Brownell and Thompson Awards

The Cape Elizabeth Education Foundation is thrilled to announce the recipients of both the Brownell and Thompson Awards for Cape educators. The Thompson Award, named in memory of Timmy Thompson, celebrates a member of the Cape Elizabeth school community who has gone above and beyond for students. Our annual Brownell Award, in honor of retired CEHS teacher Elaine Brownell, celebrates an outstanding grant from a previous year.

The 2025 CEEF Brownell Award was presented to CEMS educator Dave Croft for his creative and impactful grant “Let’s Go Gnome Around Town.” Dave dreamed up this collaborative project with the goal of engaging 5^th Grade students in a hands-on project involving multiple school subjects, from art and language arts to woodworking and technology. For greater support and reach, Mr. Croft partnered with CEEF, CELT, Friends of Fort Williams, and local businesses to bring a magical experience to life. Each student created a uniquely named gnome out of clay which live in 75 gnome houses placed throughout town trails. Inside the ‘gnome home’ is a QR code on the door that allows visitors read a story or poem about their gnome written by the 5th grader who built that particular gnome and house. Elaine Brownell presented the award to Mr. Croft’s magical gnome village grant as it was “clearly a learning experience beyond the classroom walls, engaging our community and featuring our town’s beautiful green spaces.” Click here to get the Gnome Trail Maps.

The second award presented was the CEEF Thompson Award, and this year David Shields was recognized for his 38 year commitment to always going above and beyond for Cape students. Nominated by his peers, Shields was recognized for his unwavering dedication, innovative approach, and deep passion for providing Pond Cove students with an appreciation for physical education. His classes are characterized by an energetic and purposeful atmosphere, infused with long-standing traditions that make gym a highlight of the school day. In her speech, Nancy Thompson said “Ask any graduate to name a Pond Cove teacher they still remember-and almost without fail, his name will come up. He is, in every sense, a Cape Elizabeth legend.”

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CEEF Brownell Award

The CEEF Brownell Award, named in honor of retired high school mathematics teacher Elaine Brownell. This award recognizes a faculty member who did an outstanding job implementing a CEEF grant during the prior year.

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CEEF Thompson Award

This annual award was established in memory of Timmy Thompson, a Cape graduate whose kindness and generous spirit was well known throughout Cape Elizabeth. This award honors a faculty or staff member who goes above and beyond what is expected, providing a lasting and meaningful impact on Cape Elizabeth students. The Cape Elizabeth Education Foundation is pleased to give this award at the end of August each year. 

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