JSMS performance of ‘Beauty and the Beast’ dazzles after Nor’Easter

By Briana Bizier

On Saturday, April 6, as Windham and Raymond recovered from the powerful Nor’easter that left much of the town without power, the show went on for Jordan-Small Middle School’s drama program.

Student cast members of 'Beauty and the Beast' perform at
Jordan-Small Middle School in Raymond on Saturday,
April 6and staged the production despite a Nor'Easter
that blanketed the area wiping out final rehearsals.
PHOTO BY JULIA HEBERT  

Despite missing both their final dress rehearsal on Thursday and opening night on Friday, every single member of the cast and crew arrived Saturday afternoon for their performance of the musical Beauty and the Beast.

“When I joined the drama program in 2022,” Tyler Costigan, Director and Production Designer, told the audience for Saturday’s second performance, “I had a cast of 20. This year, I have a cast of 50. That’s a lot of students.”

Along with Victoria Stubbs as the Vocal Coach and Patricia Valley as the Choreographer, Costigan has been working with these 50 students since January. Yet on Saturday, after months of practice, an abbreviated tech week, last-minute microphone changes, emergency costume repairs, and a backstage conga line warm-up, Costigan, Stubbs, and Valley took their seats in the audience as C.J. Payne, the Technical Director, turned on the lights and microphones.

The performance was now in the hands of the young actors and the student tech crew, led by Ari Green, Olivia Beal, and Jordyn Morris. The show opened with an enchantress, played by Maria Rosetti, casting a horrible spell on a cruel prince and everyone who lived in his castle. As the curtains closed on the cursed prince, Belle, played with fantastic confidence by Araia Peterson, walked down the middle of the gymnasium theatre silhouetted by the spotlight.

While the stage filled with villagers going about their daily business, Belle sang longingly about her desire to escape her small town while her suitor Gaston declared his intent to marry Belle, the only woman “as beautiful as me.”

Gaston was played to great comedic effect by Lucy Payne and trailed by a trio of adoring fans played by Emma Horowitz, Zoe Woodbury, and Layla Martin. Belle and Gaston were joined by a crowd of singing villagers, played by Sage Bizier, Michelle Buzzell, Brecken Cressey, Zoe Decker, Bella and Julia Doyon, Mikel Gilbert, Clare Goan, Ella Jacobson, Arianna Libby, Anica Messer, Miles Moreau, Mia Quinn, Leah Ronfeldt, and Alita Sargent.

Belle’s father Maurice, played by a very sympathetic Eli Delude, promised Belle she will soon be able to see all the places she reads about in books. However, in a turn of events narrated by Paige Leveille, Marley Hebert, Rian Borella, and Izzy Gonzalez, Maurice was attacked by a pack of somersaulting wolves and driven to the enchanted castle where the Beast, played by Rex Freyre with an impressive mask and a perfect blend of tenderness and ferocity, locks him in the dungeon.

When Gaston’s friend and sidekick Lefou, played by Addy Madsen, arrives in town wearing Maurice’s scarf, Belle realizes something has gone wrong and sets off to find her father. After bargaining her own freedom to set her father free, she sings of finding home, a performance that made both this audience member and the friend sitting beside me reach for our tissues.

Castle residents Mrs. Potts the teapot, played by Cadence O’Brion, Mme. de la Grande Bouche the wardrobe, played by Liza Powers, and Babette the feather duster, played by Acadia Vingers-Sirois, tried to comfort Belle with their hopes that she might someday think of the castle as home. Meanwhile, Payne’s Gaston, dejected over Belle’s rejections, was consoled by Lefou and the villagers with a hilarious song and dance that left the audience cheering long after the curtains closed.

Back at the castle, the candleholder Lumiere, played with a terrific French accent by Allie LeBoudais, tried to convince the clock Cogsworth, played with a perfect air of stiff formality by Alyssa Dismore, that their guest Belle deserved a special meal. Happily for everyone, this conversation resulted in the spectacular “Be Our Guest” performance. As Lumiere narrated, forks, knives, spoons and plates, played by Bella Anderson, Camryn Golebiewski, Riley Huff, Lauren Inman, and Julianna Vassoler, as well as several actors who had hasty backstage costume changes, danced and sang to end Act One. When the lights came up for intermission, another audience member leaned over and said, “Wow, that was really good!”

