Being a school superintendent means long hours, lots of meetings, calls from reporters and more. But, besides the paycheck, there are perks.

On Oct. 21, Lewiston Superintendent Bill Webster served as a judge in Farwell Elementary’s School pumpkin recipe contest. Desserts were pumpkin pie, pumpkin fudge and pumpkin whoopie pies.

The contest was part of the school’s 43rd annual Pumpkin Festival sponsored by the PTO to raise money.

“Their goal is to raise $10,000,” he said. “(Principal) Althea Walker is going to dye her hair blue when they reach that goal.”

Webster’s 88-year-old mother, who recently moved to Lewiston, attended the festival. “She enjoyed watching it,” he said.

Webster reported that the contest winner was the fudge. One of his favorites, the pumpkin whoopie pie, came in second.

— Bonnie Washuk

That’s one lucky mother

Last week, I interviewed Tyler Ford, 17, a Lewiston Regional Technical Center student who’s in his second year of building and carpentry program.

Wow, I thought, wouldn’t it be cool to have a carpenter in the family for all those projects. “Yes, ma’am,” Tyler said. “I fix things around the house. I do it all.”

It gets better.

“My brother takes the automotive program. He works on the car.”

Imagine having a car mechanic AND carpenter under your roof.

— Bonnie Washuk