SO LONG CLASS OF 2016! - Montachusett Regional Vocational
Transcription
SO LONG CLASS OF 2016! - Montachusett Regional Vocational
PAW PRINT Montachusett Regional Vocational Technical School Volume 5 Issue 3 SO LONG CLASS OF 2016! The weather may have been a bit threatening at times, but it didn’t dampen the spirits of the 343 members of the Class of 2016, as they were all smiles marching onto the athletic field on Wednesday, May 25, to receive their diplomas and certificates of vocational-technical proficiency at the school’s 45th annual Commencement Exercises. Junior class marshals led the graduates to their seats, while Principal Thomas R. Browne got the ceremony underway. Members of Monty Tech’s Marine Corps JROTC Color Guard presented the flags. Natalie E. Arsenault of Ashburnham, class vice president, led the Pledge of Allegiance. Jared A. Moore of Hubbardston, a member of the Drama Club, sang the National Anthem. Class officers, Brianna F. Aldrich of Fitchburg, president; Natalie E. Arsenault, vice president; Taylor E. Sadowski of Fitchburg, secretary; Audrey S. Boyce of Templeton, treasurer, and Christina M. Rodriguez of Fitchburg, historian, presented the class gift to Gladynel Rodriguez-Villafane of Fitchburg, junior class vice president. The monetary gift will be used to renovate the Student Support Services conference room. Superintendent-Director Dr. Sheila M. Harrity congratulated the graduates on their accomplishments during their four years, and stressed how their education has prepared them for success in the real world. “Our students are truly graduating career and college ready, and I am confident they are prepared to be successful in their future.” She highlighted the class’s outstanding record of community service work. “Community service is a longstanding tradition at Monty Tech, and this year was no exception,” she said. “Our students donated hundreds of hours of service to numerous agencies and organizations, such as Toys For Tots, the American Cancer Society, Salvation Army, the SHINE Initiative, the NEADS organization and local food pantries. I congratulate all of you on your outstanding and tireless efforts to make life better for residents in our local communities. The work you have done will have a positive and lasting impact for years to come,” Dr. Harrity said. Salutatorian Marina R. Good of Princeton gave her classmates some words of inspiration as they move forward in life. “Try to take the time to find the hidden beauty in as many aspects of life as you possibly can, no matter how ridiculous or fruitless a task it may seem. If you’re stuck in traffic, try not to focus on the aggravating inconvenience that it poses. Instead, realize that you are lucky enough to hear and see the other vehicles and people around you. As Bert Jacobs, co-creator of Life Is Good said, ‘We don’t HAVE to do anything in this life; we GET to do things.’” Class of 2016 STATS SCHOLARSHIPS & AWARDS • Approximately $96,350 was awarded to the Class of 2016 • Approximately 225 awards were given to over 150 students POST-SECONDARY PLANS • 64% will attend post-secondary schools • 32% are heading right into the workforce • 4% plan to join the armed forces SOME COLLEGES STUDENTS WILL BE ATTENDING • Bay State College • Becker College • Boston University • Fitchburg State University • Gordon College • Mount Wachusett Community College • Mount Ida • Salem State University • UMASS Amherst • UMASS Boston • UMASS Dartmouth • UMASS Lowell • Wentworth University OUT-OF-STATE INSTITUTIONS • Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, FL • Green Mountain College, VT • Plymouth State College, NH • University of Maine, Farmington, ME • Vermont Technical College, VT WORKFORCE EMPLOYMENT SITES • LS Starett • New England Wire Product • Nypro Mold • JC Madigan • The Highlands • Barrett Plumbing • Rob Roy Salons * Approximately 47 employment opportunities were a direct result of Co-Op placements. CONGRATULATIONS CLASS OF 2016, AND GOOD LUCK ON YOUR FUTURE ENDEAVORS! Page 2 FSU: Discovering Young Writers Contest English teacher Samantha McGuane poses with two students who placed in Fitchburg State University’s annual Discovering Young Writers contest. Senior Casie Harkins (left) won first place and sophomore Casey Brown won second. “Meaning Within the Ordinary” was this year’s topic. First-place winners from local high schools had their work published in the Route 2 literary journal. The picture was taken at the Route 2 journal reception held recently at the university, where high school and university writers were recognized by faculty and families. Students Receive Construction Training Seniors in the Building Trades recently participated in a five-day, hands-on training program focusing on preparing them to move into well-paying jobs in a variety of construction fields. Students in House Carpentry, HVAC and Property Maintenance, Masonry, Electrical and Plumbing received 30 hours of pre-apprenticeship