As the student tech crew moved set pieces behind the curtain and organized an entire cafeteria table’s worth of props backstage, the actors changed costumes and prepared for Act Two. When the curtains rose again, the enchanted residents of the castle expressed their hopes to be “Human Again” in song as Belle and the Beast formed a tentative friendship, and finally, shared a dance as Mrs. Potts sang the classic “Beauty and the Beast.” Again, some members of the audience reached for their tissues.

Back in the village, Gaston continued his attempts to marry Belle, this time by arranging with M. D’Arque, played to great sinister effect by Leo Roma, to take Maurice to the insane asylum. When Belle resists, Gaston decides the villagers must attack the castle and kill the Beast. The actors leapt from the stage and carried their torches through the audience as they cried, “Kill the Beast!”

After an impressively well-choreographed fight between the villagers and the enchanted castle servants, the wicked Gaston attacked the Beast. Fortunately, Belle was close behind. With the injured Beast at her feet, Belle sang about how she had finally found her home with the Beast, and this audience member cried for the third time.

In the end, Belle declared her love for the Beast, and the castle’s curse was lifted. Chip the teacup, played by Alice Thibodeau, got a round of laughs when she asked if she would still need to sleep in the cupboard now that she’s human again, and then the entire cast gathered for a final song. Both shows ended with standing ovations, cheers, and a lot of congratulatory hugs in the middle school hallway.

Despite the massive Nor’easter, 12 inches of fresh April snow, widespread power losses, and two days of school closures, Jordan-Small Middle School’s performance of “Beauty and the Beast” proved once again that true love always saves the day, and that perhaps we are all capable of a little more magic than we think. <

Windham resident part of Congressional Gold Medal ceremony in Washington

By Ed Pierce

March 21 is a day that Malinda “Mindy” McKinney of Windham will never forget as she was part of a Congressional Gold Medal ceremony in Washington, D.C. recognizing her late father for his service during World War II as a member of the secretive U.S. Ghost Army.

Malinda 'Mindy' McKinney of Windham, left, joins her
sisters, Helen and Anne, in accepting the Congressional 
Gold Medal on March 21 in Washington, D.C. on behalf
of their late father, U.S. Army Captain William Skelton, 
who served in the 'Ghost Army' during World War II.
SUBMITTED PHOTO
 

McKinney’s father, Captain William Skelton, served with the 23rd Headquarters Special Troops, 603rd Camouflage Engineers Unit and McKinney and her sisters were given the Congressional Gold Medal, the oldest and highest civilian award in the United States awarded by Congress, for the work of their father. To date fewer than 200 Americans have been awarded this distinction and it was presented to the sisters by U.S. Speaker of the House Mike Johnson.

The medal presentation ceremony wraps up a nearly 20-year effort by members and volunteers of the Ghost Army Legacy Project to raise awareness and win recognition for the little-known Army units that played a unique but unheralded part in the Allied victory of World War II.

“Ghost Army” soldiers represent nearly every state in the nation, including eight from Maine, and the units were handpicked, top secret units containing some of America’s most promising artists, engineers, and signals professionals. The 23rd Headquarters Special Troops, composed of a mere 1,100 soldiers, impersonated up to two divisions of 30,000 men physically, sonically, and radiographically to the enemy.

The strategy of the 23rd Headquarters Special Troops was so effective, they held a position in the middle of the line for eight days during combat, allowing U.S. General George S. Patton to throw all the fighting forces at German defenses. Captured German officers and documents related to the operations of both units demonstrated that the Germans were utterly convinced by the unit’s deceptions and redeployed units and assets in response.

The efforts and contributions of the “Ghost Army” were classified for more than 40 years, until 1996, and therefore have not received formal recognition. Without the “Ghost Army,” an estimated 15,000 to 30,000 American soldiers and 10,000 German soldiers would not have made it home alive during World War II.

McKinney, a retired Raymond Elementary School secretary, said that her father served in the Ghost Army as a member of the 603rd Camouflage Engineers Unit of the 23rd Headquarters Special Troops Unit and was previously awarded the Bronze Star by the Army for Meritorious Service with five battle engagements for his valor and distinction in World War II.

Following the war, Skelton studied chemical engineering at Carnegie-Melon Institute of Technology and had a 33-year career working for DuPont Corporation in Delaware, and in Kinston and Wilmington, North Carolina. He passed away in 2011 and was predeceased by his wife, Jessica Matthews Skelton, in 2007.

