SCRTC teacher wins national recognition

The journey that brought Lauren Remington, an early childhood educator at St. Croix Regional Technical Center in Calais, to Washington, D.C., to receive the Travelers Award for Teaching Excellence at the Salute to Excellence in Education Gala was not a short or easy one. But the notice that arrived in the mail letting her know she had been chosen to represent the state of Maine was confirmation that her determination to follow her dream was the right path.

Growing up in Eastport, Remington struggled in school. In elementary school, however, there were bright spots that helped guide her. "I did Babysitting Club after school and had the opportunity to learn about different activities to do with kids and their safety. Judy Knapp, a special education teacher, Patti Craig, a volunteer who read with me, and my Aunt Inie, who spent mornings practicing spelling words with me while I waited for the bus, made a difference in my life early on. They made me want to be a teacher."

High school brought new challenges. "I worked, went to school, played sports and had life experiences that made my life untraditional," she says. "I was told by a guidance counselor that I would not go to a four‑year college." When she did enroll in college to study elementary education and play soccer, she struggled with self‑doubt. "I felt like I didn't belong. I felt like I was only there because of sports, not because I was good enough to be a teacher."

Today, creating a sense of belonging for her students is at the heart of her work. "I will do anything to help them reach their goals. It's not extraordinary, it's my job to be there for those kids."

Over the past 10 years, Remington has built the early childhood education program into one that does exactly that. Students spend two days a week in the classroom and the rest completing clinical hours in family childcare programs, local elementary schools or by helping to operate an on‑site discovery school, where they put their learning into practice. Students can gain work experience, earn up to a year of college credit and achieve professional certifications while still in high school.

She works closely with each student to make the experience meaningful. This year, two students expressed interest in opening their own family daycares. Remington helped design their schedules to include both business and early childhood education courses, along with clinical placements in family daycare settings. For students still exploring their future, she offers encouragement: "This is an amazing opportunity to try something new. Through CTE [career and technical education] programs, what you gain is never lost. These skills are transferable and can be carried throughout your professional and personal life."

The program continues to grow through strong partnerships. "I have great relationships with both Washington County Community College and the University of Maine, along with a strong advisory team. Every couple of years, we add something new. It's amazing teamwork."

Remington also understands the broader need for this work. "There are only two family daycares left in Calais," she says. As a mother of three, she has experienced firsthand how difficult it can be to find high‑quality childcare not just locally but across the state. She has seen how these gaps impact families, from limiting parents' ability to work, to affecting children's early learning experiences. It's one of the reasons she is so passionate about preparing students to enter the field and helping address a growing workforce need in her own community.

After a decade in the classroom, the impact of her work is clear. "Today I had two students who graduated three years ago come back to visit. It was the best feeling in the world," she says. "When a former student reaches out or stops in, it's very reaffirming, you know you made a difference, even on the days you question it."

One of her former students has now graduated from college and works at the same family daycare that Remington's own child attends. "To see a former student go from my classroom to now working with my own child and to see the impact she has, that's something that changes you."

For Remington, that full‑circle moment is proof that she was always exactly where she was meant to be, and it's what drives her to design programs that truly fit her students so they leave high school prepared for their futures and knowing their teacher believes in them.