On Monday, March 2, team members from Lincoln Academy and First National Bank were pictured in the Cable-Burns Applied Technology and Engineering Center. From left: First National Bank’s Retention & Business Development Officer, Alyssa Allen, Lincoln Academy Head of School Jeff Burroughs, First National Bank’s VP, Community Engagement and Business Development Officer, Michelle Curtis, VP, Employee Relations Officer, Samantha Regan, VP, Senior Portfolio Manager, Gary Stone, EVP, Chief Administrative Officer, Marcia Benner, Lincoln Academy Director of Learning Initiatives Maya Crosby, First National Bank’s SVP, Commercial Loan Officer Nicci Kimball, Assistant Branch Manager, Ashley Chickering, Lincoln Academy Director of Community Engagement and Development Heather D’Ippolito.
First National Bank has awarded Lincoln Academy a multi-year gift totaling $60,000.
The gift will support the high school’s Applied Learning initiatives, the Community Based Learning Experience (CBLE) program, and strengthening financial literacy skills for all students.
Ever since Lincoln Academy launched their Applied Learning programming, First National has been a strong advocate for the program, joining career panels, sending guest instructors to LA classes, clubs, and advisor groups, hosting CBLE students, and participating annually in the Peter J. Benner ‘92 Job Fair.
“Over the past five years, we’ve developed events and activities designed to help students explore career pathways in the midcoast region,” said Heather D’Ippolito, Lincoln Academy’s Director of Community Engagement and Development. “These programs are strengthened and enhanced by support from partners like First National Bank.”
A portion of the funds from First National Bank will be used to support the rapidly-expanding CBLE program by providing professional development, connections, and mentorship from First National. This collaboration will help LA design professional development for CBLE students and their mentors, focused on building relationships and defining knowledge, skills and abilities. The team will also improve data collection and analysis to enable First National and other community partners to better understand the needs and impact of the community-based career education programs.
As part of their CBLE experience, LA students gain experience by actively working in the field, exploring the career they are interested in, and completing tasks designed to prepare them to be professional and proficient in their work.
With expertise and support from Marcia Benner, Executive Vice President of First National Bank, who is a passionate advocate for career exploration and work-based learning, Lincoln Academy placed their first CBLE student at First National Bank early in the program. That student has since graduated from Lincoln, become a full-time First National employee, and already received a promotion within the bank. First National has continued to be a partner, offering real world career exploration opportunities to other LA students.
“Our partnership with Lincoln Academy reflects what community banking is all about, investing in the people and future of our communities,” shared Marcia Benner, First National Bank’s Executive Vice President, Chief Administrative Officer. “By working together on financial literacy programs and high school internship opportunities, we’re helping students build real-world skills and confidence. This collaboration is a meaningful example of what can be achieved when local organizations come together with a shared commitment to education and community impact.”
The second focus of the gift is to implement a career exploration and financial literacy initiative.
LA’s Director of Learning Initiatives Maya Crosby and Heather D’Ippolito worked with First National’s Michelle Curtis, Community Engagement and Business Development Officer; Ivy Latendresse, Training Associate; and Samantha Regan, Employee Relations Manager, to design an instructional unit for LA sophomores on the basics of currency, budgeting, and banking. The three-week curriculum started with asking students to track their spending over February break. The series completed with an examination of budgets based on different income levels.
“It was nice to have experts talking to us,” said Dylan Lomas, an LA sophomore who participated in the seminar. “It made the information seem more real.” Lomas shared that while the lesson on writing checks was a review, he became more confident in other aspects of everyday banking, such as reading a transaction report and completing a withdrawal slip.
“We are so grateful for First National and the many ways they have helped Lincoln Academy students,” said Crosby. “Everyone we’ve connected with from the First has demonstrated real care and investment in young people and the communities they represent. From classroom instruction to mentoring students in their CBLE experiences, First National treats them all as young professionals with potential for growth. It’s been very exciting to have support like this from our business community.”
