Food Service Coordinator Sheila Nevells and Administrative Secretary Liana Littig Selected as Recognizing Inspiring School Employees (RISE) State Finalists

Maine Education Commissioner Pender Makin joined School Union 76 school leaders and staff to honor Food Service Coordinator Sheila Nevells, and Deputy Commissioner Dan Chuhta joined Deering High School and Portland Public School leaders and staff to honor Administrative Secretary Liana Littig with the Recognizing Inspiring School Employees (RISE) Award for the extraordinary contributions they have made to their students, schools, and communities. Both honorees are known for their dedication to their communities and their support for colleagues and students.

Created by Congress in 2019 and overseen by the U.S. Department of Education, the prestigious RISE Award honors non-teaching school employees who provide exemplary service. Nevells and Littig were selected as the two state-level honorees out of ten finalists. Nearly 70 nominations were submitted to the Maine Department of Education (DOE) by colleagues and community members. Nevells and Littig were selected to represent Maine for consideration for the national RISE Award.

“I am in awe of Sheila. You are a true hero, a champion of education, and a champion of making sure kids get fed. The most fundamental thing that can happen for any of us is the food that feeds our souls and our bodies, and fuels us for learning. You have consistently gone so far above and beyond to make sure the kids in your school and community are fed,” said Maine Education Commissioner Pender Makin while presenting the honor to Nevells.

“You make my job easy. I enjoy cooking for every one of you. I enjoy talking with every one of you every day. I am humbled and very appreciative of this award,” said School Union 76 Food Service Coordinator and Maine’s 2024 RISE Award State Honoree Sheila Nevells. 

“Liana’s day-to-day dedication to the students, families, and staff at Deering High School has been described by her colleagues as ‘unmatched’. You are an essential part of the school, a valued community member, and a true example of a public servant,” said Maine Department of Education Deputy Commissioner Dan Chuhta while presenting the honor to Litig.

“Everyone who knows Liana says she is remarkable. She has especially impacted our Portuguese students and embraced them warmly, connecting them with the resources they need. She is so helpful and never makes anyone feel less than for needing help. We all adore her,” said Deering High School Assistant Principal Halima Noor.

“I feel so loved and appreciated. This is such a good place. They are so good to me,” said Deering High School Administrative Secretary and Maine’s 2024 RISE Award State Honoree Liana Littig. 

RISE nominees demonstrate excellence in the following areas: (A) Work performance; (B) School and community involvement; (C) Leadership and commitment; (D) Local support (from co-workers, school administrators, community members, etc., who speak to the nominee’s exemplary work); (E) Enhancement of classified school employees’ image in the community and schools.

Maine’s Two RISE State Honorees 

Liana Littig 
Administrative Secretary
Portland Public Schools

From Liana’s nomination: Liana’s involvement in school and community is unmatched. She is the first person students and staff see when they walk in the door. For many of our newcomer students who speak Portuguese, it is the first time someone in the school system stops and has a deep, kind and welcoming conversation with them in Portuguese. All students know if they have a question to find Ms. Littig in the main office because she always has the answer or knows who does! No student is turned away without receiving a thoughtful response when she is in the office.

Liana is not a gatekeeper of knowledge but rather imparts knowledge and the know-hows of all she does to better equip staff, students and parents with what they need to have a successful day at school. Liana has also become well known in the community, especially with immigrant families.

Liana’s sense of confidence and calm demeanor has ensured our students, staff, parents and building are able to withstand even the most challenging disruptions with ease. That air of confidence and calmness shrouds the entire building and allows every single person to genuinely feel like everything is under control. That is credit to Ms. Littig!

Sheila Nevells 
Food Service Coordinator
School Union 76

Fom Sheila’s nomination: Since Sheila took over as Food Service Coordinator in 2017, her work performance and leadership and commitment have been exemplary. She quickly learned all the ins and outs of USDA and our food service funding, and then took it upon herself to see that no child on our island ever went hungry. Sheila learned how to write grants, and then found every way available to provide food for everyone. CACFP, No Kid Hungry, summer food program -she went after them and worked hard to provide all these opportunities for our children and families. She organized an amazing food delivery service during the COVID lockdown and continues to provide comprehensive food service despite a number of administrative changes. Sheila goes above and beyond, and it all comes from her big heart and love for this Sheila is a quiet leader, but the programming that she does gets some great PR. She is a role model for all of us in the school system and to our children and families who come in contact with her every day. Her work ethic, ambition and drive to help others, and her big smile and caring heart impact us all.

Sheila has also done all the extra work of getting grants and running extra programming on top of her everyday work of also being Head Cook at Deer Isle-Stonington Elementary School. Sheila doesn’t sit in an office all day – she cooks and serves and talks to all the kids, cleans up, and then she sits in her office after hours getting all the paperwork done and finding new ways to feed our families. Sheila is Lunch Lady Extraordinaire!
Maine’s RISE State Finalists 

Sarah Beam
School Social Worker
Talbot Community School, Portland Public Schools

Kerrie Edgerton
Executive Assistant to the Superintendent
Biddeford School Department

Kadija Fulli
Custodian
Portland High School, Portland Public Schools

Ben Jacobson
Food Service Director
RSU 26

David Martin
Director of Maintenance
Maine School of Science and Mathematics

Tanya Ouellette
Secretary
Sabattus Primary, RSU 4

Nicole Richard
Ed Tech
Veazie Community School

Christine Small
Nurse’s Assistant
Portland High School, Portland Public Schools

Shelley Tinker
Transportation/Bus Driver
Lubec, SAD 19