In recognition of their longstanding support of Maine students and public schools, businesses from Gorham, Warren and Farmington have received the “Business Friend of Education” Award from the Maine School Boards Association (MSBA).
In late October, MSBA presented the awards to Great Falls Construction of Gorham, Knox Machine Company of Warren, and Kyes Insurance of Farmington for their dedication and investment in student success.
Great Falls Construction
Jon Smith, owner of Great Falls Construction, has long prioritized and advocated for Gorham schools, teachers and students. The company was a founding member of the Gorham Schools Business Roundtable, created to foster relationships between the town’s schools and employers, and now provides work-based learning experiences for Gorham students. Smith also routinely sponsors students to attend local Chamber of Commerce events, exposing them to authentic experiences in the business world and connecting them to new opportunities. He also shares his own experience with Gorham educators, speaking with them about how best to prepare students for the workplace.
“Jon understands that supporting public education is ultimately an investment in the strength and vitality of our communities and our state,” the Gorham School Department said in nominating Smith for the award. “Through his leadership, Great Falls Construction has become far more than a business that supports our schools. It has become a genuine partner in our mission to prepare and inspire every student for future success.”
Knox Machine Company
At Warren’s Knox Machine Company, owner Jon Maxcy understands the importance of businesses, schools and communities working together to better prepare students for life. Maxcy has long worked to expose students to manufacturing opportunities, including by giving tours to St. George middle schoolers that show them advanced manufacturing is happening right in their backyards. He has also been a strong supporter of the district’s new GRACE Innovation Center, considered one of the nation’s first centers offering Career and Technical Education (CTE) experiences to students from Pre-K to Grade 8. Knox Machine has made a significant effort to hire St. George MSU graduates, including one former student who, through Maxcy’s mentorship, has become a distinguished employee as well as an artist who sells welded sculptures.
“Knox Machine and Jon Maxcy work across sectors (advanced manufacturing, public education and workforce development) to forge a brighter future for our students, communities and local economy,” the school wrote in nominating Maxcy for the award.
Kyes Insurance
Kyes Insurance, a family-owned independent agency for more than a century, has helped drastically expand educational opportunities for students across western Maine. Owner Dick Bjorn has used his charitable foundation, the Bjorn Foundation, to donate more than $3 million toward a 5,000-square-foot addition to Mt. Blue Middle School, including a CTE program for sixth, seventh and eighth graders, one of the first of its kind in Maine.
Kyes Insurance and the Bjorn Foundation have also supported construction of a 500-seat auditorium and contributed funds to regional career and technical programs and early childhood education.
“Kyes Insurance and the Bjorn Foundation have been an integral part of many communities in our area and have supported multiple school districts in their mission to educate the younger generation so as to prepare them to be significant contributors to the workforce in Maine,” the district wrote in nominating Bjorn for the award.