1. hobbies and interests
2. guitar

“The School That Works”
VOLUME 6 ISSUE 2
WORCESTER TECHNICAL HIGH SCHOOL NEWSPAPER
Guadalupe Delgado
is awarded
Posse Scholarship
By Kayla Imbody
C
ongratulations are in order
to Guadalupe Delgado. A
senior in Electromechanical Technology, Guadalupe
received a Posse Scholarship worth
$140,000 to the Centre College in
Danville, Kentucky for undergraduate
study.
According to Guidance Department head, Brian Potter, The Posse
Foundation identifies public high
school students with extraordinary
academic and leadership potential
that may be overlooked by traditional
college selection processes. The foundation extends to these students the
opportunity to pursue personal and
academic excellence by placing them
in supportive, multicultural teams
(Posse) of 10 students. The foundation’s partner universities award Posse
Scholars four-year, full-tuition leadership scholarships.
Guadalupe is an
energetic individual who
is constantly on the go.
This fall, she was captain of the Girls’ Cross
Country Team. Currently, she is working
in a co-op position at Siemens
in Worcester.
She has little
down time
but manages to keep
on top of
her academic work and she always finds time for
Continued on Next Page
PHOTO / CARMELA MARCASCIANO
Kelsey Peel gives Zeth Anger some tips on finding the right tune .
Guitar Club Strikes a Chord
with Tech Students By Claribel Quintanilla
W
orcester Technical High
School provides students
with many opportunities
to enjoy high school beyond the bell-to-bell day.
This year a new extra-curricular club
has been created to help students gain
a talent for guitar playing and to have
a good time with friends.
The Guitar Club is a true ensemble bringing together the advising
teachers and WTHS students of
different levels of guitar experience.
Being a part of this club has been a
great chance for me personally. It
has certainly become a popular club
at WTHS, encouraging students
with some guitar background to
express their musical talent. This
club has helped those like me to
discover a new talent.
The founders of the Guitar Club
are Mr. Peter Stearns and Mr. Steve
Champeau. These two are Graphic
Communications teachers, and great
buddies. They are funny, friendly, and
all-around nice guys.
I must say “thank-you” to both
of these teachers who have given their
after school time to WTHS students.
Here’s what they had to say in a recent
interview.
Why did you start the guitar club?
Mr. Stearns: “We are both in the
school band “The Detentions.” So we
began bringing the guitars into school
and playing for the kids. A lot seemed
interested and now here we are.”
When did you started to play the
guitar?
Mr. Stearns: “I started playing in
the 5th grade around the age of 10;
Continued on Page 4
VOLUME 6 ISSUE 2
staffbox
JAN/FEB 2012
2
studentspotlight
REPORTERS
Jenna Boyle
Bonnie Cordella
Samantha Murphy-Cripps
Jasmine Dyer
Lois Dwira
Kayla Imbody
Maleena Jumpp
Ciara Keyes
Sundra Lam
John Licoski
Marvin Nunez
Claribel Quintanilla
Reginald Sarpong
PHOTOGRAPHERS
Carmela Marcasiano
Ms. Sheila Marshall
Ms. Jean Collamore
Mr. John Foisy
PAGE LAYOUT
Zeth Anger
Mason Dumais
ADVISORS
Ms. Jean Collamore
Ms. Ann Sweetman
Special Thanks
Mr. Robert Mazzone - Graphic Communications
Ms. Sheila Harrity - Principal
Mr. Kyle Brenner -Director of Vocational/
Technical Education
Wor ce ste r Te chnical H ig h S c h ool
One S kyline D rive
Wor ce ste r, MA 01 6 05
50 8 -799 -1 9 4 0
www.te chhigh . u s
PHOTO / CARMELA MARCASCIANO
Guadalupe Delgado at work in Electro-Mechanical shop.
Guadalupe / Continued from Page One
other students strive for the scholarher friends while working toward her ship. “The experience forces you to look
goals. She will attend The Centre Col- within yourself and learn more. I know
lege where she will pursue a major that I learned things about myself that I
will prepare her to become a prosthetic didn’t know before. I had to think about
technician. She also plans to volunteer
a lot while I wrote my Posse-college
in the community and become
essay.”
a great Zumba instructor.
