“Amazing Race of Gorham” Meaningful to Students and NSB Team Alike

GORHAM—A special event on Friday, May 17, brought students on a scavenger hunt throughout Gorham for a day of excitement and exploration with the participants hopefully having enriched their future aspirations by the finish line.

The “Amazing Race of Gorham” paired eighth graders from Gorham Middle School with fifth graders at Village Elementary School to solve and follow clues that led them on a journey to businesses and community organizations in town.

One location happy to welcome the inquisitive students for a visit along the way was Norway Savings Bank’s Gorham branch, located on 65 Main Street.

“The student pairs followed the clues and eventually made their way to the bank between 10 a.m. and noon,” said Amy Lehigh, Market Manager VP at NSB in Gorham. “We spoke to each group for about ten minutes and signed their ‘passport’ sheets before they headed off to their next location.”

Part of the exercise is for the students to utilize the formal introduction techniques they have learned and pose questions they had prepared for NSB team members.

“They asked us thoughtful questions regarding what we look for in employees, the many ways Norway Savings supports the Gorham community, why we chose these careers, and what we like about them,” said Pam DiPietro Hale, Commercial Loan Officer VP for NSB.

“They were also curious about the challenges of this career and how different what we are doing now is compared to what we wanted to do when we were their age,” said Lehigh. “It’s always interesting to hear what is on their minds.”

The event was organized by Aspire Gorham, a community-wide initiative that aims to encourage students to consider their futures.

“The Aspire Gorham team connects students to professionals for career exposure, exploration, and experience opportunities,” said Jodi Mezzanotte, Principal at Village Elementary School. “This particular event enables fifth graders who are entering middle school to listen to students who are about to depart it. ‘Amazing Race of Gorham’ allows for these welcome and needed conversations to happen.”

Now in its third year, the “race” is aptly named simply for the amazing connections, community, and camaraderie it inspires.

“It’s a fantastic experience for the students and for our team members as well. The day helps you truly understand how special this community is,” said Lehigh. “It was wonderful to see the respect and courtesy the students showed to each other and to us, and observing their genuine interest in learning is a great sign for our future.”