From rookie to role model: WHS mock CSI unit creates a full circle return to the scene

By Lorraine Glowczak

“When will I ever use this after high school?” It’s a question that teachers have heard echo through classrooms for decades. From math equations to lab reports to literary analysis, students often wonder how today’s lessons will matter in their future. But what happens when learning moves beyond the classroom and into the real world – where students are exposed to the ways math, science, and English are not only useful, but needed to succeed?

Corporal Hailey Penney, a 2022 Windham High graduate now
serving in the Maine Correctional Center's Special
Investigations and Intelligence Unit, returned to WHS as 
an expert in the annual Mock CSI event, a career-connected
curriculum she participated in as a student four years ago. 
She helped student 'rookie' detectives refine their\
questioning skills and share how others can follow a 
similar career path. SUBMITTED PHOTO  

To help students see the real-world value of their learning, Windham High School teachers John Ziegler (math) and Adrianne Shetenhelm (alternative education English) launched a hands-on interdisciplinary unit in 2016. The collaboration brought their classes together for a mock CSI experience that challenged students to apply math, writing and critical-thinking skills to a simulated crime scene.

“As the project proved its impact over the next few years, the partnership grew to include Lauren Ruffner’s science, along with real-world support from the Windham Police Department and the Windham Fire Department, transforming the unit into a fully immersive learning experience,” Shetenhelm said.

This collaborative interdisciplinary unit continued again this year on Thursday, April 30 with the “crime” occurring in the parking lot at the Windham Veterans Center. But what made this year’s unit so special was a meaningful turning point when one of Shetenhelm’s former students, Hailey Penney, a 2022 WHS graduate, joined in on the collaboration.

“A full-circle moment for me this year was having Hailey back on the scene, four years after she was in the unit as a student; she came back as an expert,” Shetenhelm said.

Penney, now Corporal Penney, works for the Maine Correctional Center in the Special Investigations and Intelligence Unit. She was invited to join mock CSI day to help the “rookie" detectives and evidence techs in refining their questioning techniques. She talked about her career pathway and how other students may follow a similar path if they are interested.

“After contacting the Maine Correctional Center to see if we could have someone speak to our students, it was clear that Hailey would be the perfect choice,” Shetenhelm said. “Hailey's superiors spoke so highly of her capabilities and her speedy progression in the field. I was not surprised, and I am so proud of her.”

Corporal Penney said that she doesn’t remember being interested in law enforcement before the mock CSI event. “I believe this is because of my prior lack of knowledge as to what law enforcement officers do. Being introduced to WPD Detective Andrews and Sergeant Fournier and learning about what they do in their careers significantly changed my perception. I was inspired to make a difference.”

She added that being a part of a “real-life crime scene”, gathering information and interviewing witnesses and suspects sparked an interest in her that she didn’t know she had. “Before this, I remember feeling as if I had not found my passion yet. I am very grateful that I was involved with this event because I’m not sure if I would have considered a career in corrections or law enforcement otherwise.”

Being an expert now, Corporal Penney said that she enjoyed talking with the students about her story and how her career became a passion.

“There were so many students who were engaged in this event and open to speaking with me. I gave two students Maine Department of Corrections challenge coins because I was very impressed with their thought processes and efforts that went into this year’s mock CSI unit,” she said. “My hope is that students were able to take something away from our conversations and have a better understanding of law enforcement, like I did when I experienced the CSI event.”

It’s Shetenhelm and Ziegler’s hope for their students too. As a result, they plan to continue this annual career connected learning as long as they can. To do so, they will begin to write a new “crime” this summer.

“Each year, we write a new narrative over the summer and recruit staff volunteers and actors in the fall,” Shetenhelm said. “We begin working with the WPD and other experts to ensure the story is realistic. By the fourth quarter, the unit begins—preparing English students to investigate and interview witnesses while math and science students learn to analyze evidence. On the day of the field trip, one question remains: Have we prepared them enough to connect the dots on their own, just as they must after graduation?”

Shetenhelm says that they hope to team teach with Corporal Penney again next year.

“I couldn't be prouder and more honored to be a part of her story and to be working alongside her,” Shetenhelm said. 

