Our Maine Street's Aroostook Issue 4 : Spring 2010 | Page 62

Northern Maine Community College

Celebrating A Succesful Partnership

Over the years, Northern Maine
in the College’s residential conCommunity College has worked
struction program in the middiligently to partner with local busi1990’s, he worked on building
nesses and civic organizations in order
two of the homes. Now, he
to better serve not only its students
has become the customer for
but also the businesses and residents of
Sinawik House number 33.
the region. One great example of this
Work on the 1,300 square foot
is the long-standing partnership bemodular ranch-style home is
tween the College and the Presque Isle
underway in the residential
Kiwanis Club which results in a home
construction lab at NMCC.
being built each year for an Aroostook
“I know the quality that
County family.
comes from the College,” said
Giving back to the community
Chavez. “From the framing
has been the longstanding goal of the
and insulation to the finish
Sinawik (Kiwanis spelled backward)
and interior work, every detail
partnership forged between NMCC
is taken care of and nothing is
From left, Dawn Poitras and Janet Kelle from the PI
Kiwanis Club were on hand at last year’s barbecue to
and the Presque Isle Kiwanis Club
overlooked. It’s a process and
help celebrate the near completion of Sinawik House
in 1976. In addition to providing
a good learning experience for
#32 with owners Holly and Kevin Tompkins and their
students in several trade programs at
the students and the home
children, along with NMCC instructors Guy Jackson
the College with a “real-life” practical
buyer as well. The instructors
and Roger Crouse.
experience, the project provides a way
in each of the programs that
for Kiwanis to raise scholarship funds to invest in the local
work on the house are top notch, they do a great job working
community. Among the scholarships given by Sinawik each with the students to ensure the highest possible quality.”
year are five awards to NMCC trade and technical occupa In addition to residential construction, students and intion students who work on constructing the home.
structors from the College’s computer-aided drafting, plumb “This project has been a win-win for both the College
ing and heating, electrical construction and maintenance,
and Kiwanis Club,” said Guy Jackson, NMCC’s residential and welding and metal fabrication programs are also involved
construction instructor, who has been key to the project for with the building of the home.
the past 27 years. “Over the years, hundreds of students
“Over the years, our club has built a great rapport with
have had the opportunity to work directly on the construcmembers of the NMCC community. Because of the hard
tion of a house that is placed in the local community and
work and positive attitudes of NMCC’s students, faculty
becomes a home for an area family. It has been an excellent and staff, the annual Sinawik project has become one of the
teaching tool and great source of pride for both our students premier collaborative projects in Aroostook County,” said
and for us as faculty.”
A.J. Cloukey, president of
Joining the the Kiwanis Club.
newest ranks of Each year the College
Sinawik home- and Kiwanis Club hold a
owners is Bob Sinawik Open House and
Chavez of
Barbecue to showcase the lat Presque Isle,
est home and the work of the
who knows
students over the past year.
firsthand the The public is invited
quality work- and encouraged to visit this
manship
year’s open house at NMCC “This is a very
that goes
on Tuesday, April 27,
Guy
special day –
structor
uction in ar students into one of between 11:30 a.m and 1:00
l constr
a once in a
sidentia
h first ye
p.m. For more information
NMCC re enter) works wit on (left) and Jon these
lifetime day.”
ork
ntati
on (c
r Pla
ing w houses.
Jacks
on the project or the open
the fram
nd of Cy
hn Dumo kholm (right) on sidential conJo
Holly Tompkins watches her
As a
toc
e re
house, contact the college
Sund of S house #33 in th
new home being moved on site
.
ik
student
relations office at 768-2809. in August.
of Sinaw b at the College
la
struction

60 Higher Education SUMMER & FALL 09