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The Maine Labor Climate Council finds that building net-zero single-family residential homes (including renewable energy) would create 839 direct jobs per year and reduce carbon emissions by 16,770 metric tons per year. (Adobe Stock)

Monday, May 6, 2024

ME promotes youth apprenticeships to build green economy workforce

State officials in Maine are highlighting apprenticeships as a way to earn a living wage and contribute to the state's growing green economy…

Maine has already experienced eight inches of sea-level rise over the last century with another 1.5 feet expected by 2050 and four more feet by 2100, according to the Maine Climate Council. (Adobe Stock)

ME prepares young people for climate change-related jobs, activism

State officials in Maine are preparing the next generation for climate change-related activism and careers. A new state-run website helps young …

Latino children in Maine fare better than their peers nationwide, according to the Annie E. Casey Foundation report. An estimated 70% of Latino children in Maine live in families with incomes at or above 200% of the poverty line, compared to 47% of Latino children nationally. (Adobe Stock)<br />

Report finds gaps in child well-being persist across Maine

Children of color in Maine fare relatively well compared to their peers nationwide, but gaps in child well-being persist - according to a new report…

NextGen's new website aims to help young Mainers access the Inflation Reduction Act for up to $7,500 in tax credits towards the purchase of a new clean car, and up to $4,000 for a used clean car. <br />(Adobe Stock)

Website helps Maine’s young voters track climate change resources

A new website aims to help young voters in Maine take advantage of the historic climate progress being made through the Inflation Reduction Act…

Members of the Sunrise Movement in Franklin County, Maine, advocate for a Green New Deal. The Fifth National Climate Assessment showed greenhouse gas emissions in the United States fell 12% from 2005 to 2019 but will need to decrease 6% annually to meet international climate goals. <br />

Young activists call on Biden administration to declare climate emergency

Young activists are pressuring President Joe Biden to declare a climate emergency and use the additional powers to reduce greenhouse-gas emissions…

Second-graders in South Portland are designing their own Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade balloons to take part in a popular lesson based on the children's book,

Beyond book checkouts, ME librarians teach “digital citizenship”

School librarians in Maine are teaching students the importance of "digital citizenship." The concept is similar to civics education but helps stude…

Researchers with the University of Kentucky found that up to 135 people are affected to some degree by every person lost to suicide. That number includes all people who have known the deceased. (Adobe Stock) <br /><br />

More conversation, training urged to break stigma of suicide

Advocates for mental health in Maine say the stigma of suicide often prevents those most at risk from getting the help they need. The CDC reports …

Mainers offered family insurance plans through their workplace that cost more than 9.12% of the total family income may qualify for more affordable healthcare coverage through the health insurance marketplace. (Adobe Stock)

MaineCare Recipients Urged to Update Forms to Ensure Coverage

Public health advocates are working to ensure Medicaid recipients in Maine continue to have health care coverage as pandemic-era policies have ended…

Teachers could use the new Maine Climate Hub to teach students about the Gulf of Maine, which is considered one of the fastest-warming ocean regions on the planet. (Adobe Stock)

ME Students Benefit from New Climate Change-Related Education Tool

Educators in Maine will have a new online resource this school year to help them teach what they say is one of the most challenging subjects: climate …

Studies show the United States will need to train and employ more than a quarter-million electricians by 2030 in order to support and maintain the country's growing electrical infrastructure, including millions of electric vehicle charging stations and carbon-free building systems. (Adobe Stock)<br /><br />

More STEM Workers Needed in ME to Fill Growing Green Energy Sector

Business leaders in Maine are working to raise awareness of the growing number of climate change-related job opportunities. The state's recent …

A recent American Farmland Trust survey revealed that over 50% of farmers surveyed sought conservation education from another farmer, versus 20% who looked for help from the federal Natural Resources Conservation Service. (Adobe Stock) <br />

Bill Aids Farmer Education to Tackle Impacts of Climate Change

New federal legislation aims to help farmers in Maine and elsewhere share their knowledge of conservation practices as they face an increasing number …

