FARMINGTON – Sixth-, seventh- and eighth-grade students from regional middle schools are set to compete in the annual Sandy Andy Valley Middle School Science and Invention Fair being held Thursday afternoon and evening, May 1, from 2 to 7:30 p.m. in the North Dining Hall at the University of Maine at Farmington. The students present their project findings or their inventions at their own district science fairs. Then the top five projects in each of the grades proceed to the fair held at UMF. Public viewing will be from 2 to 4 p.m. and from 6:30 to approximately 7:30 p.m. in the the UMF North Dining Hall. The exhibition will be closed to the public between 4 and 6:30 p.m. for judging. The Sandy Andy Middle School League includes Buckfield Middle School, Dirigo Middle School, Jay Middle School, Livermore Falls Middle School, Mount Blue Middle School, Mountain Valley Middle School, Peru Elementary, and Telstar Middle School.

Bow hunting

OXFORD – A bow hunter education course will be held from 1 to 5 p.m. Saturday, May 3, and from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday, May 4, at the Lake Thompson Fish and Game Clubhouse on the Paine Road. Students must attend both days. The course will include bow hunter responsibility, equipment and use, methods, safety, vital areas of game animals, first-aid and survival, field dressing game, field experience in range estimation, determining a safe and ethical shot, game trailing, tree stand use and safety, and use of a map and compass. The course is free. Applicants for a Maine Archery license must show proof of having successfully completed an archery hunter education course or having held an adult archery license in any year after 1979. For more information phone Art Bellwood at 539-2322 or Jeff Poland at 539-4156.

Driving course

NORWAY – An AARP 55 Alive Driver Safety Program will be held from 12:30 to 4:30 p.m. Monday, May 5 and from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Tuesday, May 6, at the Municipal Building at 19 Danforth St. This is a classroom course geared for drivers ages 50 plus. The course will offer material on how to assess a driver’s capabilities, how to adjust to changes in physical capabilities, and how to properly use new features and safety equipment in late model cars. For applications or information phone instructor Betty Gordon at 603-539-7405 or visit the municipal building. This course is sponsored by SeniorsPlus. A minimal fee of $10 will be charged. Refreshments will be available.

Growth workshop

NAPLES – Smart Growth Management for Lakes Region will present a special workshop at 7 p.m. Tuesday, May 6, at the Songo Locks School off Route 302. Panelists include Matt Nazar, land use specialist for Maine’s State Planning Office, and Robert Faunce, town planner for Raymond, and municipal attorney Christopher Vaniotis with Bernstein, Shur, Sawyer & Nelson. Strategies and tools for managing development in the Lakes Region will be shared and discussed. There is no cost. The public is invited to attend. RSVP to sebago1@maine.rr.com and questions to brad@mainesec.com. For more information phone George Bradt at 647-2389 or Brad McCurtain at 775-0800.