Windham High School Launches New Career-Connected Learning Program, ‘Student Exploratory Adventures’

Pictured: Students dug their hands in the soil as they explored agriculture in Maine at Avalon Acres, a MOFGA certified organic farm in Hollis. Before this soil-filled adventure, they learned the art of indoor gardening from an RSU 14 STEM teacher, touring the Katahdin program’s hydroponic garden that grows lettuce and spinach for the Windham High School cafeteria. 

Windham High School has launched a hands-on, career-connected learning initiative called “Student Exploratory Adventures” (SEA), made possible through funding from the Maine Community Coordinators Collaborative’s (C3) Sunshine Mini-Grant Program.

SEA is designed to connect students with employers, community leaders, and industries across Maine, offering real-world experiences that extend learning well beyond the classroom. Through quarterly extended learning opportunities (ELOs), students explore Maine’s workforce and economic landscape while gaining exposure to potential career pathways in fields such as aquaculture, hospitality, law, agriculture, manufacturing, and forestry.

“The Aquaculture ELO really solidified my interest in biology, and I made new friends with similar interests,” one student shared.

“I gave it a five-star rating because it was something completely new to me and allowed me to experiment with different career paths,” another student reflected.

SEA emphasizes direct engagement through site visits to local businesses, cultural institutions, colleges, and community organizations, paired with conversations with professionals in these fields. These experiences encourage students to step outside their comfort zones and imagine futures they may not have previously considered.

“I hadn’t thought about a career in aquaculture before, but this experience gave me real insight into what that could look like,” one participant said.

SEA has been running throughout the 2025-2026 school year, offering one experience per quarter. SEA’s mission is to support students’ intellectual, creative, and social growth by fostering curiosity, confidence, and informed decision-making through hands-on learning. By connecting students directly with Maine’s workforce and communities, SEA is helping young people broaden their horizons and take meaningful steps toward their future.

Windham High School’s Director of Community Connections, Lorraine Glowczak, leads this effort and has demonstrated a commitment to high-quality, career-connected learning and expanding ELOs that link students and potential career pathways. (Check out this article by Glowczak.) Windham High School started its ELO program in 2022 with the support of the Maine DOE. SEA is an example of this impactful work, which was expanded and made possible in part through the Sunshine Mini-Grant Program.

Since 2023, the Sunshine Mini-Grant Program has awarded 18 grants, totaling $88,000, engaging approximately 300 students statewide. Administered through Maine C3, the program supports schools with limited resources in piloting innovative ELOs while addressing barriers such as poverty, transportation challenges, and limited access to mentors. Collectively, these efforts have expanded student access to real-world learning experiences that inform career interests and future educational decisions.

For further information about ELOs and Maine’s efforts to expand career exploration for Maine students, please visit the Maine DOE ELO webpage or contact Maine DOE Extended Learning Coordinator Lana Sawyer at Lana.Sawyer@maine.gov.

This story was written in collaboration with Windham High School. To submit a good news story to the Maine DOE, please fill out the good news submission form.