90 percent of middle and high schools and 84 percent of elementary schools were providing a device for every student, according to a March 2021 Education Week survey of school leaders. (Adobe Stock)

Education Advocates Say Expired Chromebooks Teach Kids the Wrong Lesson

Education advocates say pending expiration dates for Google Chromebooks teach kids the wrong lesson about technology. Software on thirteen models …

56% of LGBTQ+ youth who wanted mental health care in the past year were not able to get it, according to the Trevor Project. (Adobe Stock)

Study Shows Benefits of Creativity for Youth Mental Health

Young people who engage in creative activities report a reduction in feelings of stress or anxiety, according to a new study. The Adobe Foundation …

Only 22 states have educational standards which require at least one semester course in personal finance to graduate high school, according to Nex Gen. Maine is not one of them. (Adobe Stock)<br />

Bowdoin Students Benefit from Job Training 'Bootcamp'

Students at Bowdoin College are benefiting from an innovative, student-led program aimed at taking the mystery out of career planning. Each winter …

A study by the American Institutes for Research showed children who participated in outdoor education programs raised their science test scores by 27%. (Adobe Stock)

Outdoor Education Key to Improving Health of Students, Planet

Congressional lawmakers are considering a bill to help improve the environmental literacy of America's students. Dubbed the "No Child Left Inside …

Maine ranks first in the nation for having the lowest percentage of children in families where the head of household lacks a high school diploma, at 4%, compared to the national rate of 11%, according to a new report. (Adobe Stock) <br />

ME Parents Struggle with Lack of Affordable, Accessible Child Care

CLARIFICATION: Percentages of students' reading and math scores were clarified. (12:46 p.m. MDT, June 14, 2023) Maine ranks 12th in the nation on …

The world is home to 1.8 billion young people between ages 10 and 24, the largest generation of youth in history, who are increasingly aware of the challenges and risks presented by the climate crisis. (Adobe Stock)

'Climate Grief' Motivates Young Mainers to Take Action

The magnitude of climate change can feel overwhelming, creating a sense of so-called "climate grief" for some, but young climate activists say they …

Among the 1,648 suggested book bans in 2022, 41% explicitly address LGBTQ+ themes while 40% contain protagonists or prominent secondary characters of color, according to PEN America. (Adobe Stock)

Maine Librarians Fight Bill to Ban Books Considered 'Obscene'

School librarians in Maine are fighting a bill that would ban schools from providing students with books considered "obscene," saying it could potenti…

High school graduates from the classes of 2020, 2021 and 2022 can attend two years of community college in Maine free of charge, which adds another challenge to student recruitment efforts for the University of Maine System. (Adobe Stock)

Flexibility Draws 'Non-Traditional' Students to U of Maine

A program aimed at reversing the University of Maine's declining enrollment has defied expectations at Presque Isle, the state's smallest and most …

Body Positivity Movement Helps Improve Body Image, Alleviate Shame

By Gabes Torres for Yes! Media. Broadcast version by Kathryn Carley for Maine News Service, reporting for the YES! Media-Public News Service …

The 2021 Maine Integrated Youth Health Survey found the number of Maine high school students who identify as transgender <a href=

more than doubled from 2019 to 2021. (Adobe Stock)">

Intergenerational Groups Strengthen Maine’s LGBTQ Community

Intergenerational connections can be powerful tools to help improve overall quality of life for both young and old. It can be especially true in the …

Starting in 2023, parents who are offered family health insurance at work may qualify for affordable health care coverage through the federal marketplace if premiums for that family plan cost more than 9.12% of their total family income. (Adobe Stock)

Maine Increases Rates of Children with Health Insurance

Federal funding during the COVID-19 public emergency helped to further reduce the number of uninsured children in Maine, but as pandemic-era dollars …

One in six U.S. youths ages 6 to 17 experience a mental health disorder each year, but only half receive mental health treatment, according to the National Alliance on Mental Illness. (Adobe Stock)

Fake Threats to Maine Schools Cause Real Trauma for Students, Staff

Experts say the presence of police in full tactical gear and spending hours in school lockdown mode will leave a lasting impression on Maine teens and…