The Posse Foundation
“I heard about
focuses on individuals
this scholarship from
who excel academia friend in my sophcally but also show
omore year. I destrong leadership
cided to look into
skills. Guadalupe
it and then to start
wants to help all
preparing,”
said
people within her
Guadalupe. There
community, and esis a big time compecially, those who
mitment and a lot of
suffer through physiGuadalupe Delgado
rigor in the academic
cal traumas. She wants
and leadership projects.
to become a prosthetic
While much is expected
technician in order to design
from the student participants,
and build various limbs to help these
there is also support through each unfortunate victims. Guadalupe said,
Posse’s peer group and the foundation “I want to make a difference and help
mentors. She highly recommends that people.”
“The experience
forces you to look
within yourself and learn
more. I know I learned
things about myself that I
didn’t know before.”
JAN/FEB 2012
VOLUME 6 ISSUE 2
3
headliners
Biology MCAS Tutoring
By Bonnie Cordella
B
iology MCAS tutoring here
at Worcester Technical
High School is headed by
Christine Lloyd, the school
focus instructional coach.
Sophomores, juniors, and seniors who
have not yet passed the Biology MCAS
attended early sessions. From February
to June, Mrs. Lloyd hopes to see freshmen, whom she will help to prepare for
the upcoming test. From what I have
witnessed in the first session, she is getting the turn-out she hoped for, as many
students arrived in room B212 at 1:43
on December 1st, 2011.
If you have not yet attended, or
are undecided on whether you want
to attend, you may find what went on
during the first session interesting, and
appealing to your learning needs.
The session started with an example question posted on the board
– “The X in this food web most likely
represents which of the following? –
with the possible answers listed underneath it – A. Dragonfly larvae; B.
Elodea plants; C. Frog eggs; D. Paramecium species.” Students received a
Post-It note to write their answers on,
and if they did not answer the question
correctly, with choice B., they received
one more chance to try to answer correctly, before the answer was explained.
After discussion, students were
asked to stand in a circle in the middle of the room. Mrs. Lloyd posted
vocabulary words on the board, such
as producer, consumer, and herbivore,
with their definitions, and gave students cards with words on them, with
yarn attached, so they could wear them
like IDs. Mrs. Lloyd stood at the head
of the circle, with a ball of yarn, acting
as the “sun.” She wrapped yarn around
her waist, and began to activate the use
of vocabulary words, coaxing students
with phrases such as, “Berries and nuts
are both?” to which students correctly
answered, “Plants; producers.”
Mrs. Lloyd then tossed the ball of
PHOTO / MS. COLLAMORE
Mrs. Lloyd tutors Mikayla Corrales on a biology experiment.
yarn to a student, whose card stated he
was acting as a “producer.” He wrapped
the yarn around his waist, saying: “I am
a producer.” This student tossed the yarn
to another student, whose card stated he
was a “bear,” or omnivore. Each student
had to state what he or she was acting as
(carnivore, omnivore, herbivore; producer, consumer, decomposer, or parasite).
Students continued to figure out
questions from Mrs. Lloyd, identifying
who or what their role in nature provides energy to, or receives energy from.
As they answered, they tossed the yarn
to one another, and, in turn, to wrap the
yarn around their waists. In the end,
they had created a type of 3-D, human
food web, which was the topic of that
day’s session.
Students had started the session
by slowly answering the questions they
were asked, almost unsure of the answer
they were giving. Yet, as they progressed
through this interactive cooperative activity, and the food web started taking
shape, students began to respond more
rapidly, and with more ease and confidence. Mrs. Lloyd praised them with
words of joy, and comments about how
the pace of responses was beginning to
pick up. This part of the lesson ended
with a student who stated, “I am a decomposer, and I get my energy from
dead things.”
After this last student responded,
Mrs. Lloyd instructed the students to
“raise your hand if you would be identified as a producer…. Raise your hand if
you would be identified as consumer,”
to which the students, again, correctly
responded.
When all students had raised
their hands to identify what they would
be classified as, they stepped forward
and dropped the yarn to the floor. Mrs.
