Rising Tide Program Trains Future Maine Politicians

ORONO (NEWS CENTER) -- Fifteen young Maine politicians from across party lines came together in Orono this weekend to train on how to run a campaign effectively.

The Rising Tide Program began in 2004 and has graduated more than 200 alumni across the state who have used the training to pursue issues they are passionate about.

Former state senator, Ethan Strimling started the program and hopes that it will give more young people the tools they need to pursue their goals.

Upon completion of the training, the participants agree to serve their communities for a certain number of hours in a field that they choose.

"We also know in Maine, that a lot of young people are leaving, a lot of young people are going to other states and looking for jobs. This is a way we can say to folks, listen if you're going to do this training you have to do your community service here once you do it here, I think you're going to get more connected to the state and perhaps want to stick around," he said.

Charlie Longo did the training this weekend and says he appreciated the diverse backgrounds of the people who participated in the program. Listening to people from different points of view is what got him interested in politics.

"I was listening to Rush Limbaugh on the radio and I'm actually a liberal now, but I was listening to him and he kept talking about Barack Obama and how back he was, so I ended up reading Barack's book and the next day he announced his candidacy for president," Longo said.

Longo took last semester off from the University of Maine to work on Obama's campaign in Washington and Cumberland Counties.

Krista Ricupero is hoping to use the training to spark public discourse on environmental issues.

"What I started thinking about when I was going to this is how I believe science is a basic skill for citizenship, except that science is still inaccessible for a lot of people and what we're learning about here is grassroots organizing, grassroots campaigning," she said.

For more information on how you can apply for the next Rising Tide Program visit: http://www.arisingtidemaine.com