Elizabeth Harrington is Woolwich through and through.

Raised in Wiscasset's neighbor to the south, she's in her 24th year of teaching at Woolwich Central School. The 365 students Harrington sees for physical education at least once a week include the offspring of her earlier students.

Harrington, 44, is known locally for helping the school promote health for Woolwich's children; now, someone else is noticing. She's won a statewide teaching award.

The nonprofit, Maine Association for Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance will present it to her November 4 at Samoset Resort in Rockport.

The win surprised Harrington. “I was in disbelief ... I feel there's a lot of really good phys ed teachers in the state of Maine, so this is kind of humbling in a way.”

Principal Tom Soule nominated her. In an interview October 9, he credited Harrington with being instrumental to several projects including the school's orchard, greenhouse and vegetable garden. She also helped an architect design the gym for the school's new building, he said.

“She's a huge part of this school,” Soule said. “She does so much, it's unbelievable.”

The school's head chef Claudette Tainter, other staff, students, parents and the community at large have helped on the various food-related projects, Harrington said.

People have sponsored trees in the orchard; the school's parent-teacher group has helped with color-of-the day snacks for students to try during “Eat the Rainbow Week”; and Morning Dew Farm in Edgecomb has donated organic seedlings.

Harrington, wife of Woolwich Central School sixth grade teacher Patrick Harrington, has a “green team” of sixth graders who help with watering and planting.

The school is where some children have tasted papaya for the first time, and some, their first fresh carrot, Harrington said; one little girl's brother didn't like mushrooms and had told her not to eat them, but she tried them and did like them.

“I think it's great,” Harrington said about what it has meant to her to help provide students with those experiences. “I think anything we can do to introduce them to something new and healthy that they can be aware of is awesome.”