AUGUSTA — Elizabeth “Bette” Manchester of Litchfield recently received a Distinguished Service Award from the Maine School Superintendents Association.

Manchester is the former executive director of the Maine International Center for Digital Learning and currently serves as its president. Before that she worked in the state Department of Education on its one-to-one laptop program. Manchester has also served as a teacher, principal and special education director.

“The name of Bette Manchester and Maine’s digital learning programs are synonymous. Anywhere you see technology being used in Maine’s schools, somewhere behind the scenes you will see the stamp of Bette’s hard work and dedication to benefit the children of Maine,” Superintendent Michael Cormier said in a news release provided by the Maine School Management Association. The award was given at the DOE’s commissioner’s conference this summer.

Walsh joins center’s board of directors

AUGUSTA — Lara Walsh has joined the Children’s Center Board of Directors.

A pediatrician with Winthrop Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, Walsh has an interest in childhood development, especially early screening and intervention for developmental delay and behavioral issues, according to a news release from the Children’s Center. She is also interested in helping to determine the needs of families with young children in the area, and in being a patient and family advocate.

Morrill is named

Nurse of the Year

The Maine Association of School Nurses has named Sharon Gilpatrick Morrill School Nurse of the Year.

Morrill, of Newcastle, formerly of Augusta, has been a school nurse for 21 years. She has been practicing for 10 years at Morse High School in Bath.

Morrill has served on the MASN Board of Directors and is co-chair of the Education Committee. She has also taught health education at Lincoln Academy, where she managed the school health clinic and was the school nurse.

She was honored at the MASN Summer Institute in July and at the annual Maine School Nurse Tea.

Augusta dentist gives

Smiles for Life gift

AUGUSTA — Kerry Bryant of Bryant Dental Care has provided teeth whitening services to patients at a reduced price and donated 100 percent of the proceeds to children’s charities, as part of the Crown Council’s annual Smiles for Life campaign.

During the four month campaign, held this spring and summer, Bryant raised $700 that was contributed to the local Kennebec Valley YMCA and to humanitarian initiatives in the Dominican Republic and other charities.

Philips Oral Healthcare donated all teeth whitening materials.