WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Angus King announced today that Oona Mackinnon Hoban and Eamonn Dundon of Portland High School will serve as part-time interns in his Scarborough office. The internship, which will provide both students with school credit, is the result of a collaborative effort with the nonprofit Jobs for Maine’s Graduates (JMG) and Portland High School aimed at giving local students an opportunity to learn more about the work of a U.S. Senator’s office through observation, assistance, and mentoring.

“I’m delighted to welcome Oona and Eamonn to my Scarborough office. Both of them are outstanding students and hard workers, and I look forward to having them involved in the legislative process on behalf of the people of Maine,” Senator King said. “I also want to thank everyone at Jobs for Maine’s Graduates for working with my office to make this internship possible and applaud them for all of their meaningful work to help students across the state.”

“We are extremely pleased with the continued development of the relationship being forged between Portland High School and Senator King’s office,” said Eric Moynihan, JMG Expanded Learning Opportunities Coordinator at Portland High School. “This tremendous opportunity is the second internship offered to PHS students by the Senator’s office in three years. Expanded Learning Opportunities like these internships provide relevant, real-world experiences, are invaluable to the student and are an integral piece of the Portland High School model of education.”

A junior at Portland High School, Oona Mackinnon-Hoban is involved in student government, the drama program, and numerous other clubs, including the Women’s Rights Club and the Shakespeare Club. Outside of school, she is a member of the girl choir Musica de Filia, and also enjoys writing in her spare time. She was a national semifinalist at the American Legion Oratorical Contest, and has served in the U.S. Senate as a page sponsored by Senator Susan Collins. She hopes to attend a larger university in New York, Washington D.C. or Montreal, and wishes to pursue a degree in political science and journalism. She lives with her parents in Portland, Maine.

A senior at Portland High School, Eamonn Dundon is a longtime volunteer on a myriad of local, state and national political campaigns, most recently serving as the Deputy Campaign Manager on a city council campaign in Portland. Eamonn served as a U.S. Senate Page in the fall of 2014 sponsored by Senator Susan Collins. He also serves as a judge and board member on the Maine Youth Court, is a member of Portland High School's Key Club, is a participant in Model United Nations, and is a member of the Boy Singers of Maine. In his free time, he enjoys skiing and playing tennis. Eamonn is then son of Sean Dundon and Victoria Dalzell, both of Portland.

Jobs for Maine’s Graduates (JMG) is a statewide nonprofit that works within Maine’s public schools to help students reach their fullest potential. JMG serves more than 5,500 students from grades 6-12 in 79 programs across the state. Students in the traditional JMG classroom are full of potential, but face barriers to education, and it is JMG’s goal to provide these students with the skills and resources they need to overcome those challenges and to graduate from high school prepared to succeed in postsecondary education and the workforce. The internships awarded by Senator King’s office reflect the success of the expansion of the JMG model to a larger population of students, and the commitment of Portland High School (PHS) staff and administration in providing important Expanded Learning Opportunities to all PHS students.

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