Portland, ME

Hometowns Program

Civics Education / Hometowns Program / Portland, ME

Summer 2026

Application Closed

Investigate the Supreme Court case United States v. Fanfan (2005). Participate in a free week-long program in conjunction with the U.S. District Court for the District of Maine and the University of Maine School of Law. The Hometowns program includes:

  • Expert speakers from your community
  • Panel discussions with judges, attorneys, and other court staff
  • Live court proceedings
  • Collaborative learning activities

Create a collaborative capstone project to educate your community about the case’s impact. Lunch, snacks, and Supreme Court swag will be provided to all participants.

Program Details

Date: July 20–24

Location: Edward T. Gignoux U.S. Courthouse

Important: Please submit your academic reference via the online submission form at the bottom of this page by the application deadline: May 4, 2026.

Learn about the Supreme Court in your Hometown

  • Explore a local Sixth Amendment case
  • Collaborate with students from across your district
  • Network with Federal Judges, area attorneys, historians, and local advocates
  • Educate your community about its history with a capstone project

Eligibility

To apply for Hometowns Maine, students must:

  • Be a current or rising 10th, 11th, or 12th grader
  • Be able to attend all sessions in-person
  • Obtain 1 (one) academic reference
I would definitely recommend Hometowns to any student who wants to learn about the Supreme Court and I encourage everyone to join the program even if they don’t know anything about it. When I applied I didn’t know anything about the judicial branch, now I’m explaining to my dad how it works and why they grant certiorari to some cases and not to others.
Josue M.
My favorite part of Hometowns was sitting/meeting with the lawyers. I liked the hands-on activities we did with them, being able to learn from them, and ask them questions. We had good discussions and conversations with them. Also being able to apply what we learned in these activities.
Julia D.

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Still have questions? We’re here to help.

Email Nicole Maffei, Director of Civics Education, at [email protected].

Email Nicole