Jesse Hargrove MEA President
→Years teaching
22 years – 8 as a Teacher of Students with Special Needs, 14 as a Social Studies Teacher
→Union positions
MEA Government Relations Committee; MEA Board of Directors Region C; MEA Vice President; KIDS EA Stipend Committee, HEA Treasurer, HEA President
→What was your first job?
JH: My first job was a shelf stocker at a general store.
→Who was your favorite educator from childhood?
JH: Tanya Hubbard, late MSAD/RSU 3 English Teacher, Senior Class Advisor, and Contract Negotiator.
→When you were a kid, what did you want to be when you grew up?
JH: I always wanted to be a WWE (except it was WWF when I was a kid) wrestler or play football for the Denver Broncos.
→What is your favorite thing to do in Maine?
JH: My favorite thing to do in Maine is canoeing at Lake St. George to the rope swing and hiking Tumbledown Mountain with my kids.
→What is your biggest hope for MEA?
JH: That parents, students, and educators see the MEA as a partner in building strong communities.
→What is one goal that you have for MEA this year?
JH: To connect, engage, and empower early career educators with their local associations.
→If you could have a superpower, what would it be?
JH: Humor
→What is your favorite movie and/or book?
JH: My favorite movie is Good Will Hunting, and my favorite book would have to be A Prayer for Owen Meany.
→What is your favorite flavor of ice cream?
JH: Chocolate with coconut
→What is something most people don’t know about you?
JH: I worked on the William S. Cohen Archives housed at University of Maine Orono
→If you could meet one person, living or dead, real or fictional, and have a conversation with them, who would you meet and what would you talk about?
JH: My grandfather passed away when my dad was only four years old. I’ve always wished I could have known him, learned about his life, and explored our family history.
→What’s your go-to karaoke song?
JH: Me singing out loud is a violation of human rights, but let’s go with what I will belt out to the radio in the car “In the Air Tonight” by Phil Collins.
Beth French MEA Vice President
→Years teaching
23 years
→Union positions
MEA Treasurer, MEA Strategic Budget Committee Chair, MEA Resolutions Committee, MEA Government Relations Committee, MEA Audit Committee, MEA President’s Advisory Council, MEA Organizing ad hoc Committee, RSU 71 EA Vice President, RSU 71 EA President, RSU 71 EA Grievance Chair, RSU 71 EA Labor Management Chair and RSU 71 EA Lead Negotiator.
→What was your first job?
BF: My first job was working as a front desk clerk and a night auditor at a hotel in Camden, Maine.
→Who was your favorite educator from childhood?
BF: My third-grade teacher, Martha McGilpin. She had the most beautiful read-aloud voice! She set up an easel with an array of vibrant paints in our classroom for students to use when we finished our work. This was my first experience painting on a real artist’s easel.
→When you were a kid, what did you want to be when you grew up?
BF: I wanted to be an educator and work with elementary age students in my hometown community (Which is exactly what I am doing!).
→What is your favorite thing to do in Maine?
BF: My favorite thing to do in Maine is to visit my local sandy saltwater beach. The beach is beautiful in all seasons and serves as my respite spot!
→What is your biggest hope for MEA?
BF: My biggest hope for MEA is that we will continue to grow in membership and that we will equally grow in member engagement.
→What is one goal that you have for MEA this year?
BF: I will do my best to support our membership growth! We will continue to build solidarity as we sign new members and actively engage ALL of our members in our collective work.
→If you could have a superpower, what would it be?
BF: If I could have one superpower it would definitely be mind-reading. Can you imagine what kind of union leader you could be with THAT superpower?!
→What is your favorite movie and/or book?
BF: Brene Brown – Dare to Lead. I’ve lost track of how many times I’ve re-read this text!
→What is your favorite flavor of ice cream?
BF: I love ice cream, and this would be a much easier question if you narrowed down the scope by asking my choice by brand name. I’m going to have to go with the classic here – Hershey’s Chocolate!
→What is something most people don’t know about you?
BF: I absolutely love my work and love socializing, but I also really enjoy my quiet alone time. It feels good to have a balance of both when life gets very busy.
→If you could meet one person, living or dead, real or fictional, and have a conversation with them, who would you meet and what would you talk about?
BF: If I could meet one person, I would like to meet any one of my ancestors who traveled to America in search of a new life. I would like to talk with them about their hopes and dreams for their children and future generations. It would be very powerful to hear their story and know the narrative that would one day become…me.
→What’s your go-to karaoke song?
BF: Wow, I do enjoy a good karaoke tune! I would have to say ABBA. Just makes my heart feel sooo good!
Jaye Rich MEA Treasurer
→Years teaching
9 years
→Union positions
LEA Vice President. Previously: LEA President, LEA GR Chair, MEA Structure and By-Laws Chair, MEA GR member
→What was your first job?
JR: My first job was at an animal clinic taking care of animals. I LOVED this job because I was paid to play with dogs and cats– my favorite! I worked there throughout high school and part of college.
