesses. Students were divided into teams, distinguished by colorful t-shirts in hues including green, gold, blue, and red, supplied by local Westbrook vendor 320Ink. Along with each team was an adult “Group Leader” who helped to guide students to decipher clues and navigate using a map of the Gorham Village area.
At each stop, students practiced formal introductions (minus handshakes due to increased COVID-19 numbers) and asked questions about our community members. Conversations ranged from specifics of jobs to learning about winding career paths, to discussing community pride and ways to show that.
Photo credit: Jen BelangerIn addition to the positive connections with our community members, Gorham students were also building mentoring relationships among their teams. During downtimes, students engaged in informal conversations about what Gorham Middle School is like. 8th graders shared their experiences with their 5th-grade teammates, helping build confidence in the younger and older students alike as they both navigate their transitions to the next stage of their education in Gorham.
As student groups hunted for their next stop, street crossings were supervised by the Gorham Police VIPS, who volunteered their time to help keep the event safe and fun for all.
The Aspire Program and the Gorham School Department are extremely grateful to our business partners who participated in the event, sharing their stories, selves, and sense of civic pride with our students: Great Falls Construction, Town of Gorham Planning Department, Otto’s Pizza Gorham, Harvey Performance,Inn at Village Square, Chalmer’s Insurance, PoGo Realty, ODAT Machine, Norway Savings Bank, Seedlings to Sunflowers, Edward Jones Investments – Jessica Szafranski, Sullivan House Bakery, Baxter Memorial Library, Business Data Applications, Ferguson Enterprises, SyncGorham and JL Design Marketing.
This event was a true team effort, necessitating the collaboration between Gorham Middle School, Village Elementary School, the Town of Gorham, the Gorham Police Department, and, of course, the business community who so generously donated their time and expertise to make a positive impact on Gorham’s youth. A special thank you is extended to Kevin Jensen, Gorham’s Economic Development Director, for bringing members of the business community together for this event.