Dr. Heidi T. Riccio, Superintendent
565 Maple Street
Hathorne, MA 01937
For Immediate Release
Tuesday, Sept. 3, 2019
Contact: Kelsey Bode
Phone: 617-993-0003
Email: kelsey@jgpr.net
Essex Tech Receives $500,000 Capital Skills Grant for Animal Clinic
DANVERS — Superintendent Heidi Riccio is pleased to announce that the Baker-Polito Administration has awarded a $500,000 Capital Skills Grant to Essex Tech to support a new animal clinic at the school.
Capital Skills Grants were awarded to educational institutions throughout the Commonwealth on Thursday, Aug. 29, during a ceremony at Worcester Technical High School. The grants are awarded annually to schools and institutions seeking to offer and improve career education and training to local students.
The funds will allow the school to purchase new equipment for the Angell at Essex animal clinic, a facility the school will operate in partnership with the MSPCA Angell Animal Medical Center in Boston. Students began renovating an existing building on the school’s Maple Street campus during the 2018-2019 school year, which will house the new clinic. Renovations to the building are being funded by the school’s operating budget.
“We are excited to expand our curriculum to include an on-site live clinic where students will have hands-on veterinary experience with animals to hone their skills prior to work placement,” Superintendent Riccio said. “We’re so thankful to have been awarded this grant by the Baker-Polito administration, and also to the MSPCA Angell Animal Medical Center for partnering with us on this new program. Partnerships like this are exactly what technical and agricultural education needs to best support student learning.”
The grant funding will support equipment for the clinic’s surgical room, examination room and post-operation area.
The not-for-profit animal clinic will offer primary veterinary care, spay/neuter services and vaccinations and will give Essex Tech students an unprecedented ability to be embedded with a working veterinary practice right on the Essex Tech campus.
“It is encouraging to see schools that are awarded Skills Capital Grants put the funds toward career pathways to give Massachusetts students experience and expertise in industries that are expanding in the Commonwealth,” said Governor Charlie Baker. “These beneficial programs will give thousands of students a head-start on prosperous careers and we look forward to seeing their progress.”
Students from Essex Tech’s construction and craft laborer, plumbing and masonry programs will continue to renovate the building this fall. Contractors were also hired to work on the building this summer, and the school aims to have the project completed by its Open House event on Saturday, Nov. 16.
Students will gain hands-on experience through internships at the clinic. Eventually, administrators at Essex Tech aim to apply for national accreditation to allow students to earn a credential as a veterinary technician through the program.
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