→Who was your favorite educator from childhood?
JR: My favorite educator was my 11th-grade history teacher. She taught history like a story, with drama and suspense, which made it so much fun! After her courses, I became hooked on history and learning the stories of our past. I briefly considered becoming a high school history teacher but realized that high school wasn’t for me.
→When you were a kid, what did you want to be when you grew up?
JR: I always wanted to be a teacher growing up. I was the kid who was always playing school at home and was the teacher. My poor little brother often found himself being voluntold to be the student. Growing up, I loved working with kids and even helped out in the pre-k/kindergarten classrooms one class period a day when I was a junior and senior.
→What is your favorite thing to do in Maine?
JR: I have so many things I love about Maine, it’s hard to just choose one! But I think what I love most is the beautiful nature. Maine’s oceans, lakes, beaches, mountains, trails, and more always leave me in awe.
→What is your biggest hope for MEA?
JR: My biggest hope for MEA is to have 100% membership of public school employees across Maine so we can make the biggest impact on educators and students.
→What is one goal that you have for MEA this year?
JR: A goal I have this year is to get more early career educators involved in the work we do with MEA. This looks different for every educator, but being involved on any level can make a difference in your life and your profession.
→If you could have a superpower, what would it be?
JR: I would love to be able to teleport. I love to see new places but hate traveling to get there.
→What is your favorite movie and/or book?
JR: My all-time favorite book is A Tree Grows in Brooklyn by Betty Smith. I’ve read it at least a dozen times. My favorite movie changes based on the day, but my favorite back-to-school movie is Kindergarten Cop.
→What is your favorite flavor of ice cream?
JR: Being someone born and raised in Texas, my favorite ice cream is BlueBell Vanilla Bean! When you’re down south, it’s a must!
→What is something most people don’t know about you?
JR: My grandparents were instrumental in the Tulsa Democratic Party and hosted President and Lady Bird Johnson when they visited in the 1960’s.
→If you could meet one person, living or dead, real or fictional, and have a conversation with them, who would you meet and what would you talk about?
JR: I would love to meet and talk with Michelle Obama. When I first saw her in 2008, I was mesmerized. I love her outlook on life and positive, albeit tough, attitude. I would love to talk to her about her life and experiences and, honestly, anything she has to say to me. To be honest, I’d just really love a hug too. 😉
→What’s your go-to karaoke song?
JR: This is literally a dinner table conversation at my home at least once a week. Currently, my go-to karaoke song is “Mr. November” by the National.
Rebecca Cole NEA Director
→Years teaching
29 years
→Union positions
Building Rep, local Vice President, local President, MEA Board of Directors, NEA College and Career Readiness work group, NEA Leaders for Just Schools facilitator, NEA Board of Directors
→What was your first job?
RC: My first non-teaching job was as a mother’s helper for a family who owned a kitchen table business. I cared for their four children during the day and worked for their company at night (they sold a game called Ta-Ka-Radi). I have also been a birthday party clown, a trail guide for a horse stable, and a scenic technician for a theater. I currently also work at Books-a-Million in South Portland.
→Who was your favorite educator from childhood?
RC: My second grade teacher, Mrs. McCluskey—she knew how much I loved books and made a point of finding texts she knew I would enjoy.
→When you were a kid, what did you want to be when you grew up?
RC: I either wanted to work in international relations as a translator or become an educator.
→What is your favorite thing to do in Maine?
RC: My favorite thing to do in Maine is outdoor/nature photography, particularly going to the beach in the winter and taking sunset photos. I also love being part of the theater community, especially City Theater in Biddeford.
→What is your biggest hope for MEA?
RC: My biggest hope for MEA is that we continue to build capacity in leadership so that we can effectively organize around issues that impact our educators, students, and communities.
→What is one goal that you have for MEA this year?
RC: I want to find creative, high-impact ways to connect more local leaders to MEA’s work and support them in engaging their members to strengthen the organization as a whole.
→If you could have a superpower, what would it be?
RC: I wish I could teleport. This would not only allow me to help others immediately and get way more accomplished, but it would make my life goal of traveling around the world much less expensive. 🙂
→What is your favorite movie and/or book?
RC: My favorite book is a memoir called My Thirty Years Backstairs at the White House by Lillian Rogers Parks OR the Julia Child biography Dearie by Bob Spitz
→What is your favorite flavor of ice cream?
RC: Lemon sherbet
→What is something most people don’t know about you?
RC: I don’t like blueberries at all, and I can’t stand it when people whistle.
→If you could meet one person, living or dead, real or fictional, and have a conversation with them, who would you meet and what would you talk about?
RC: I would love to meet Fred Rogers and hear his perspective on so many issues facing our schools, our families, and our society today.
→What’s your go-to karaoke song?
RC: I’ve only sung karaoke once, but my friend and I sang “Shallow” by Bradley Cooper and Lady Gaga. I think it went ok, but next time I would choose “That’s All” or “The Nearness of You”.