In February 2022, U.S Senator Susan Collins of Maine and Senator Edward Markey of Massachusetts announced that bipartisan and bicameral legislation had been approved to award a Congressional Gold Medal to the top-secret U.S. Army units that served in World War II.

Collins attended the March 21 “Ghost Army” medal presentation and said this recognition is long overdue.

“The ingenuity and contributions of the ‘Ghost Army’ were classified for decades without its members receiving the recognition that they deserved. It was not until 1996 that their heroic actions were declassified, and the American public began to learn the full scope of their contributions to achieving our Allied victory,” said Senator Collins. “I was so proud to co-sponsor in the Senate with Senator Markey, the bipartisan, bicameral legislation to honor these unsung heroes with Congress's highest civilian award. And today, finally, today, Congress will bestow this long-awaited honor on these deserving veterans.”

Because of the secretive nature of his work with the 23rd Headquarters Special Troops, 603rd Camouflage Engineers Unit, McKinney said her father never divulged with his family his military activities until the unit had been declassified 50 years after World War II ended. After that, McKinney said that Skelton shared many fascinating stories with his family about his service and the activities of the Ghost Army and he would be very proud of this honor if he were still alive.

“Receiving this Highest Honor, The Congressional Gold Medal, that one can receive is very humbling,” McKinney said. <

PowerServe volunteers gearing up for 2024 Windham projects

By Ed Pierce and Masha Yurkevich

Author Mitch Albom once wrote that love is how you stay alive, even after you’re gone. In the case of Windham High School student Shane Donnelly, his death has led to an outpouring of community service projects accomplished in his memory through an organization called PowerServe.

Shane Donnelly was 16 and a 
sophomore at Windham High School
when he tragically died in 2015. To
honor his memory, the organization
PowerServe was created to assist
people in need in Windham with
home repairs and other community
projects. This year's PowerServe
event will be April 27 and 
volunteers are needed to lend a hand.
SUBMITTED PHOTO 

Shane Donnelly was just 16 and a sophomore at WHS when he passed away unexpectedly in May 2015. He cared deeply about his community and to show their love for him, his family joined Young Life students and Kristine Delano in organizing the first PowerServe in 2016, a one-day event where volunteers serve Windham area organizations and individuals who need assistance by performing various tasks from painting, yard work, and repairs. The first PowerServe event was only supposed to be a one-time occurrence but following an enormous volunteer response, it became an annual event growing to include hundreds of volunteers and dozens of projects each year.

“The purpose of the event is to come together and support and serve others. We had our largest turnout last year with over 300 hundred volunteers that supported 17 projects throughout the community,” said Bob Donnelly, Shane’s father. “The event this year will start at 8:30 a.m. Saturday, April 27 at the Windham Historical Society.”

He said the Power Serve team is always looking for more volunteers but more importantly, needs projects that they can work on for others in need.

“If you know of a person or group that is in need of help with a project, we clean trails, plant memorials, paint sheds, pick up trash, clean gutters, rake leaves, remove old structures, and repair decks,” Donnelly said. “We want to provide joy and bring smiles to those in need in our community. We want to help people from all walks of life and hope to make a difference so join us for this great event and nominate a project that we can help someone in the Windham area. Thank you so much for your support in growing this event.”

Kim Donnelly is Shane’s mother and serves as Volunteer Coordinator and Co-Director of the PowerServe event.

“My son Shane Donnelly was a student, athlete, kind young man and loving son. When he passed away unexpectedly at the age of 16, it was not only a shock to our family, but to the community and students at school,” she said. “Nothing can fill the void from Shane’s passing. However, being able to materially see the impact that this event has had on the students, individuals and our larger community does help to feel that he left his mark on this world. Having past classmates of Shane’s and current students come back to Windham to support one another and our neighbors is so heartwarming.”

She said PowerServe is such a gift and tribute to Shane’s memory.

“Shane loved the peace and beauty of the outdoors,” his mother said. “The projects that we do mean that our volunteers are working outside together to do good. It’s wonderful to see these students volunteer alongside local business teams, church members, teachers, friends, and families. It truly shows that Windham residences support one another.”

This year’s event will start at the Windham Historical Society gardens in Windham Center. Each volunteer will receive a PowerServe t-shirt and by 1 p.m. the projects wrap up and all volunteers are treated to a barbecue lunch at the Windham Historical Society.