training in a variety of careers in transportation and the highway construction industry. This statewide program, which is currently being held in 15 voc-tech schools, is sponsored by the Massachusetts Construction Career Development (MassCCD) Pre-Apprenticeship Program in partnership with the Massachusetts Department of Transportation and the New England Laborers’ Union. The program seeks to educate students and young adults about the diverse career pathways available in the state in transportation and the highway construction industry. Students received hands-on instruction and information about many aspects of the construction fields, such as unions, apprenticeship programs, health and safety, workers’ benefits, and simulated construction practices. Students were also able to speak with representatives of various trades and educational institutions about apprenticeship applications and post-secondary education opportunities. All instructors are members of the New England Laborers’ Training Academy in Hopkinton. The last day of the program consisted of hands-on demonstrations of skills the students acquired during the week. Working in teams of five, students were given a set of plans and specifications. Under the leadership of New England Laborers’ Training Academy instructors, students were responsible for constructing and presenting their projects to school administration. Upender Gupta of Holden and Christian Cormier of Gardner, both seniors in Monty Tech’s HVAC and Property Maintenance program, were learning about road surveying and elevation. They were using an auto level, tripod and story pole to calculate elevation. “Calculating elevation is one of the first and extremely important steps on any MassDOT highway work project,” said Tommy Lemon, program field coordinator and instructor. Both students said they never experienced this type of work and really liked it. “I love it. I think I will apply to the labor union when I graduate,” said Upender. Another group of students was building a small-scale interlocking block wall. Blocks, weighing anywhere from 500 to 1,000 pounds, are used for soil retention on actual highway work projects. Others were learning about manhole brick inverts used to redirect water or sewage underneath highways. According to Lemon, the program was created to help fill the gap in a variety of construction jobs due to an aging workforce. “Many currently working in these fields are nearing retirement age, and skilled workers are needed to replace them. When attaining apprenticeship status in these jobs, workers earn good wages, along with pension, annuity and health benefits without college debt,” he said. Page 3 Annual Courthouse Visit Each year, seniors in Angela Ikonen’s Business Technology program visit Fitchburg District Court to see firsthand how our judicial system works. This year, the students were able to sit in on a criminal jury trial being heard by First Justice Christopher LoConto. Mrs. Ikonen has been taking the seniors to the courthouse for a number of years. She said the experience is very effective in teaching her Business Law and Ethics curriculum. “I have found this experience has a very positive impact on the students. It helps debunk some of the myths about the court system that are portrayed on television and in movies. Actually seeing our justice system in action has a far more profound and realistic impact on them than a classroom lesson,” she explained. Mike Vannaraj said, “It was a good experience to witness an actual jury trial. We also were able to see how the jury selection process is conducted. It was great that the judge took time to speak to us and to explain why he asked potential jurors the type of questions he did.” Jocelyn Leger thought it was more meaningful to see the court system in action than learning about the process in the classroom. “It helped me understand it better. I really enjoyed seeing the two lawyers going back and forth with objections. I thought it was nice of the judge to allow us to come in and witness what was going on in his courtroom. He was very respectful and considerate. He also allowed us to approach his bench and ask questions,” she said. Crocker Elementary “Buddy Benches” Lending a helping hand to schools and municipalities in its member communities is a longstanding tradition at Monty Tech. One of the many community projects students and teachers worked on this year is a recent project at Crocker Elementary School. Sophomores in Monty Tech’s House Carpentry program, collaborated with their classmates in the Cabinetmaking program, to build three “buddy” benches, which will be used as part of the school’s social curriculum. According to Tammy Tonry-Beaulac, health teacher at Crocker, the purpose of the benches, which will be placed on the playground, is to foster friendship and help eliminate loneliness among the students. “Our students can use the buddy benches as a safe and supportive place to