Lloyd then set up the next step in the
process. The “herbivores” in the previous
activity lined up in front of the “producers.” The “carnivore” students then lined
up in front of the “herbivore” students.
The “omnivores” faced the “carnivore”
students. The remaining students were
acting as decomposers and stood off to
the side, since in nature; the decomposers eat the other organisms as they
Continued on Page 5
VOLUME 6 ISSUE 2
JAN/FEB 2012
4
clubscene
PHOTO / MS. COLLAMORE
Brianna Martocchio
Guitar/Continued from Page One
it’s just something that clicked with
me. Growing up, a lot of my friends
were getting into trouble, but this is
something that helped me stay out of
trouble.”
Mr. Champeau: “It took me 3 times
(he admitted). “The first time I started
I was 8, and I couldn’t do it. I hated
practice; I just wanted to play the
guitar. Then I tried again when I was
13, but again I wasn’t patient. At last
at the age of 23, I finally learned and
been playing ever since—about 31
years.”
Did anyone inspire you to play the
guitar?
Mr. Stearns: “Actually, I really like
Eddie van Halen; I liked the song
–‘Spanish Fly.’”
Mr. Champeau: “I just wanted to play
folk music, ‘music with meaning’ and
the classics.”
Any favorite songs?
Mr. Stearns: “‘Let It Be’ by The Beatles”
Mr. Champeau: “That’s hard; I don’t
have any.”
About how many people are in the
Guitar Club?
Mr. Champeau: “About 18— it certainly has grown. A lot of students mention that they would want to participate but don’t have a guitar. It’s never
too late to join. It’s a club to have fun
and share the love for music.”
Mr. Stearns: “There’s no pressure! We
just chill and play the guitars.”
Where do you get all the guitars?
PHOTO / CARMELA MARCASCIANO
Jonathan Hicks, Elliot
Mercier and Melinda
Blanchard (Above)
practice while (Left),
Claribel Quintanilla
and Dremil Minaya get
tips from Mr. Champeau. Mr. Stearns shares
his music genius with
Langston Hughes.
(Below)
PHOTO / CARMELA MARCASCIANO
Mr. Stearns: “Some are our
personal guitars. We just
bring them in to let the kids
borrow them. Mr. Champeau has donated 3 guitars
to the guitar club. We actually want to have some sort
of sponsorship or be able to
raise money so we can buy
more guitars. That would be
great!”
What do you want to accomplish
from this club?
Mr. Champeau: “We want back Stage
Passes to the first person who becomes famous! No, really, we just want
everyone to have fun and enjoy playing
the guitar. But it would be great to
see someone from WTHS become
famous.”
Mr. Stearns: “We just want everyone
to have fun and learn how to play the
guitar—basically just to love to play
the guitar. I also would love to have
a guitar for everyone in the club even
PHOTO / MS. COLLAMORE
if they already have a guitar. There
could be awards for just committing to
participate in the club. So I’m hoping
to raise money for more guitars.”
Any advice for those who are just
starting?
Mr. Stearns: “All you need is practice.”
Mr. Champeau: “Yeah, it took me 3
times, but I finally learned. It might
be hard at first, you know, but all it
takes is PRACTICE!”
The Guitar Club meets every Wednesday after school until 3pm. It’s free!
JAN/FEB 2012
clubscene
Spare, Strike, Win
By Marvin Nunez and Ciara Keyes
B
owling first popped up on the
sports and entertainment
radar around 1375. It is a
“sport in which players attempt to score points by rolling a bowling ball along a flat surface,
usually a wooden or synthetic surface,
either into pins or to get close to a target
ball. The most common types include
ten-pin, nine-pin, candlepin, duckpin and five-pin
bowling, as well as
multiple outdoor
variations” (http://
en.wikipedia.org/
wiki/Bowling ).
Now that you
know--are you interested in bowling?
If so, join the WTHS Bowling League!
Mr. Carey and Mr. Lane are in charge
of running the bowling league. Team
practices are Wednesdays 3:00 - 5:00
pm; tournaments are Fridays 3:00 5:00 pm at AMF Bowling Center, 101
Southbridge St. Auburn, MA.