All Juul e-cigarettes have a high level of nicotine, but a single Juul pod contains as much nicotine as a pack of 20 regular cigarettes, according to the manufacturer. (Adobe Stock)

Efforts to Curb Youth Vaping Fall Short

Smoking remains the leading cause of preventable death and disease in the U.S., yet efforts to prevent kids from picking up the habit continue to …

A report finds nationally, Black and Latino kids were 50% more likely to face incarceration than their white peers in 2019. (mario beauregard/Adobe Stock)

Report: Too Many Youth Incarcerated in Maine, Across U.S.

Almost a quarter-million American children were incarcerated in 2019, and a new report found it is about five times more than states' annual point-in-…

Groups in Maine highlight a need for more funding for early education and care. The current continued resolution is set to expire March 11th. (Alessandro Biascioli/Adobe Stock)

ME Groups: Congress Needs to Pass Fully-Funded Appropriations Bill

Mainers are urging Congress to pass a fully funded, full-year appropriations bill, instead of the stopgap continued resolutions for the various …

Maine has more than 2,000 children in foster care, but not enough families for family placements. (cristalov/Adobe Stock)

Groups: Maine Foster Youths Need More Families Available for Placements

PORTLAND, Maine -- About 2,200 children are in foster care in Maine, and agencies say there are not enough families who are actively able to accept …

Maine is among the first states to pass a bill for free school meals for all students, regardless of household income. (WaveBreakMediaMicro/Adobe Stock)

Parents Urged: Complete School Meal Forms Even Though Lunches are Free

AUGUSTA, Maine -- School meals in Maine will be free for all students again this year and into the future, but parents are being urged to fill out …

Nearly 300,000 Maine kids will benefit from the expanded Advance Child Tax Credit. (fizkes/Adobe Stock)

ME Parents, Advocates: Make Expanded Child Tax Credit Permanent

AUGUSTA, Maine -- Parents are now receiving fully refundable monthly 2021 Advance Child Tax Credit payments, and advocates for children and families …

Approximately 23% of Maine kids lived in households with a high housing cost burden in 2019, compared with 33% in 2010. (Daniel Jedzura/Adobe Stock)

Report: Child Tax Credit to Benefit More than 90% of Maine Kids

AUGUSTA, Maine -- Child wellbeing in Maine improved between 2010 and 2019, according to a new annual report, but advocates for children and families …

A recent juvenile-justice task force found that many youths are in detention because of a lack of community-based alternatives and wait lists for existing programs. (Chatiyanon/Adobestock)

Staff Shortages Threaten Mental-Health System for Basic Services

AUGUSTA, Maine -- With about three weeks left in the legislative session, mental-health advocates want lawmakers to increase the funding for …

Day One is the only Maine agency that provides an adolescent residential substance-use treatment program. (motortion/Adobe Stock)

Groups Decry Lack of Substance-Use Treatment for Young Mainers

AUGUSTA, Maine - As Maine's legislative session nears an end, groups are urging lawmakers to prioritize making mental health and substance-use …

Maine is one of 20 states that have introduced bills aimed at banning transgender students from participating in school sports. (Michael Chamberlin/Adobe Stock)

Transgender Mainers, Allies Oppose Bill Targeting Trans Student Athletes

AUGUSTA, Maine -- Advocates for transgender Mainers are opposing a newly introduced bill in the state Legislature which would ban trans students from …

The American Rescue Plan would create a $25 billion emergency child-care stabilization fund. (Adobe Stock)

Advocates for Children, Families Say Mainers Need COVID Relief

AUGUSTA, Maine -- As Maine families struggle to recover from the pandemic's economic fallout, advocates for children and families say quick passage …

Advice from Maine Camps that Contained COVID Outbreaks

YARMOUTH, Maine -- The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is sharing some good news about four overnight camps in Maine, and how they …

Advocates for public schools say federal CARES Act funding should favor low-income public schools over private institutions. (Wokandapix/Pixabay)

