SACO AREA – Four area high school students have been awarded a total of $2,000 in college scholarships from the Chenette Scholarship Fund.

The mission of their Leadership Scholarship is to empower the generation of community leaders through service. Since 2015, the foundation has fundraised and awarded over $10,000 worth of scholarships. This year’s recipients are Elise MacNair, Cole Cochrane, Ben Moore, and Luke Plummer.

“I am constantly in awe and so very proud of our scholars,” said Justin Chenette, the foundation’s founder & executive director. “This group isn’t waiting around to make their mark. These young leaders have demonstrated a clear commitment to giving back and will continue inspiring others as they chart new ways of taking up the mantle of leadership.”

SACO/OOB – Four area students have been awarded a total of $2,000 in leadership scholarships from the Chenette Scholarship Fund.
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The mission of scholarship is to empower the generation of community leaders. 

​SACO - Former State Senator Justin Chenette, of Saco, has announced he is running for a seat on the York County Commission in next year’s election.
 
“I’m running to be your next county commissioner to fight every single day for a more accessible, transparent, and accountable government -- just like I’ve done in the legislature,” says Chenette. “We should expect more from our elected officials than just the bare minimum; They should be accountable to you.”
 
One of the biggest issues Chenette sees is the lack of engagement and awareness of what is happening with county government. 
 
“The county commission shouldn’t be Maine’s lost level of government. Sadly, we don’t see a lot of attention paid to county government actions and that directly stems from our elected officials not engaging the public throughout the decision-making process. I’m seeking to change that with a new generation of leadership on the commission.”
 
Chenette plans to hold monthly office hours, attend community events, and provide frequent updates through social media, email newsletters, and newspaper columns to keep the public informed and to get direct feedback. He also wants to see commission meetings held in the evening instead of during the day to encourage greater participation. 
 
If elected, Chenette would be the first millennial ever elected to the commission, at age 30, and would be the only commissioner who is a member of the LGBTQ+ community. He previously made history as the youngest lawmaker in the country when he was first elected to the Maine House of Representatives at age 21. He served a total of 8 years in the legislature, with two terms in the House and two terms in the Senate, including a stint as chairman of the bipartisan Government Oversight Committee. 
 
Chenette is currently the only registered candidate with the Maine Ethics Commission for the District #3 seat which includes Saco, Old Orchard Beach, Hollis, Buxton, and Dayton, though the district is subject to redistricting changes. The commission term is 4 years and the Primary Election is set for next June. 
 
To view Chenette’s full action plan, visit www.AccountableToYou.org. 

Chenette has also been named a Maine-Canadian Legislative Advisory Commissioner to engage in regional cooperation through economic, cultural and educational exchanges. The purpose of this commission is to strengthen the relations between the legislature and their legislative counterparts in Canada.

“Our area relies heavily on Canadian tourism to benefit our local small businesses,” says Chenette. “As commissioner, I hope to bring about further awareness and attention around how we can work together across the border for mutual benefit.”
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Both appointments do not require Senate approval and begin immediately. Chenette previously served 2 terms in the House and 2 terms in the Senate and chaired the Government Oversight Committee. 

ROCKLAND — The Worthington Scholarship Foundation, with a mission to create a pathway to college for students throughout Maine, has hired Justin Chenette of Saco as its new program director.
Chenette spent nearly a decade in public office having served 8 years in the legislature, with two terms in the Maine House of Representatives and two terms in the Maine Senate. At the time, Chenette was the youngest lawmaker in the entire country at age 21. Prior to that, Chenette made history as the first high school student appointed to the Maine State Board of Education and in college, was a congressional intern.
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“There is no greater gift than the gift of education,” says Chenette. ‘The Worthingtons’ are providing Maine’s next generation a lifeline to success through their charity and support. I’m honored to be part of a great team advancing the mission of getting more Maine students into higher education without affordability being a barrier.”

Chenette’s education includes a B.S. in Broadcast News from Northern Vermont University-Lyndon and an Executive Certificate in Public Leadership from the Harvard Kennedy School of Government, after receiving a national fellowship. This month, Chenette earns a Post-Baccalaureate Degree in Public Administration from the University of Maine at Augusta.

“We are thankful to have someone with Justin’s background and passion for youth engagement helping to lead this effort,” said Rick Bedigian, the foundation’s executive director. “He will be a key asset as we seek to expand to more parts of the state.”

