Future Professionals of Aroostook

06/30/2026

Today, our Future Professionals of Aroostook students had the opportunity to tour Louisiana Pacific LP Building Solutions - Houlton and get an inside look at one of our region’s major employers.

A huge thank you to Josh Locke, Dustin Pelletier, and Darah Hughes for taking the time to show us around and share what makes LP such a great place to build a career.

Students learned about the wide variety of career paths available within the company, the importance of manufacturing to our local economy, and LP’s commitment to investing in its people. One message stood out: opportunity doesn’t stop when you’re hired. LP is dedicated to promoting from within and supports employees through ongoing training, professional development, and even tuition reimbursement.

Experiences like this help students connect what they’re learning today with the careers that are possible tomorrow. Thank you, LP, for opening your doors and inspiring the next generation of our workforce!

06/19/2026

Our Future Professionals of Aroostook students got a behind-the-scenes look at the important work happening every day at Houlton Regional Hospital during a tour led by Josh Shields, Dietary Manager.

From meal planning and food safety to inventory management and patient care, students learned that running a top-notch hospital nutrition program takes much more than cooking. Josh shared how communication, accountability, teamwork, organization, adaptability, and attention to detail all play a critical role in ensuring patients receive quality meals and care.

The evening wrapped up with a spirited game of Nutrition Bingo—where students tested their nutrition knowledge for a chance to win some decidedly not-so-nutritious prizes. 🤪🍫

A huge thank you to Josh and the HRH team for opening their doors and giving our students a firsthand look at careers in healthcare support services. Experiences like these help connect classroom learning to real-world opportunities right here in Aroostook County.

06/06/2026

Fantastic opportunity for youth this summer.

“It just feels really really good to be out here in the wild! I’m super excited to look back on these photos when I’m older and see how happy I was to be here and how excited I was.” -2023 KROC Summer Participant, age 13 Friends of Katahdin Woods & Waters summer youth trip series … Continu...

04/16/2026

Today’s Future Professionals of Aroostook session brought us inside the courtroom—literally.

Students had the opportunity to tour the Aroostook County Courthouse in Houlton, getting a behind-the-scenes look at how our local justice system works.

A huge thank you to Marshall Corporal Ganzel for such an educational and engaging tour, and to Assistant District Attorneys Amanda Bridges and Ian Anderson, along with defense attorney Art Washer of Aroostook County Counselors, for taking the time to answer thoughtful questions from our group.

Amanda also led a powerful discussion on conflict resolution, leaving students with an important takeaway:
👉 When conflict arises, resist the urge to react.
👉 Take a moment, reset, and come back to the conversation with a calm, clear mindset.

These are real-world skills that will serve our students for life—and we’re grateful to our local professionals who help bring these lessons to life.

04/09/2026

🧱 Huge thank you to Donahue's Maintenance & Masonry / Shiretown Stove & Outdoor Living! 🧱

Our FPA students had an incredible hands-on experience at today’s PopUp, and we are so grateful for the time, energy, and expertise your team shared with us.

Students didn’t just watch—they jumped right in 💪
From trying their hand at masonry, to exploring equipment operations, to even pushing past their fear of heights… this was one of those experiences they won’t forget anytime soon.

These are the kinds of opportunities that truly bring careers to life—showing students what’s possible right here in our region.

Thank you again for investing in our future workforce and giving our students the chance to learn by doing! 🙌

02/26/2026

🔨✨ Building the Future — One Student at a Time ✨🔨

Tonight our newest Future Professionals of Aroostook 8th grade cohort and their guardians gathered at J Mclaughlin Construction, LLC for our official kickoff.

There’s something powerful about starting this journey inside a working construction shop — surrounded by equipment, tools, and the kind of businesses that quite literally build our communities.

Students heard firsthand from our program chairs, Levi Prosser Daigle Oil Company, Jesse Chase Buildings Etcetera, and Josh McLaughin about opportunity, work ethic, and what it means to build a career right here in Aroostook County.
This is how workforce development really happens — not in theory, but in real spaces, with real businesses, and real relationships.

To our students: You belong in rooms like this.
To our families: Thank you for trusting the process.
To our business partners: Thank you for opening your doors and investing in the next generation.

The future isn’t something we wait for.
We build it. 💼🌲

12/23/2025

We’re proud to share this short video highlighting the Future Professionals of Aroostook (FPA) program. 💙

FPA is all about helping young people build confidence, explore careers, and connect with mentors right here in our region — while giving local businesses and community members a chance to invest in the next generation of leaders.

Take a minute to watch, learn more, and see why this work matters so much to Southern Aroostook. 👇