let others know they would like to be included in playtime,” she explained. Some children, she added, are too shy to ask to participate. The House Carpentry students built the benches, and the Cabinetmaking students used their CNC machine to cut out the lettering. The students worked together to paint the benches and deliver them to Crocker. On the day the benches were delivered, first and fourth graders posed for a photo with the Monty Tech students. Pictured with the youngsters, are House Carpentry students, Tom Swenson, Ruben Rodriguez Jr. , Ben Nealon, Antonio Connors and Joseph Pacek of Westminster. Page 4 M3 Math Challenge Congratulations to Math Club members, seniors Marina Good, Taylor Sadowski, Nick Petkewich, Tahina LaCroix and Yjuliana Tin for their participation in the national online competition, known as M3 Math Challenge. The students spent many hours this year working with their advisor, Math teacher Travis Babb, in preparation for the event. The challenge is a mathematical modeling contest for high-school juniors and seniors. Through participation, students gain the experience of working in teams to tackle a real-world problem under time and resources constraints similar to those faced by professional mathematicians. Mr. Babb said the competition was held online and ran from 7 a.m. until 9 p.m. “The students trained with me once a week since the beginning of the school year, and they have been making tremendous progress,” he said. This year’s challenge required the students to evaluate the feasibility of car-sharing services, such as ZipCar, and they had to recommend and rank prospective cities in the country for starting a car-sharing service, Mr. Babb explained. The students also wrote a 16-page report to support their findings. Sponsored by The Moody’s Foundation and organized by the Society for Industrial and Applied Mathematics (SIAM), the challenge highlighted applied mathematics as a powerful problem-solving tool, and as a viable and exciting profession SkillsUSA - States Monty Tech students won a total of 14 medals—seven gold, four silver and three bronze---at the SkillsUSA-Massachusetts annual State Leadership and Skills Conference held April 28-30 in Marlboro. In addition, sophomore Grace Kirrane of Fitchburg won her bid for a state-officer position, and Olivia Houle of Leominster, who served as Grace’s campaign manager, was selected to attend the upcoming National Conference as a voting delegate. The largest educational gathering in the state, the event was attended by over 2,500 participants, competing in 71 skills competitions and 17 leadership events in addition to state-officer elections. Competitors earn a spot at the conference by competing and winning at the local and district levels. Gold medalists at the state conference earn a spot on Team Massachusetts to compete at the annual National SkillsUSA Championships to be held this month in Louisville, Kentucky. Monty Tech’s chapter of the organization received the Costello Family Community Service Award (silver) for its annual holiday party held for children at the Cleghorn Neighborhood Center. Page 3 5 29th Annual Superintendent’s Dinner Is Success The largest turnout to date enjoyed an evening of great food, socializing and raising funds for scholarships at the 29th Annual Superintendent’s Dinner held April 13 in the school. A total of 380 guests were on hand to help celebrate Monty Tech’s 50th anniversary of providing educational excellence to students in the 18-community School District. Sponsored by the Monty Tech Foundation, the dinner got underway with welcoming remarks from Joseph Sova, foundation chairperson. Superintendent-Director Dr. Sheila M. Harrity thanked the guests for their ongoing support and for their generosity in making it possible for Monty Tech graduates to realize their dreams of a college degree and business ownership. Gov. Charlie Baker addressed the audience via a video. He brought best wishes from the State House and congratulated Monty Tech and Dr. Harrity for providing students with a top-notch education and for its continued success in preparing students for college and career readiness. An anniversary video, chronicling the school’s history and progress through the years, was also shown. A multi-course gourmet dinner, prepared and served by students and teachers in the Culinary Arts program, was the highlight of the evening. Chefs from area restaurants and voc-tech schools assisted with the dinner. Each guest received a special “thank you”gift, a handcrafted solid-wood hallway mirror with coat hooks, made and boxed by students and teachers in the Cabinetmaking program. Students and teachers in many of the school’s trade programs spent numerous hours leading up to the dinner decorating the school with displays and memorabilia depicting the school’s first half century. Proceeds from the live and silent auctions, along with individual and company donations, netted more than $50,000 