FAME’s College Access and Financial Education Team with its MDF award. From left are Martha Johnston, director of education, and CAFÉ Team members Jessica Whittier, Floreka Malual, Nikki Vachon and Mila Tappan. Submitted photo

AUGUSTA — The Maine Development Foundation presented the Finance Authority of Maine’s College Access and Financial Education Team with its Champion of Education and Workforce Development Award at its annual meeting and awards celebration held at Lewiston’s Franco Center on Sept. 13

MDF’s awards this year recognize individuals, businesses and community groups for demonstrated exceptional leadership and dedication to strengthening the state’s economy and/or their community with efforts to attract and/or retain young people in Maine, according to a news release from the Finance Authority of Maine.

FAME’s CAFÉ Team provides comprehensive college access and financial education services to students, families, counselors and advisors through a variety of college access, financial aid, financial education, and education debt management services that support higher education aspirations and attainment in Maine.

Martha Johnston, FAME’s director of education, accepted the award on behalf of the team.

“Each day, and many, many nights, FAME’s College Access Team hits the road literally and virtually to help Maine students and families learn about saving for higher ed, completing and filing the FAFSA, wise borrowing, and navigation of student loan processes and student loan repayment. We believe in the transformative power of education beyond high school to benefit someone’s personal economic prospects as well as those of the state of Maine, a place we all love and call home,” said Johnston.

Helping students and families prepare to file for financial aid and supporting them through the entire process is a primary focus for FAME’s College Access team. In FY 24 alone, FAME’s College Access and Outreach Team coordinated and participated in:

• 232 financial aid information sessions and workshops for over 6,800 Maine students and families;

• 77 training workshops for over 4,800 counselors and advisors;

• 41 workshops attended by 537 individuals to help students complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA); and

• 129 financial wellness focused events for 6,500 students.

Because it was such a challenging year for FAFSA completion because of problems with the roll-out of the new form by the U.S. Department of Education, FAME’s team worked extra hard, through the summer and as of the end of August, helped to increase the FAFSA completion rate for Maine high school seniors from the Class of 2024 nine full percentage points to over 61%.