The Worthington Scholarship Foundation provides one of the largest scholarships in the state of Maine, totaling up to $16,500 per student over four years. This year, the foundation will award more than $3 million worth of scholarships to students going to college in Maine. Aside from funding, the scholarship includes ongoing support to their student scholars to ensure a high graduation rate.
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Worthington Scholarships began in 2010 with awards to graduates of just Oceanside High School. Since then, the program has expanded to high schools in Knox, Waldo, Lincoln, Hancock, and Washington counties. Recipients may attend any campus of the University of Maine or Maine community college system, Maine Maritime Academy, Husson University, Thomas, Bates, Colby or Bowdoin colleges.   
Future goals are to accept graduates in 6 additional counties of Oxford, Somerset, Piscataquis, Penobscot, Franklin, and Sagadahoc. 

FMI about the scholarship program visit www.worthingtonscholars.org. 

​Excited to announce that I’ve officially been appointed to the newly formed Saco Long-Range Planning Committee! It’s critical that we make decisions today with an eye towards our city’s future.

The Mayor and the city council have taken an important step to ensure we are constantly thinking about the direction we’d like to take as a community. Looking forward to working alongside city and school staff, local organizational leaders, and fellow community members to chart what comes next for a place we all love so much.

​Through public input and transparent strategic planning, we can ensure Saco is the place to be for future generations to live, work, and play. The goal will be to continue improving Saco through effective growth management, responsible economic development, and carefully considered infrastructure improvements, among other things. Appreciate Mayor Doyle’s trust in me and for the unanimous vote of confidence from the City Council. Looking forward to bringing my public service a little closer to home. 

​SACO – State Senator Justin Chenette has announced he is withdrawing from the Senate District 31 race, which includes the communities of Saco, Old Orchard Beach, Hollis, Limington, and part of Buxton.
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Chenette has served 4 consecutive terms and 8 years in the Maine Legislature with 2 terms in the House of Representatives and most recently 2 terms in the Senate. When he was first elected in 2012, he made history as the youngest lawmaker in the country.

“Looking back, I’ve spent every single year of my twenties running for and serving in the Legislature starting at age 20, being sworn into office just a week before graduating from college,” says Chenette. “After spending nearly a decade in office, this decision will enable me to amplify my impact in whatever I decide to do next and was made easier knowing that the district will be in very capable hands.”
Chenette points to the passage of his comprehensive campaign finance reform package this past session as his biggest legislative policy achievement.

“We moved the needle on money in politics, lobbyist influence, and created a more ethical state house so that your voice is heard over donors, corporate lobbyists, and special interest groups that write the biggest check,” says Chenette.

Instead of running for re-election, Chenette plans to empower the next generation of voters through the launch of a civics education organization called the Maine Democracy Project, will publish a full-length children’s book version of his state government coloring book The Great Whoopie Pie Debate, and will be working to help retain Democratic majorities in the Legislature.

Chenette currently serves as the chair of the Government Oversight Committee, co-chair of the Democracy Reform Caucus, chair of the Marijuana Advisory Commission, and is a member of the Environment & Natural Resources Committee, Senate Ethics Committee, Maine Climate Council’s Coastal & Marine Working Group, and is also a Citizen Trade Policy Commissioner.
The York County Democratic Committee will hold a caucus before the August 25th deadline to replace Chenette on the ballot. 

​​SACO – A senior at Thornton Academy has received a public service scholarship for his commitment to helping others.

Brady Forbes of Saco, was recognized with a $500 scholarship from Senator Justin Chenette’s nonprofit scholarship fund. The Spirit of Service Scholarship is awarded to a graduating senior who has demonstrated a passion for helping others, strong leadership skills, and has worked to improve the community outside of the school’s campus.

“Brady is on a path of public service and truly represents the goal of this scholarship which is to empower the next generation of civic leaders,” says Justin Chenette, President of the Chenette Scholarship Fund. “He and his family give back everyday and Brady looks to continue on the family tradition of going into law enforcement.”

Forbes’ father is in the state police and both of his brothers are local police officers.

At Thornton, Forbes played numerous sports including Football and Hockey and volunteered in the community via the Saco Bay Center for Civic Engagement, Salvation Army, and numerous civic activities on campus.

Forbes plans to attend Franklin Pierce University in New Hampshire to study criminal justice and law enforcement on a path to become a police officer.  

For more information about the scholarship and to donate to help future students, visit www.ChenetteScholarships.org.