‘Slow Down Move Over’ violators put first responders’ lives at risk

Drivers in Windham and throughout Maine are ignoring the
'Slow Down Move Over' law first enacted in 2007. It mandates
that motorists slow down or pull over if they encounter a 
stopped or parked emergency vehicle and violators are 
posing significant risk to first responders.
COURTESY OF  ROAD ASSIST EMERGENCY SERVICES
  

By Ed Pierce

Every day, drivers in Windham and throughout Maine ignore the “Slow Down, Move Over” law posing a significant risk for first responders and other emergency personnel.

Enacted in 2007, the law mandates that drivers slow down and or pull over if they encounter a stopped or parked emergency vehicle. If drivers see flashing lights and fail to respond appropriately, they can be issued a summons and fined $326 for not doing so under the law.   

Under Title 29-A §2054-9 MRSA, drivers passing a parked emergency vehicle with its emergency lights activated must pass in a lane that is not adjacent to the vehicle or, if doing so is unsafe or impossible, must pass at a careful and prudent speed. In this context, “emergency vehicle” includes, but is not limited to, police cruisers, ambulances, fire trucks, tow trucks, wreckers, and highway safety vehicles. 

“This law helps to ensure our safety. When working at an emergency scene, we often have to move around our apparatus to get the equipment needed,” said Brent Libby, Windham Fire-Rescue chief. “We also are moving around the scene to treat patients, remove debris, contain spills etc.  which can be spread out larger than it may seem. The move over law ensures that we have a safe space to operate in.”

Libby said many first responders witness drivers who disregard this law and violations happen on a daily basis.

“Whether it is a medical call, a motor vehicle crash, or a grass fire, motorists are often trying to squeeze around our apparatus, which often creates a blind spot for them,” he said. “The law applies to all emergency vehicles on all roads and requires the drivers to use the other lane to get around.” 

According to Libby, unfortunately there just aren’t resources available to enforce the law.

“Often law enforcement is involved in and committed to the incident we are on. In extreme scenarios someone can get the license plate and report it but otherwise we simply have to remain vigilant,” he said. “I will say there are many instances where we will simply close a road down completely for our safety and the safety of those involved knowing that due to traffic volume and inattention, moving traffic through a scene would just be too dangerous.”

Kyle Snyder, Road Assist Emergency Services operations manager, said that every single day, he or one of his technicians are on the side of the road helping a stranded motorist and most motorists do not understand that by slowing down, and moving over, this provides them with the protection to do their jobs safely.

“This law is in place for police, fire, EMS, and yes, even tow providers. At the end of the day, we want to go home to our families, and we cannot do that if we are injured or killed by someone not paying attention and not following the law,” Snyder said.

Snyder said that out of the 131 calls that he completed in April, he counted 60 times that a driver failed to slow down or move over for him.

“That is 46 percent of calls that I have personally completed. We have forward and rear facing cameras in our trucks that record our work areas. As the operations manager I am constantly reviewing footage and making sure my drivers are following our safety protocols,” he said. “I have watched quite a few videos that would make any normal person who does not do this job shake their head in disbelief. Now imagine your job is to be on the side of the road every day, and in the back of your mind, you are wondering if it is your last.”

Snyder said he feels 95 percent of drivers violating the law is because of distracted driving.

"Drivers are not keeping their hands on the wheel and eyes on the road. If they are distracted by the phone, or using their touch screen/GPS, it takes 27 seconds for you to refocus on the road after stopping that distracting activity,” he said. “During that 27 seconds, you are already in our work zone. I also think that 5 percent stems from some people not understanding that the law pertains to yellow flashing lights as much as blue and red. However, this law is not new, it was passed in 2007, some 14 years ago and all 50 states have some version of this law.”

About 10:30 p.m. April 24, in dry and clear road conditions, Snyder was assisting the Maine State Police, Rays Towing, and Maine DOT at a crash on I-95 North Bound in Scarborough.

“There were two Maine State Police cars, a DOT truck, and two tow trucks on scene blocking the left and middle lanes. Numerous people were not paying attention and were moving over at the very last minute,” Snyder said. “I had three cones and three flares behind my vehicle, the DOT truck was to my left, and the MSP was in front conducting their investigation. My cones got hit a few times, and numerous tractor trailer trucks went by us at a high rate of speed.”

As police conducted a crash investigation, EMS workers treated injuries, DOT checked barriers for structural damage, and tow companies cleaned up the crash scen. Snyder said the story could have ended very differently for him.