to be used to fund student scholarships. Page 6 22nd Annual Golf Tournament SAVE the DATE The ndMonty Tech Foundation’s 22 Annual Golf Tournament SEPTEMBER 26, 2016 at OAK HILL COUNTRY CLUB Shotgun Start at 1:00 PM Followed by Cocktails and Dinner Page 7 Marina Good - Student Of The Month Marina R. Good, a senior in the Cosmetology program, was selected as “Student of the Month” by the Fitchburg Rotary Club. She joined honorees from other high schools in the area at a luncheon held recently in the Great Wood Lodge. Marina graduated recently, and was Class Salutatorian. She served as historian for the National Honor Society and was recently selected for the annual Telegram & Gazette Student Achievement Award. She is a member of Monty Tech’s Math Modeling Team and has participated in numerous math competitions. She has participated in the Student Spaceflight Experiments Program (SSEP) since she was a freshman, where she was part of a team of science students who developed an experiment that was flown to the International Space Station to collect data. Since freshman year she has been enrolled in dual enrollment college courses through Mount Wachusett Community College. Her community service work is extensive. A senior member of the Teen Advisory Board (TAB) at the Princeton Public Library, she assists in planning library activities and events, organizes fundraisers and participates in the library’s annual trip to Barnes & Noble for new young adult reading material. She is an ambassador for the Princeton Girl Scout Troop 30966, where she organized a talent show to benefit the Sweetpea Animal Shelter in Rutland. She also worked to raise funds for the Hearts for Heat Organization, baked cookies for the AIDS program and visits local nursing homes during the holidays to sing Christmas carols and make arts and crafts. Her volunteering efforts also include raising funds for the Alzheimer’s Association. A member of the Worcester Youth Symphony Orchestra, she plays the flute and piccolo and is currently sitting in the second chair of the flute section and is playing first-flute parts. She has consistently been named to the Principal’s List and high-honor roll throughout her four years at Monty Tech. She will be attending Colby-Sawyer College next year as an honor student. Dave Reid - Coach Of The Year Congratulations To Athletic Director Dave Reid On Being Selected As Massachusetts Interscholastic Athletic Association “Softball Coach Of the Year” Page 8 MONTY TECH 2016 SUMMER CA M P S MONTY TECH STEM I N PA R T N E R S H I P W I T H BECKER COLLEGE Attention all incoming 6th, 7th and 8th grade students - this summer, Monty Tech is hosting 8 summer camp programs! Each week-long program offers campers a variety of activities and lessons, ending with an exciting field trip! COST $200 / week / student Includes camp t-shirt, program materials, daily breakfast & lunch, and all field trip expenses. A deposit of $20 is due with all registration forms. Total balance due on the first day of camp. SCHOLARSHIPS AVAILABLE CONTACT (See attached forms for registration) All forms should be submitted by JULY 1ST to: KIM CURRY, DEAN OF ADMISSIONS 1050 Westminster Street Fitchburg, MA 01420 [email protected] (978) 345-9200 Ext. 5231 Office Hours: M-F 7:30 AM - 3:30 PM WWW.MONTYTECH.NET WEEK 1: JULY 11 - 15 8:30 AM - 2:30 PM • GET INTO GEAR: COSMETOLOGY Beautify yourself and friends at Monty Tech’s Cosmetology camp. Instructors Diane Kelley and Jen James will teach campers the basics, including hair styling, facials, and manicures. • GET INTO GEAR: GRAPHICS Learn the basics of photography with instructors Brian Bean and Kim Lecuyer, and experiment with the many tools of graphic design while creating and printing your very own custom t-shirt! • GET INTO GEAR: DRAMA Get ready to take the stage with Bethany Botto, and learn the skills of acting, singing, dance movement, set design, lighting and much, much more! FIELD TRIP: Canobie Lake Park WEEK 2: JULY 18 - 22 8:30 AM - 2:30 PM • GET INTO GEAR: CULINARY Join Chef Haggerty and Chef Lowe in the kitchen to prepare various foods, including appetizers, entrees and desserts, and feel free to enjoy a snack or two along the way! • GET INTO GEAR: ART Get hands-on with Artists Bethany Botto and Kim Lecuyer, exploring a variety of artistic concepts, including paper mache, creative drawing with music, still-life portraits and other art forms. • GET INTO GEAR: AUTOMOTIVE Interested in the automotive field? Learn all you need to know with instructor Matt LaRose, who will teach campers basic car maintenance and end with a race to the finish line! FIELD TRIP: Canobie Lake Park WEEK 3: AUGUST 8 - 12 7:30 AM - 3 PM • STEM: Cyber Security Initiative (C.S.I.) This is a STEM based camp that will introduce campers to the fastest growing industry in the world - Cyber Security. Campers will develop critical skills needed for computer network defense, cyber ethics and personal cyber security, and