Gov. Mills with the tee-shirt presented to her at Mt. Abram High School. Submitted photo

Miss Bailey Randle, current social studies teacher/Student Council Advisor at Phillips Elementary School, with Gov. Mills. Submitted photo

REGION — During their studies relating to Maine’s state government, former middle level social studies teacher at Phillips Elementary School, Lance Harvell, also a former State Representative, and his 8th grade students recently hosted two assemblies with two very special guests. The most recent to visit PES was Governor Janet Trafton Mills. The first woman to be elected as the head of Maine’s government, Mills was sworn in on January 2, 2019, and is the 75th Governor of Maine.

Gov. Mills was born and raised in Farmington, Franklin County’s shire town, or county seat, and she still calls Farmington home. Already a hard worker as a youngster, she delivered newspapers early every morning and then worked as a waitress at the local diner in the evening. She graduated from Mt. Blue High School after which she attended and graduated from the University of Massachusetts in Boston and the University of Maine School of Law.

Over the course of her political career, other accomplishments have included becoming the first woman elected District Attorney in New England, co-founding the Maine Women’s Lobby, and being elected to the Maine House of Representatives. She has also been the first and only woman to serve as Attorney General of the State of Maine.

Gov. Mills officially announced her bid for reelection in March.

Earlier this year, students gathered to hear another special guest speaker, former Maine Governor Paul LePage. Current social studies teacher and Student Council Advisor, Ms. Bailey Randle worked with students on both occasions to compose lists of questions for them to ask their honored guests.

Harvell, now social studies teacher at Mt. Abram Regional High School in Salem, also arranged for both guests to speak to students at open assemblies there.