Greater Lowell Technical High School’s “Barbie and Ken’s Down Home Holiday” float won the prize for being most creative in the Lowell City of Lights Parade. (Courtesy Greater Lowell Technical High School) 
A carpentry student works on a painting of Mr. and Mrs. Claus. (Courtesy Greater Lowell Technical High School) 
Michael Murphy, at right, oversees student Riley Roark as she prepares wood for the float. (Courtesy Greater Lowell Technical High School) 
A painting and design student paints a wooden Barbie figure as she helps to prepare the float. (Courtesy Greater Lowell Technical High School) 
Autumn Rainville paints the floor of Ken and Barbie’s home on the float. (Courtesy Greater Lowell Technical High School) 
Thomas Dillon performs electrical work on the nearly finished float. (Courtesy Greater Lowell Technical High School)
TYNGSBOROUGH — Superintendent Jill Davis and Greater Lowell Technical High School are pleased to share that students in multiple shops teamed up to create a Barbie-themed float for this year’s Lowell City of Lights Parade.
The float, titled “Barbie and Ken’s Down Home Holiday,” won a prize for being the most creative in the parade.
Students in the Painting and Design, Carpentry, Design and Visual Communications, Graphic Communications, Plumbing and Electrical shops all teamed up to work on the float over the past several weeks.
The float was one of dozens to participate in the city’s annual parade, and it was worked on by sophomores, juniors and seniors.
Students used skills they have learned in their classes to craft the float, and also learned how to work with students who are studying other disciplines as part of the festive project.
This year’s theme, Barbie, was selected because the Barbie movie was such a big hit this summer, and because Carpentry Instructor Patrick Couillard felt crafting such a multi-colored float would be an interesting challenge for students.
Instructor Mike Donahue’s Painting and Design students were a key to the effort, as the Barbie-themed float required lots of pink colors and multi-tones which made for a fun project for them.
Carpentry Instructor Mike Murphy and his students were responsible for cutting out the main characters and a convertible Corvette that were part of the float, while Brad Taylor from Plant Services helped to provide sound and lighting, and also drove the Greater Lowell Technical High School truck that pulled the float through the parade.
In-house electrician Paul Morash also helped out with final preparations on parade day, and drove as a security escort during the parade.
Electrical Instructor Eric Weed, Plumbing Instructor Genuino Mendonca, Graphic Communications Instructor Sergio Rijo and Masonry Instructor Dan Hagan, and their students also played important roles in getting the float built.
“Our float this year was incredible and I am so proud of the teamwork our students and instructors showed to create it in a collaborative effort,” said Superintendent Davis. “The City of Lights Parade is always an incredible event, and I’m so proud our students were able show off their work to the City of Lowell and it’s residents in such a festive way.”