technical skills

Non-Northeast Metro Tech Students Invited to Attend Free Exploratory Program

⋅ Client News, School News ⋅ , , , , ⋅ 0 Comments

Northeast Metro Tech
Superintendent David DiBarri
100 Hemlock Road
Wakefield, MA 01880

For Immediate Release

Thursday, Jan. 24, 2019

Contact: John Guilfoil
Phone: 617-993-0003
Email: [email protected]

Non-Northeast Metro Tech Students Invited to Attend Free Exploratory Program

As part of the launch of the Exploring Vocational and Career Technical Pathways program in 2018, Design and visual teacher Chris Young works with Reading High School senior Ryder Thomas on a project in Photoshop. (Courtesy Photo)

WAKEFIELD — Northeast Metro Tech is once again opening its doors to non-vocational high school students interested in learning more about technical education.

Through its “Exploring Vocational and Career Technical Pathways,” Northeast is offering a 12-week program for in-district students in grades nine through 12 not currently enrolled at the school to expand their knowledge in one of 13 tech programs.

This is the second year of the program, which is made possible through a $100,000 Cummings Foundation grant that will be used over four years.

“We take our role as our communities’ alternative high school option very seriously,” Principal Carla Scuzzarella said. “This grant provides us with the means to offer vocational and technical opportunities for students who are thinking about options for their future.”

Divided into three four-week programs, students in Northeast’s district who sign up for Exploring Vocational and Career Technical Pathways are welcomed to the school on Saturdays to experience a number of career pathways. The free courses are led by a Northeast instructor and participants get an abridged version of each shop’s curriculum.

Given the success of last year’s pilot program, Northeast is now offering courses in nearly all of its tech programs — automotive technology, business technology, drafting and design, carpentry, cosmetology, culinary arts, design & visual communications, electrical, health assisting, heating, ventilation & air conditioning/refrigeration, metal fabrication, plumbing and robotics.

“Teachers saw the positive impact this program had on communities during our pilot program and wanted to become more involved,” Program Director Joe O’Brien Jr. said. “This is a great opportunity for students who are interested in one, two or three areas of technical study to learn more and gain valuable skills that can be applied in college or a career.”

Additionally, as part of a $106,320 Skills Capital Grant Northeast received earlier this month, the school will expand the drafting and design program for participants through updated equipment and advanced software.

The first of three sessions will begin on Feb. 2 and continue on Feb. 9, Feb. 16 and March 2. Session two will run from March 9-30 (Saturdays only) and session three begins on April 6, and meets on April 13, April 27 and May 4.

Students can attend all three sessions for free, and pick three different shops to explore, or stick with one for 12 weeks. Transportation to Northeast is not provided.

To apply, students should fill out an application here and email it to O’Brien at [email protected], or mail it to the school at:

Northeast Metro Tech
Attn: Joe O’Brien Jr.
100 Hemlock Road
Wakefield, MA 01880

Applicants should apply prior to the start of each session. Those who apply in the middle of a session will be placed in the following session. Anyone with questions should contact O’Brien at [email protected] or 781-246-0810.

###

Whittier Tech Students Place in National SkillsUSA Competition

⋅ Client News, School News ⋅ , , , , , , ⋅ 0 Comments

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

For Immediate Release

Friday, July 6, 2018

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

Whittier Tech Students Place in National SkillsUSA Competition

HAVERHILL — Superintendent Maureen Lynch is pleased to announce that two Whittier Tech teams earned bronze medals at the SkillsUSA national competition last week.

Students who earned gold at the SkillsUSA state competition in April moved onto the national round on June 25-30 in Louisville, Kentucky.

Whittier Tech rising seniors Larissa Havey, of Amesbury, Emily Shal, of Amesbury, and Allasandra Thompson, of Haverhill, earned bronze for their career pathways showcase in health occupations for their “Music and Memory” program, which benefits patients with Alzheimer’s disease and dementia in nursing homes.

“I have never felt so much joy in my life, not only being able to represent my school, but being able to care for these residents. We put so much time and effort in trying to improve their quality of life,” said Havey. “Overall, Kentucky wasn’t about winning. It was about getting to experience this joy and memories with the people.”