“I was standing on the driver side of my emergency vehicle when a vehicle came right at me, taking out two cones and three 3 flares before finally stopping between my unit and the DOT unit,” he said. “This driver was cited for DUI and arrested. If I would have hesitated for even a second, I would not be here today to tell this story. That is the kind of stuff emergency responders deal with every single day, and so we ask the public to do their part.”

Snyder said he thinks the law needs to be strengthened and enforced better.

“Lives are at risk here when someone does not follow this law. People think that they can get away with it because they are never caught,” he said. “Whenever you are on the road, you have other people’s lives in your hands. In a work zone, we don’t have a cage protecting us, so one mistake can cost a life. We have seen a couple of instances in the last few years. A DOT worker was killed in 2018 while moving traffic cones in a construction zone. Detective Ben Campbell of the Maine State Police was killed honorably in the line of duty from a tire that separated from a truck. Things happen that we can’t predict, but drivers moving over or slowing down is something that we all can do to save a life.”

Chief Libby said many times working in the roadway is as dangerous for firefighters and EMTs as it is working on a fire.

“We do our very best to clean up an incident as quickly as possible to get out of the road. We ask that people are patient, be aware of what’s going on at the scene as there is always a lot of movement,” Libby said. “Look for someone doing traffic control providing you with instructions. I can’t tell you how many people we see driving through a crash scene with their phone out getting pictures and video. It is imperative that people approach and pass by a scene very slowly with a defensive posture ready to stop on a moment’s notice. Put down your devices and slow down.”

Libby said that as a first responder firefighter, one of their most dangerous and frustrating jobs is directing traffic.

“People in this role are our first line of defense for those working on the scene and people just do not pay attention,” he said. “We also challenge people to know more than one way to get where they are going. People often stop to ask directions when we are blocking a road. This further complicates safely moving traffic.” <

Windham clothing drive assists victims of Enso Recovery fire

By Daniel Gray 

Windham area residents donated more
than 15 bags of clothing during an
effort to assist victims who lost
everything in a fire on Jan. 25 at Enso
Recovery in Augusta.
SUBMITTED PHOTO

In the last couple of months, there have been quite a few highlights of positive stories in our community and those who’ve lent a helping hand to others. However, sometimes there needs to be stories of loss and heartbreak that turn out to be their own happy stories in the end.

On the evening of Jan. 25 soon after the sun went down, a fire damaged Enso Recovery in Augusta. Partnered with the Maine Association of Recovery Residences (MARR), Enso Recovery is a rehabilitation program to help Mainers who have problems with substance abuse.

The Enso Recovery house is a safe place for people to be, along with having others in the same situation to help each other and lean against. There had been 12 men living there and going through their rehabilitation process, only to have it halted suddenly by the fire. No one was injured in the fire and there is no suspicion of foul play, but the residents on the top floor of the Enso Recovery home tragically lost everything they had.

Brittany Reichmann, the Assistant Program Manager at MARR, instantly sought help from the Windham community. She grew up here and knew the people in town would help her mission as well. Reichmann was also determined to help these men because she knew what it was like to be on the path to a better, sober life.

On Feb. 5, Reichmann reached out to the community and led a clothing drive for the men that lost their possessions in the fire.

According to Reichmann, the response to her appeal for help and the turn-out of those wanting to donate clothing was incredible. Not only did many Windham residents give back, but Enso Recovery also received a large donation from Maine Needs in Portland, an organization that helps Mainers meet their basic needs.

By the end of the collection effort, Reichmann accumulated more than 15 bags of clothing items from the Windham-area community to give to those who had lost items in the fire at Enso Recovery. Not only did people donate lightly used items, but they also donated more than that.

"People who didn’t have things to donate even went out and bought things, it was really something special." Reichmann said.

The people at Enso Recovery and MARR were more than amazed with the swiftness of the Windham and Portland communities in donating so much in such a short amount of time.

Reichmann said she was astounded by the amount of clothing items received, and more than thankful to Windham residents who reached out with their donations.

“If you have the means, whether that is time, physical capabilities, finances, etc., there is always a way to give back,” she said. “Find something you are passionate about and contribute."

Although the collection drive has ended, if anyone still would like to donate to help the victims of the Enso Recovery fire, Reichmann said they can either drop items off at the Augusta Enso Recovery offices or at Maine Needs in Portland.

For further information about Maine Needs, what they are accepting in donations, and what they do to help the communities of Maine, please visit maineneeds.org <