will end the week by competing in a live cyber security competition sponsored by the Air Force Association. Campers will also explore programming with RobotC, attend “Flight School” to learn aerial Technology, and fly an actual Drone on a land survey mission. • STEM: Girls In Tech This is an all-girl STEM-based camp that is designed to introduce campers to an array of technology. Campers will explore computer programming with the use of SCRATCH - a tool used to easily create animations, games, etc. and step into the more advanced world of computer programming. Campers will also be introduced to Cyber Security, Robotics, Aeronautical Engineering and Drone Flight School. FIELD TRIP: Becker College to explore the Game Development and Programming Laboratory Page 9 Prudential Spirit of Community Award Kira Andreucci, 15, a freshman in the Culinary Arts program, was presented with the 2016 Prudential Spirit of Community Award at a recent School Committee meeting. At the age of 11, Kira, with support from her parents, founded the “Karing 4 Kidz” program. The program provides weekend food packets for close to 200 children in Fitchburg schools. Every week, with help from a team of volunteers, Kira and her family put together packets containing nonperishable, nutritious foods for school children to have during the weekend. Stephen Goudreau, representing Prudential Financial, attended the meeting and presented Kira with an engraved Prudential Spirit of Community bronze medallion in recognition of her outstanding community service. In partnership with the National Association of Secondary School Principals, Prudential sponsors a national awards program to honor middle and high-school students for outstanding volunteer service. “Thousands of young people across the country were considered for this award. From all of these, a select few in each state and the District of Columbia have been selected for special recognition. Here is Massachusetts, I’m delighted to report that one of our distinguished finalists in this year’s program is Monty Tech’s Kira Andreucci,” he said. Kira and her team have raised a total of $55,000 through corporate donations to support the program. SHINE Initiative Monty Tech students joined their counterparts from high schools in Central and North Worcester County recently in participating in the SHINE Initiative’s first youth mental wellness summit. Sixty students and seven faculty members, representing seven area high schools, joined forces to share their thoughts and to offer their insights about mental illness, how it is perceived among their peers and caregivers, how it may have touched their lives or those of their loved ones, and what they can do to promote it as a mainstream health issue. Coordinated by the SHINE Initiative and hosted by Fidelity Bank in Leominster, the summit engaged students in a series of “breakout” conversations during which they discussed forms of stigma, whether they’ve experienced stigma, how to ask for help with mental health concerns, and how to be a supportive caregiver to someone in distress. Since 2012, the SHINE Initiative has shared its message, mission and facts about mental illness and wellness with more than 7,000 high school, middle school and college students, parents, teachers and other caregivers. Representing Monty Tech were Amanda Misner, Isabel Bulger, Makaylah Vaillancourt and Cristian Calderon-Garcia, Samantha Grice, Samantha Michelin, Haleigh Medlin, Jodryn Lashua and Mackenzie Whalen. Second Win For Auto Body Congratulations to the Auto Body: Collision Repair students who, for the second year, won first place in the “Pedal Car Challenge” at the annual Town Fair Tire “World of Wheels” Car Show held earlier this year in the World Trade Center in Boston. Machine Technology students assisted with the project by fabricating the steering wheel. Great job again this year! Page 10 WIT Program Celebrates 14th Year For the ninth consecutive year, Monty Tech hosted the Year-End Projects Presentation for the North Central Massachusetts Women In Technology program. Celebrating its 14th year, the program is sponsored by Tyco Safety Products and SimplexGrinnell, at their Westminster site. A total of 18 students from Monty Tech, Leominster High School/Center for Technical Education Innovation, Oakmont Regional High School, Quabbin Regional High School, Gardner High School and Narragansett Regional High School successfully completed the 2015-2016 program session. The students presented the projects they worked on this year at a ceremony held April 27 in Monty Tech’s Performing Arts Center. Monty Tech was represented by four seniors: Cassie Campbell and Cheryl Thomas, Drafting Technology students and second-year participants; Paige Girouard, Engineering Technology, and Ashley Ramos, Business Technology. Through the program, qualified young women from six area high schools spend two days per month at the companies, working on high-tech and business