Maine Sues DeVos to Stop CARES Act Funds to Private Schools

AUGUSTA, Maine -- Maine, California, three other states and Washington, D.C., are suing to stop the federal government from siphoning off coronavirus …

The COVID-19 crisis has heavily impacted the finances of Day One, a youth nonprofit and member of the Alliance for Addiction and Mental Health Services in Maine. (Day One/Facebook)

Maine Behavioral-Health Providers Worry about Trimming Services

AUGUSTA, Maine - Forty percent of the agencies in Maine's Alliance for Addiction and Mental Health Services are concerned they may need to shut down …

Nearly 2 million children age five and younger were missed in the 2010 census. (AdobeStock)

2020 Census: Maine's Kids Need Counted, Too

AUGUSTA, Maine -- Amid the chaos of the coronavirus pandemic, Maine families are being reminded about an important civic duty. Households now are …

State Task Force Urges Maine to Phase Out Only Juvenile Facility

AUGUSTA, Maine -- A task force in Maine is recommending that the state's only juvenile-corrections facility be emptied within three years. A group …

Critics charge that Long Creek, Maine's prison for juveniles, is not organized or staffed to deal with the real needs of those young people. (Richard Ross/AECF)

Task Force Finding Maine Juvenile Justice System Dysfunctional

AUGUSTA, Maine - The task force looking at Maine juvenile justice is finding signs the whole system is upside down. Jill Ward, project manager of …

Maine was the only state in the Northeast that blocked Medicaid expansion, which explains part of why it had the highest rate of children who were uninsured in the region last year. (LMMiller9/Pixabay)

Maine: Highest Rate of Uninsured Children in Northeast in 2018

AUGUSTA, Maine - Maine had the highest rate of uninsured children in the Northeast in 2018, according to new findings. The Georgetown University …

Maine ranks among the highest states for placement of children and teens in foster care with relatives and families. (Juhan Sonin/Flickr)

Report: Maine Leads in Placing Foster Youth with Families

ELLSWORTH, Maine – A new Annie E. Casey Foundation report shows that more young people in foster care have been placed with families than in …

About 94 percent of young people in foster care in Maine earn a high school diploma or GED by age 21. (pxhere)

Young Adults Face Struggles Leaving Foster Care

AUGUSTA, Maine — Maine is doing relatively well in helping young people in foster care transition to adult life, but there's room for …

U.S. Border Patrol agents from the Houlton Station operated an immigration checkpoint on Interstate 95 last week. (Customs and Border Protection)

Checkpoints by Customs Border Patrol Rile Some Mainers

BANGOR, Maine – Some drivers and passengers were annoyed, others angry and afraid when they were stopped last week by U.S. Customs and Border …

While rallies such as this one in support of the Affordable Care Act in 2017 helped save it, expect more rallies and protests as court battles over its protections heat up. (Ted Eytan/Flickr)

Long Battle Ahead over ACA Pre-Existing Conditions Provision

AUGUSTA, Maine – It promises to be a long, bumpy road ahead for the Department of Justice, which essentially is arguing against the Affordable …

A 2017 survey found about 6 in 10 Maine students graduate from college in debt. The average amount owed is almost $30,000. (freestocks.org/Pexels)

Majoring in Poverty: Seeking Solutions for Strapped College Students

AUGUSTA, Maine – Studying while hungry – many college students struggle to get enough to eat because they lack money to buy food…

The U.S. Surgeon General urges drug users and their families to keep naloxone on hand. (PublicDomainPictures)

Maine Lawmakers Determined to Lower Age for Naloxone Access

AUGUSTA, Maine - A bill to expand access to a drug-overdose treatment is awaiting action by Gov. Paul LePage. The governor has vetoed other bills to …

The Maine House of Representatives voted 81-69 to block a rollback of the minimum wage. (rmr2u/Wikimedia Commons)

Maine House Blocks Effort to Roll Back Minimum Wage

AUGUSTA, Maine – Maine's House of Representatives has defeated an effort to stop voter-approved increases in the state's minimum wage. In a …

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ME: Youth