“This is an opportunity to talk about the wonderful people you have supported as most love to come out and talk with the volunteers,” Kim Donnely said. “It gives you an amazing feeling of giving back to the community and those around us. You will also meet some wonderful people in your community who are volunteering alongside you.”

PowereServe Committee Member Anne Daigle said that she’s known the Donnelly Family for over 30 years and personally knew Shane.

“I felt compelled to do this in hopes that it would help to heal the family as well as the community,” Daigle said.

Past projects accomplished by volunteers involved cleaning up storm damage at Dundee Park, spring cleanups, painting softball dugouts, performing repairs on decks and steps and stacking firewood.

“Giving back and helping others is the heart of any community and having the students and other members of the community work together I believe gives us all a little hope that this coming generation is amazing,” Daigle said. “We help continually, and we are happy to help anyone in need.”

To sign up to volunteer for this year’s PowerServe event or to nominate a project to be worked on, visit https://www.facebook.com/PowerServePage/ or send an email to [email protected] <

Retired Raymond Town manager proud of devoted service to community

By Ed Pierce

Don Willard wants to set the record straight regarding the rumors circulating about his departure as Raymond’s Town Manager.

Don Willard served as the Raymond Town
Manager for more than 23 years until his
retirement on Jan. 2. A party in his honor
will be held from 1 to 4 p.m. Sunday,
April 7 at the Boy Scouts of America's
Messer center at Camp Hinds in Raymond
and the public is invited to attend.
COURTESY PHOTO   

Willard says he’s not dying of a terminal illness or was fired from his position, the simple truth is that he spent some time last fall recovering from an illness and then decided to retire after 23 years of working for the Town of Raymond. His retirement became official Jan. 2 and from 1 to 4 p.m. Sunday, April 7, the public is invited to a special party at the Boy Scouts of America’s Messer Center at Camp Hinds in Raymond to say goodbye and wish Willard and his family well in retirement.

“Living and working in Raymond has been a great experience and a wonderful place for my wife Megan and I to raise our son Holden,” Willard said. “I always thought, and often expressed my belief that the Town of Raymond has the capacity to achieve any and all desired goals.”

He said that with a new comprehensive plan on the horizon, a new universe of possibilities will be envisioned and ultimately approved by the voters in Raymond.

“I am certain this will include a continued commitment to environmental protection, as well as a range of quality-of-life issues,” Willard said. “In that regard, I am looking forward to staying actively involved in the community to help realize a new way forward and to see the town reach its full potential.”

Originally from Scarborough, Willard graduated from high school there and spent his first year of college at the University of Maine at Portland-Gorham before transferring to the University of Maine at Orono. He launched his career in municipal government as a paid intern in Scarborough, and then as an intern in Cape Elizabeth in 1981 while still an undergraduate in college.

After earning a college degree in Public Management, Willard served as a congressional intern in Washington, D.C. before being chosen as first Town Manager of the Town of Dixfield in 1983. Then in 1986, he became Town Manager of Rockport, a position he held until December 2000 when he joined the Town of Raymond as Town Manager.

“I have been quite fortunate to work with great elected officials in the past,” Willard said. “The early 2000s were a high watermark for community improvement. The town received an Economic Development Infrastructure Community Development Block Grant to extend the Portland Water District waterline from Windham to Raymond. In so doing, Raymond became the first new member town in 50 years.”

He said that achievement was a result of transformative and visionary elected leadership.

“Selectmen Betty McDermott, Ada Brown, and Christine McClellan also envisioned and supported the Route 302 improvement project, the new public safety building, and the town’s first major road rebuilding program which transformed the appearance of the town's main business area while improving both pedestrian and motor vehicle safety,” Willard said.

According to Willard, he will miss working for the town and says that he always sought to make myself visible and accessible to the townspeople.

“I made my cell phone publicly available and took calls 24/7 and 365 days a year over my tenure,” he said. “One time, I answered a citizen phone inquiry from the back of an ambulance, after a serious personal injury, while being treated on the way to the emergency room. I think people appreciated the fact that they could reach out and share their concerns with me at any time. I was committed to resolving issues and concerns efficiently and comprehensively, so they didn’t become problems for the Board of Selectmen.”

Being a town manager can be a difficult job, but Willard said what he liked best about it was that no two days were ever the same.