projects under the mentorship of company managers. The aim of the program is to expose students to career opportunities in the fields of business, finance, engineering and computer science. Future Vocational-Technical Teachers Students in the Introduction to Technical Education course at Fitchburg State University recently visited the HVAC and Property Maintenance program. The purpose of the visit was for the FSU students to observe hands-on differentiated instructional practices in a shop setting, as well as see how technology has been integrated into the HVAC and Property Maintenance curriculum now that Monty Tech is a “Google” school. Matt McGee, program instructor, added that his students have also visited the Technical Education program at FSU. Mr. McGee was a full-time faculty member in the university’s Industrial Technology Program before coming to Monty Tech. Left to right in photo are, Tyler Leger, a 2015 Monty Tech graduate of the House Carpentry program, who is currently majoring in Construction Management at FSU; Adam Gentile, another Construction Management major; Dr. James P. Alicata, Ed.D., associate professor and chair of the Vocational Education programs at FSU; David Hilton, Tech Education major; Mr. McGee, and Riley Swedberg, Tech Education major. USA Gymnastics National Championships Congratulations to sophomore Noely Macias, a Cosmetology major, for qualifying to compete in the USA Gymnastics National Championships which were held May 6 in Fort Worth, Texas. Noely has been involved in gymnastics since she was 5 years old. She trains at Nashoba Gymnastics Academy in Westford. According to Christy Walsh Phipps, head coach, “Qualifying for the nationals puts Noely on the map as one of the top gymnasts in the country. She trains many, many hours, and deserves some recognition from her peers.” Best of luck, Noely…we are cheering for you! Page 11 Staff Recognition at Monty Tech This is the time of year we all look toward our students with such pride and respect for the work they have done to earn their degree, and sometimes, without notice, our colleagues have earned accolades that deserve recognition, as well. It’s no surprise that our hallways, classrooms, and offices are filled with life-long learners, taking that next step toward their personal best! Congratulations to the following outstanding Monty Tech faculty and staff members for their accomplishments! Renee Paine and Lori Reppucci both took and passed the National Board for Certification of School Nurses exam. Their new credentials are: Renee Paine, BSN, RN, NCSN and Lori Reppucci, BSN, RN, NCSN Chad Snyder graduated Summa Cum Laude from the University of Maine at Augusta in Library and Information Services. He has plans to take the MTEL in the Fall - a final step toward his goal of library and instructional technology licensure! Alicia Barr earned a Master’s degree in Moderate Disabilities this year, graduating from Worcester State University in December 2015. Alethea Trundy earned a Master’s degree in Curriculum and Instruction: Math Education Concentration from UMass Lowell. On the way out the door, her professor asked her, “So when are you starting your doctorate?” For now, she’s thrilled to have finished this program, but hasn’t ruled anything out just yet! Ann Biery graduated from Worcester State University with a Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology. She’s already considering graduate programs and how to best apply this new degree! Angie Moux graduated from Mount Wachusett Community College, with honors, earning an Associate’s Degree in Human Services. Angie was also awarded the President’s Service and Volunteerism Award, for demonstrating excellence throughout her human services internship. Barbara Shaughnessy earned a Bachelor’s degree in Nursing, graduating Summa Cum Laude from Anna Maria College. She was also recently inducted into Sigma Theta Tau International Honor Society for Nurses. Liz Flanagan was named Monty Tech’s Employee of the Year and recognized at the 15th Annual Rotary Awards Dinner, held at Fitchburg High School on May 17, 2016. Brittany Brassard, Monty Tech’s newest paraprofessional, is being inducted into the St. Bernard’s Central Catholic High School Athletic Hall of Fame. Darren Barry has written an article that has been accepted for publication in the Historical Journal of Massachusetts. The article entitled, “The Unity of the Republic, and the Freedom of an Oppressed Race: Fitchburg’s Civil War Soldiers’ Monument 1874”, will most likely appear in the Jan. 2017 issue. Jenn James graduated Summa Cum Laude from Fitchburg State University, with a degree in Occupational Education. Montachusett Regional Vocational Technical School does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, gender, gender identity, ethnicity, sexual orientation, disability, religion, or national orgin. District Title IX Compliance Coordinator: Principal, (978) 345-9200 Ext. 5202 Page 12