There is no cost to participate, and
the league is a 10 week commitment. If
you join the bowling league you will
compete against other high schools, all
grades, and co-ed. Schools participating
in these tournaments are Shepherd Hill
Regional High School, Auburn High
School, Saint Peter-Marian, South
High School, Leicester High School,
and North High School. The MIAA
rules are good behavior, attendance, and
grades.
Congratulations go to team B for
their mid-December victory. They won
4 out 5 matches over Auburn. Team
members are: Matt Lucier, Edgar Davis,
Corin Harden, Jessica Ustinovich and
Jacob Delgado. Team A was led by Harley Benoit who won 4 points with a 177
average. Other members on team A are:
Vincent Anderson, Anthony Swanson,
Lindsey Bernier, Rick Roman and Mike
Vuong.
If you have any questions, contact
Mr. Carey in the Plumbing Department.
VOLUME 6 ISSUE 2
5
MCAS Continued from Page 3
die. Mrs. Lloyd, again acting as the
sun, handed out beads to the producers. The beads stood for energy, and she
explained that any “energy” the students
lost (meaning, any beads they dropped
in the floor) would be considered lost
energy, or heat.
All of the other students faced
the producers. The herbivore students
then took beads (energy) from them,
leaving a few beads so that “the producers could make more food.” The carnivore students then took energy from
the herbivores, and turned to face the
omnivores, who took energy from them.
If students had less than two beads by
the time the omnivores took them, they
were considered “dead,” and had to give
their remaining beads to the students
Take Note on
the Chorus
acting as decomposers. Then, after a
brief explanation of energy and why
producers have the most of it, students
arranged the desks back in order and put
their cards on Mrs. Lloyd’s desk, before
taking their seats. Questions followed,
and students who had before struggled
with answering the same ones, now understood the concepts.
Right before students were to
leave, they all received an exit slip question, to which 97% of students on this
very first day of tutoring answered correctly. Mrs. Lloyd said, “That is why I
get one hundred percent of kids to pass
the test. Because I make one hundred
percent of students answer the questions.” Also, she offered a strategy: “If
two answers are exact opposites, one of
those is usually the correct answer.”
studentpoll
By Sundra Lam
By Lois Dwira and Samantha
Murphy-Cripps
We asked some freshmen
about their shop placement:
orcester Technical High
School has started up a
school chorus, thanks to
freshman Samantha Murphy-Cripps,
and advisors Cantor Irving N. Spenadel, Chef Kim Youkstetter, and science
teacher Mr. James Kobialka.
Mr. Spenadel who has had earlier
experience in religious choirs as a director is taking part in the school chorus.
Chef Y, Culinary Instructor, is making
an effort to work in the music group.
Murphy-Cripps has sung in choruses
for many years and was the driving
force behind this club. She said, “Our
first chorus meeting took place on November 21, 2011. We had a great outcome. About 15 girls showed up, ready
to sing and to give their best.”
The WTHS Chorus hopes to
hear more male voices. As an all-female
chorus (for now) its hope is to complete
an a cappella piece (song with no instruments-just voices). Other achievements may include stage performances
such as a talent show, participation in
school productions, and other musical
programs.
“Are you in your first choice
shop now? If so what is it?”
Anna Tran, “Yes, I am in my first choice
shop; I’m in Allied Health.”
DJ Grisson, “Yes, I’m in Auto Collision.”
Jason Briand, “Yes, I’m in Electrical.”
Brandi Card, ”No, I’m in Telecom. It’s
all right.”
Kaylie Ortiz, Yes, Yes, Yes. I love Vet
Tech.
W
“What was your first shop
choice when you came here
and why?”
Anna Tran: “I wanted to be in Allied
because I wanted to become a dentist.”
DJ Grisson: “No, it was not my first
choice because I thought I wanted Auto
Tech, but I found Auto Collision to be
more interesting.”
Jason Briand: “Yes, because I found
it interesting to be in this part of the
economy.”
Brandi Card: “My first choice was Cosmetology when I came here.”
Kaylie Ortiz: “I have wanted to work in
Vet Tech for my entire life.”