“Although the challenges were sometimes unpredictable, one commonality was that I always felt a great sense of satisfaction, making a difference in the communities that I served,” he said. “Having a job like that makes for a pretty good life. The town received extremely high citizen satisfaction ratings across the range of municipal services, while maintaining one of the lowest property tax rates in the region.”

Many employees for the Town of Raymond stayed in their jobs for years as Willard says he sought to create and maintain a positive work environment for his fellow employees, resulting in a sense of esprit de corps and extraordinarily low turnover.

“It was a pleasure to mentor and see many younger employees realize their career dreams,” Willard said “Treating those in need with respect and kindness, while providing guidance and support was a big part of the job and something I particularly enjoyed. If you approach the job of town manager with a dedication to service, commitment to upholding the law and standing for ethical behavior, that is really everything. You can never go wrong by doing the right thing. While I am proud of all the accomplishments over my 40-year career, none of them would have been possible without the support and assistance of others. If Raymond has been successful over my time here, it is because we have always had engaged and committed local government officials and a team of dedicated hardworking staff members.”

As in life, not everything went his way as Town Manager though.

“My greatest disappointment was the failure to achieve a modern and adequately sized municipal office,” Willard said. “Hopefully, when the middle school is vacated and turned over to the town, that goal, which was the top one when I was hired 24 years ago, will finally be realized.”<

RSU 14 vehicle donations promote community service

By Lorraine Glowczak

Promoting a culture of community engagement, the RSU 14 school district works to demonstrate by example the impact that educational institutions can have beyond the four walls of the classroom.

RSU 14's recent donations of a van and school bus to
the Windham Food Pantry and the Raymond Parks and
Recreation Department are intended to strengthen the
district's partnership with the local community.
 SUBMITTED PHOTO

Acknowledging the transportation requirements of the Windham Food Pantry for delivering food to elderly individuals and shut-ins, as well as facilitating ongoing educational opportunities through recreational activities, the district has donated a school van to the food pantry and a school bus to Raymond Parks and Recreation.

The district's dedication to academic excellence includes in its mission to instill values of compassion, service, and social responsibility among its students and staff.

“Community service has always been a focus and academic commitment of the school board,” RSU 14 Superintendent Christopher Howell said. “It’s the reason why it has been incorporated as a graduation requirement through the Capstone Project which integrates a service-learning component.”

Howell said that hands-on engagement in community initiatives not only fosters well-rounded graduates but also nurtures a sense of civic responsibility and empathy among its student body.

“We have always been supportive of student initiatives like PowerServe and clubs like the National Honor Society and Key Club of which community service is the focus,” he said. “Alongside endorsing service learning, the district aims to set an example through its actions.”

Typically, retired school vehicles are auctioned off. However, upon recognizing opportunities to serve the broader community with these vehicles, the district opted for donations instead of auctioning them off.

In 2022, Raymond Parks and Recreation received a donated RSU 14 school bus, supporting resources of this relatively new department within the Town of Raymond. Committed to serving its community, the department offers diverse learning activities, and the addition of the bus alleviates financial burdens by eliminating extra costs to town members.

“The bus has been a tremendous resource because it cuts down the cost we must charge our participants,” said Raymond Parks and Recreation Director Joe Crocker. “It allows us to take the transportation cost completely out of our program fees.”

The donated school bus primarily supports the department’s summer camp and winter ski programs.

The idea to donate a van to the food pantry emerged from a collaborative community meeting that addresses issues of homelessness and food insecurity within the school district. This RSU 14 Community Wellness Committee involves representatives from the school district, town officials, and businesses, who collectively brainstormed solutions to tackle these pressing challenges.

“The Community Wellness Committee meets three or four times a year,” Howell said. “It was during one of these meetings that we realized the challenges the food pantry faces when transporting food to shut-ins or to get food from the area stores and food banks. Because they have always supported our students, we thought it was imperative to also support them and their needs.”

Windham’s General Assistance Administrator Rene Daniel said that the Windham Food Pantry has been delivering food to shut-ins that had no means of coming to the pantry, but the donated van will allow the pantry to elevate itself to the next level.

“It will allow us to pick up generous donations from in and out of Windham,” Daniel said. “Also, we can now institute and implement visiting our senior housing communities by using the van, bringing the Windham Food Pantry to them where they reside.”

Daniel expressed his gratitude to the many individuals and organizations that assist the Windham Food Pantry as it works to eliminate food insecurity.