Graduating seniors Tyler Paolucci, of Georgetown, Jacklyn Verrette, of Haverhill, and Mackenzie Maguire, of Merrimac, also earned bronze in the career pathways showcase in the industrial and engineering technology cluster for their CAD design of Whittier’s new Allied Health Center.

“I am beyond happy to have placed. When I heard that our team earned bronze, I felt like I was going to the moon I jumped so high,” Paolucci said. “This was a six-month long project and the outcome is amazing. We love Whittier so much and as seniors we wanted to leave our mark on the school somehow, so this new Allied Health Center really has our spin on it.”

During the competition, students presented their projects to a panel of judges and were judged in a number of areas, including speaking skills, community impact, demonstration of technical skills and integration of business and industry.

“The six students who placed in the national competition demonstrated unbelievable teamwork, commitment and passion throughout their projects and over the last several months participating in SkillsUSA,” said Whittier’s SkillsUSA Co-adviser Jane Moskevitz. “Our teams had some stiff competition from 40 other teams and for them to place is reflective of the superb work they completed. They should be proud, and know that they have the academic and technical skills to excel outside of Whittier.”

Rising seniors Kaitlyn Cook, Ethan Rousseau and Adam Bellville — all of Haverhill — also have reason to be proud of their work in the chapter display category. This season marked the first time in 16 years that Whittier entered a team in this section of the competition, with the three earning seventh place out of 44 teams. Projects had to represent this year’s theme — “Job-Ready Day One.”

“Just to make it to nationals is an accomplishment, and these students should be so proud of their hard work,” Moskevitz said. “We’ve learned so much this year just seeing what other teams produced and we’re confident we’ll be back next year.”

SkillsUSA is a partnership of vocational-technical and career students, teachers and industry leaders who work together to promote and ensure a skilled workforce in the U.S. More than 395,000 middle school, high school and college students and professional members are enrolled in training programs in trade, technical and skilled service occupations.

###

Northeast Metro Tech Awarded $100,000 Cummings Foundation Grant to Expand Services to District Seniors

⋅ Client News, School News ⋅ , , , , , , , , , ⋅ 0 Comments

Northeast Metro Tech
Superintendent David DiBarri
100 Hemlock Road
Wakefield, MA 01880

For Immediate Release

Friday, July 7, 2017

Contact: John Guilfoil
Phone: 617-993-0003
Email: [email protected]

Northeast Metro Tech Awarded $100,000 Cummings Foundation Grant to Expand Services to District Seniors

Students Not Enrolled at Northeast Given the Opportunity to Gain Technical and Career Skills

Left to right: Principal Carla Scuzzarella and Tracey O’Brien, Administrator for Student Services at Northeast, at the awards reception on June 8 at the Cummings Park in Woburn. (Courtesy Photo Northeast Metro Tech)

WAKEFIELD– School Committee Chairman Deborah Davis, of Woburn, is pleased to announce that Northeast Metro Tech received a $100,000 Cummings Foundation grant to expand opportunities for seniors in the district to obtain technical and career skills prior to graduation.

Northeast was notified it was a recipient of the Cummings Foundation’s $100K for 100 grant on May 19. The money will be used over four years, through $25,000 installments, to pilot a 12-week program called Exploring Vocational/Technical Career Paths for Non-Metro Tech Seniors.

The pilot program, which is free for students in Northeast’s 12-community district, is designed to give seniors who are not enrolled at Northeast the opportunity to explore a number of career paths, like Dental Assisting, Metal Fabrication and Electrical. The first of the courses is scheduled to begin in January. Each class will run on Saturdays for four hours.

“We recognize that not all students know what career paths they’d like to pursue following their high school graduation,” Principal Scuzzarella said. “This program is a great opportunity for those undecided or undeclared seniors to explore some of our vocational courses to learn valuable skills for their future endeavors.”

Along with getting hands on instruction in Northeast’s shops, students enrolled in the program will have access to Northeast’s Career Center. There, a staff member will be available to assist participants with putting together resumes, conducting job searches, preparing for interviews and more.

About the Cummings Foundation $100K for 100 grant program:

The Cummings Foundation awards $10 million each year through its $100K for 100 grant program. Awardees typically include those supporting local causes, such as human services, education, healthcare and social justice.

###