VOLUME 6 ISSUE 2
JAN/FEB 2012
6
clubscene
Best Buddies Make the Best Cookies
By Kayla Imbody
B
est Buddies is a group of
Tech High student volunteers that helps intellectually-challenged
students
interact with other students.
The volunteers “buddy-up” with these
students so they can gain the skills they
need to interact with others. The partnerships allow them to “break out of
their shells.” This reporter has learned
that the buddy-up is “is essentially a
friendship. The volunteers help these
students forming lasting friendships.”
The club meetings are about twice
a month with advisor Mrs. Stowe, and a
very successful get-together was held on
December 12, 2011 to decorate and enjoy holiday cookies. The Buddies decorated little boy/girl and tree figure cookies as well as little candy houses made
from recycled milk cartons. The members smothered their cookies and milk
cartoons in white frosting and stuck the
little candies of their choice to them.
Once the cookies and houses were
made the unexpectedly large group of
students huddled together for a group
picture as well as individual pictures.
“My buddies are the best! They’re like
my sisters. I’m lucky to have all five of
them, “said Ann Lam, grinning from ear
to ear.
All the Buddies enjoyed an amazing time decorating and chatting. This
event allowed everyone to get to know
each other better. After enjoying each
other’s company the members stuffed
themselves silly with all sorts of colorful, yummy creations that they had constructed themselves.
The Culinary Department generously donated cookies and frosting to
the Best Buddies group. The Best Buddies members brought in a good variety
of candies for decorating the cookies
and houses. with. Mrs. Stowe as well as
other teachers that are involved in the
Best Buddies group planned and helped
with this event.
The Science Fair Projects are Evolving
By Reginald Sarpong
T
he Science Fair, as described
by Mrs. Christine Lloyd,
“is a great opportunity for
students to apply the scientific method and also to
improve their independent research
abilities.” The result of each student’s
research is not only presented to our
school, WTHS, but also to the different schools in Worcester and even to
the whole state if the project is worth it.
Mrs. Lloyd said, “Outstanding projects are always student-driven
projects on topics that they are passionate about. For example, designing children’s learning tools, osteoporosis and
vitamin D deficiency, optical illusions,
etc. When you enjoy your topic, i.e.
trade, your experiment or design process comes naturally.”
The projects that are submitted
will be critiqued by experienced scientists who will first test how thorough
the student’s research is; and assess the
amount of effort a student placed into
his or her work. Nevertheless, the rewards for this Science Fair are price-
Name
Reginald Sarpong
Franchesca Clara
Hadeel Hamza
Ana Azevedo
Loice Njoki
William Rodriguez
Elaine Wawira
Abigaile Mann
Nicole Miller
Taylor King
Katerina Nguyen
Mathssha Jean
Melissa Kornichuck
Nicole Dufrense
Meghan Sullivan
Emmalea Duke
Jessica Choiniere
Pasha Wade
Project Title
Osteoporosis, Vitamin D & Calcium
DNA analysis of lagomoph feces to determine species distribution
DNA analysis of lagomoph feces to determine species distribution
DNA analysis of lagomoph feces to determine species distribution
Cloning and Arabinose regulated expression of amylase DNA
Cloning and Arabinose regulated expression of amylase DNA
Cloning and Arabinose regulated expression of amylase DNA
Tap Water and Tattoo Infections
Tap Water and Tattoo Infections
Tap Water and Tattoo Infections
Web Based Chemical Inventory
Web Based Chemical Inventory
Web Based Chemical Inventory
Home Remedies for Bunyons which require no surgery
Home Remedies for Nail Fungus
Home Remedies for Nail Fungus
Tactile Learning Tool
Tactile Learning Tool
less. Not only can you earn money as
a reward for your hard work, but you
can also receive scholarships that could
pay for a whole semester of the college
of your choice. Science Fair participation is also a very beneficial activity to
include in your high school transcripts
and resumes.
Technical Area
Allied Health
Biotechnology
Biotechnology
Biotechnology
Biotechnology
Biotechnology
Biotechnology
Biotechnology
Cosmetology
Biotechnology
Business Technology
Business Technology
Business Technology
Cosmetology
Cosmetology
Cosmetology
Early Childhood
Early Childhood
The District Fair will be held on
March 8; the School Fair on April 12,
and the State Fai is set for May 4, 2012.