“It is our sincere appreciation to the Windham School Committee, the Windham Superintendent, and Windham Public Works for their dedication to our community,” Daniel said. “And to Marge Govoni for her continued 100 percent support of the Windham Food Pantry/Clothes Closet since its inception. Words are not enough to express our thanks.”

Howell said that the school district hopes that the recent vehicle donation initiative will inspire students with their service-learning ideas as well as nurture an ongoing sense of community partnership, strengthening the bonds between educational institutions and local communities. <

Author’s visit ignites literary and artistic excitement in elementary students

By Lorraine Glowczak

Two weeks ago, the second- and third-grade students at Raymond Elementary School (RES) and Windham Primary School (WPS) hosted a distinguished guest, John Patrick Green, the author and illustrator of the beloved graphic novel InvestiGators and Agents of S.U.I.T series.

Through engaging storytelling and illustration, Green not only entertained but sparked enthusiasm for reading among the students.

Windham Primary School third grader Carter
Caswell has eight books by graphic novelist
and illustrator John Patrick Green, who recently 
visited Raymond Elementary School and WPS
and gave a presentation to students. Carter
was able to have Green sign one of his books
for hm. PHOTO BY ASHLEY CASWELL  

RES third-grade teacher Carolynne Bacon said that Green engaged the audience by weaving humor into his stories, describing his early experiences of reading and illustrating during his elementary school years.

“The story of his youth resonated with the students, who recognized a few parallels between John's journey and their own, inspiring them to embrace their passion for graphic novels while fostering a love for reading," she said.

Bacon explained that Green promoted graphic novels as an authentic reading experience that enhances their vocabulary, improves reading appreciation, and helps to understand plot and character development like any other novel.

“Students experienced a boost of confidence upon realizing that graphic novels are also considered as ‘real’ literature,” she said. “They are often told that graphic novels are not ‘true’ books.”

Amy Jorgensen, a WPS third grade teacher agreed, sharing an additional way Green connected with the students.

“He engaged the students through illustrations, beginning with a drawing of Garfield while telling his origin story,” Jorgensen said. “Many students in the audience enjoy reading his books and his story made an impact. Some students bought signed copies as part of the event.”

One of those schoolchildren was WPS third grader Carter Caswell, who reads about two hours per day. He said that Green is one of his favorite authors, boasting a collection of eight books from Green's two prominent series.

Caswell shared a few highlights from the author’s visit.

“He told us that when he was a little kid, he was sick, so he drew a lot,” Caswell said. “He really liked to draw Garfield. He said he got so good at it that he started selling his drawings of the cat to his friends at school. The author got in trouble because his friends were spending their lunch money on his artwork. But he got in the most trouble because he did something called ‘copyrighting.’”

The author confirmed Caswell’s recollections.

“During my talk, I mentioned I had terrible asthma, and my allergies were really bad,” Green said. “I was diagnosed at 3 months old, spending a lot of time in emergency rooms throughout my youth with severe asthma attacks.”

Until medical advancements allowed him more freedom outdoors, Green spent most of his youth indoors reading and drawing his favorite comic strip character, Garfield.

“I got really good at drawing Garfield,” Green said. “Carter is right, my friends purchased my drawings with their lunch money. When the school called my mom to tell them that the children were spending their lunch money on my pictures of Garfield, she was a bit more concerned about another offense. She had to explain to me about copyright infringement.”

Jorgensen said that Green’s jovial authenticity and skill of connecting with youth inspired creativity in her students.

“He made them feel like they could write and draw comics because his passion for the arts was so contagious,” she said. “He highlighted the process of editing your work. Editing and revising is a difficult skill for learners at this age and he made it ok to rewrite a whole book, pictures, and all.”

Jorgensen also incorporated some of the inspiration of Green’s visit into her lessons for her students.

“I added some autographed copies of the "InvestiGators" series to my collection which they are welcome to put into their book boxes and use with care,” she said. “I also used his passion for editing and revising while finishing up publishing our recent books. Many learners were inspired to push through and really make it their best work.”

Caswell said he is currently working on a new project and could not contain his excitement about the way meeting his favorite author has inspired him.

“At school me and my friends are working on a project in art class and are making a comic called, “Gary and Grape,” he said. “I think we can make a really good comic strip out of this. We are even going to sell it just like the author did when he was a kid.” <