BRYANT POND — Cohorts of students from Bethel and surrounding towns have arrived at Bryant Pond in recent years to participate in a pilot program that aims to expand horizons, increase self-resilience, and showcase leadership skills for young people in rural communities. It’s a program that has watched its own impact and success continue to grow.
“The program is a hands-on mentoring program that engages young people with adventure challenges and leadership,” said Ryder Scott, executive director of the University of Maine 4-H Camp and Learning Center at Bryant Pond. “It’s a model that follows students over a six-year period that starts in the seventh grade and ends the summer after high school graduation.”
The model is part of the Aspirations Incubator initiative in Maine, created to design a youth development model that could be implemented to positively affect young people in small towns throughout the state and one day, perhaps even nationally.
An ongoing supporter of the Bryant Pond facility, Norway Savings Bank is pleased to fully fund the experience for students at Telstar Middle and High Schools in Bethel from 2022-27, including a new $20,000 contribution this month.
“Cultivating a program that helps young people in rural areas discover their passions and purposes while raising academic performance and community engagement is of particular importance in Maine, and the future benefits for our state are beyond measure,” said Dan Walsh, president and CEO of Norway Savings Bank. “We’re grateful for the opportunity to help build the next generation of leaders who can make a real difference in Maine communities, small and large, in the years ahead. It’s an investment in a youth mentoring program but most importantly, our youth.”
The University of Maine 4-H Camp and Learning Center at Bryant Pond provides a beautiful and ideal location for this educational experience. The facility has long inspired young people from a variety of backgrounds to appreciate social, economic, and environmental sustainability through collaboration and the development of life skills.
“The generosity of Norway Savings Bank and other sponsors and donors across Maine leads to healthy, productive, and engaged children and youth,” said Scott. “Our dedicated staff and volunteers carry out the programming necessary to ensure Maine children and youth have the chance to reach their highest potential.”
The initiative, program, and financial commitment are working in tandem to help youth recognize and seek healthy relationships with the community, the environment, and each other.
“It has helped me learn to make new friends in different ways. I have learned many valuable life skills, like how to give a speech publicly without looking confused or nervous. This program is amazing,” said one eighth-grade student.
“To see the ways it teaches and encourages effective communication, conflict resolution, and goal setting is meaningful and has proven to positively impact the students exposed to this program,” said Walsh. “The enthusiasm of both students and adults as these life lessons are passed on in nature is offering the young people a new appreciation for what Maine and the world has to offer.”
For additional information about the University of Maine 4-H Camp and Learning Center at Bryant Pond, visit https://extension.umaine.edu/bryantpond. To learn more about the youth mentoring program, visit https://extension.umaine.edu/bryantpond/northstar.
Founded in 1866, Norway Savings Bank is a leading mutual banking and financial services company headquartered in Norway, Maine. As of June 30, 2024, Norway Savings Bank had $1.912 billion in total assets; 24 branch locations; and divisions in trust and investment services, personal banking, and business banking. It has received an “Outstanding” rating for three consecutive Community Reinvestment Act Exams from the FDIC. Norway Savings has also received the Best Place for Working Parents designation in 2022, 2023, and 2024, and was recognized with the “Best Wellness Employer – Gold Certification” for the sixth year in a row by Wellness Workdays. BauerFinancial has designated the Bank the “Best of Bauer” for earning and maintaining its highest 5-star rating for 34 continuous years. For more information, visit www.norwaysavings.bank.
