MAVA

April 5, 2019

Chinese Delegates Visit Essex Tech to Learn About Career Technical Education

Jessica Sacco ⋅ Client News, School News ⋅ career technical education, China, Chinese educators, dese, Essex Tech, MAVA ⋅ 0 Comments

Essex North Shore Agricultural & Technical School
Dr. Heidi T. Riccio, Superintendent
565 Maple Street
Hathorne, MA 01937

For Immediate Release

Friday, April 5, 2019

Contact: Jessica Sacco
Phone: 617-993-0003
Email: [email protected]

Chinese Delegates Visit Essex Tech to Learn About Career Technical Education

Essex Tech Advanced Manufacturing junior Tommaso Verdiglione, of Peabody, gives a demonstration on a CNC 3-Axis Mill to Chinese educators. (Courtesy Photo Essex Tech)

Chinese delegates meet to gather information on career technical education at Essex Tech. (Courtesy Photo Essex Tech)

MAVA and DESE representatives were also in attendance during the Chinese delegates’ visit to Essex Tech, where they met with Superintendent Heidi Riccio, fourth from left, along with SkillsUSA students, left center and Future Farmers of America students, right. Attendees included DESE Educational Specialist-Safety David Edmonds, far left, Director of Academic Programs at Essex Tech Dr. Thomas O’Toole, second from left, DESE Associate Commissioner Keith Westrich, left center, DESE Senior Associate Commissioner Cliff Chuang, center, and MAVA Executive Director Kevin Farr, far right. (Courtesy Photo Essex Tech)

DANVERS — A group of educators from the Jiangsu province of China visited Essex Tech this week to learn about career technical education programming.

Approximately 20 Chinese educators arrived at Essex Tech on April 4. Future Farmers of America and SkillsUSA students greeted the group before leading them to the media center for a short video about the numerous programs available at the school.

Students then took Chinese educators on a tour of Essex Tech, stopping at Advanced Manufacturing, Engineering, Dental Assisting, Information Technology, Biotechnology, and the agricultural programs of Companion Animals, Environmental Science and Veterinary Science — where the Angell Medical Clinic is set to open in the fall.

Essex Tech is one of three schools the delegates are visiting this week, along with Madison Park Technical Vocational High School, which they toured on April 3, and Upper Cape Cod Regional Technical High School, which they are visiting today.

The group first contacted Kevin Farr, Executive Director of the Massachusetts Association of Vocational Administrators, last month to coordinate the trip. He then reached out to Essex Tech to see if educators would be interested in sharing the school’s success as a leader in vocational education.

“We were excited to showcase our career technical education programs for our colleagues over in China who are looking for successful models to replicate,” Superintendent Heidi Riccio said. “Our students leave here not only with a 21st century education, but as well rounded adults who are prepared for post secondary education and careers.”

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May 1, 2018

Whittier Tech Senior Briana Jackson Earns Outstanding Vocational Technical Student Award

Jessica Sacco ⋅ Client News ⋅ Massachusetts Association of Vocational Administrators, MAVA, Outstanding Vocational Technical Student, Whittier ⋅ 0 Comments

Maureen Lynch, Superintendent
115 Amesbury Line Road
Haverhill, MA 01830

For Immediate Release

Tuesday, May 1, 2018

Contact: Jessica Sacco
Phone: 617-993-0003
Email: [email protected]

Whittier Tech Senior Briana Jackson Earns Outstanding Vocational Technical Student Award

Senior Briana Jackson has been named the most promising vocational technical student at Whittier Tech. (Courtesy Photo Whittier Tech)

HAVERHILL — Superintendent Maureen Lynch is pleased to announce that senior Briana Jackson, of Haverhill, earned Whittier Tech’s Outstanding Vocational Technical Student award.

The annual award is sponsored by the Massachusetts Association of Vocational Administrators and recognizes students who excel scholastically and in their technical area of study. Students are honored for making significant contributions to their school district and in turn, vocational technical education as a whole in the state.

Each year, superintendents designate one student in the district to receive the award. After four years at Whittier, Jackson has an A+ average and is ranked second in her class of 302 students. Following graduation, she will attend the University of Massachusetts, Lowell where she will major in biology/pre-med. Her plan is to be a trauma surgeon.

MAVA members recognized Jackson and 24 of her peers from vocational-technical high schools in Massachusetts during an awards dinner on April 12 at Mechanics Hall in Worcester.

“Briana is extremely deserving of this recognition,” Superintendent Lynch said. “She has excelled at Whittier, both academically and in her extracurricular activities. She has a genuine passion for helping others, which you can see in both her career choice and how she spends her time outside of school.”

Jackson is a member of the National Technical Honor Society and has earned her Certified Nursing Assistant license as well as certifications in CPR/First Aid, OSHA, and Alzheimer’s/Dementia training. She has won gold, silver and bronze medals in SkillsUSA competitions, and has been employed as a CNA since the end of her junior year at Whittier Rehabilitation Hospital through Whittier’s co-op program. The role has helped her grow and be more confident in the field.

“I work in a hospital so I have to talk to people who may be crying and have chronic illnesses, and some of them are young,” Jackson said. “It was hard to talk to patients at first and now I can walk right up and start talking and they remember me, which is nice.”

Jackson is also president of the Key Club, whose members are focused on completing acts of service, volunteerism and leadership, and has led several projects to help others. In June 2017, she organized a teddy bear drive where students distributed the stuffed animals to local police officers so they could have them on hand to give to children experiencing trauma. Additionally, she represents the student body on Whittier’s School Committee and is the recipient of the Bright Promise Scholarship and the Daughters of the American Revolution Good Citizen Award.

“Key Club at Whittier is what made me more confident,” Jackson said, who has worked her way up in the group to become president this year. “Doing community service helps you see what other people’s lives are like. It made me have more understanding and respect for others. I realized I should not take stuff for granted.”

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