Mrs. Lloyd is Tech’s Focus Instructional Coach, Science Fair Coordinator,
and Biology MCAS tutor. If you have
any more questions, please visit her in
room B328.
JAN/FEB 2012
VOLUME 6 ISSUE 2
7
clubscene
WORCESTER
TECH DECA
STUDENTS
WIN BIG
Worcester Tech Attended
the DECA district conference recently at the Holiday Inn
in Boxboro MA with great success. Sending 40 competitors from
Finance & Marketing, our students
competed against 9 other schools
with over 350 students. Worcester
Tech ended the day with 33 students qualified to compete at the
state conference, including 9 trophy
winners. The DECA state career
Development conference will be
held in Boston at the Marriot Copley Hotel from March 8th- 10th.
Good luck to all our competitors.
Sophomore , Jessica Ustinovich (Above)
PHOTOS / MR. FOISY
won First Place in Business Financial Services.
Freshmen , Le Nguyen (Right) won second place in Principles
of Finance . Sophomore , Frances Tavares (Top Right) won third
place in Human Resource Management. Freshmen , Sha-Asia
Taylor (Top Left) won third place in Food Management Services.
DECA goes to Philadelphia
By Samantha Murphy-Cripps
PHOTO / MR. FOISY
Seniors, Gianna Moroski, Gezell
Gonzalez, Felica Moroski, Kim Angers,
and Erin Laliberty with Rocky.
A
mong the 500-600 students
to participate in this year’s
annual North Atlantic Regional Conference (NARCON), 20 of them came
from our very own Worcester Technical High School. This year’s conference
was held in Philadelphia, on November
18-20.
DECA is an organization built
for students in the Finance and Marketing trade as well as Hospitality
Management. Finance and Marketing Department Head John Foisy said,
“With a trade like Finance and Marketing there aren’t many hands-on
practices we can give our students in
shop. In a way, DECA becomes that
hands-on experience. They have to apply what they learn in the classroom to
the competitions.”
During these conferences students take part in many activities such
as competitions, workshops, lectures
from guest speakers. This year’s guest
speakers were Joel Hilchey; a speaker,
writer and founder of the Beanstalk
Program, a program to build global
citizenship, youth leadership and create
positive social change; and Brian Cain,
a coach to many world champion teams
and athletes. Cain has dedicated his life
to studying, modeling, and teaching
strategies of the most successful people
in the world.
Although this conference might
sound like all business, students are allowed free time. After the last activities
of the day students did some sight-seeing with their chaperones WTHS students enjoyed visits to the Liberty Bell
and the famous Rocky Balboa stairs.
On the last day of the conference was
the awards ceremony. Among those
awarded were two students from our
very own Finance and Marketing Department, Gezell Gonzalez and Erin
Laliberty.
VOLUME 6 ISSUE 2
JAN/FEB 2012
8
Shoptalk
Shops for Freshmen: The Final Assignments
By John Licoski
‘I got into something I don’t
actually hate and I am actually
good at it. Even if I didn’t get
into Cosmetology
I can still work with it.’
T
here are moments in people’s
lives that can be life-altering. One such moment
for WTHS freshmen occurred just before the holiday break—the moment the Shop List
went up.
As of December 14th, 2011 almost 400 freshmen knew what they
would be doing on
the weeks alternating with their academic curriculum
for the next four
years. I found this
so interesting that
I collected data
on December 15
from the shop list
Brianna Hiscock
and made statistics on the shops. I found that the shop
that most 9th grade freshmen got into
was Allied Health. However, as most
people know, each shop cannot accept
everyone who picks it as his or her first
choice. Most shops can only accommodate a certain number of students
for a variety of reasons including safety,
space and curriculum parameters. The
three shops who had overloads of interest were Allied Health, Cosmetology,
PHOTO / CARMELA MARCASIANO
and Electrical.
Of course, when you hear about
students getting rejected from their
first choice, you might think that they
are initially disappointed, even trying
to hold back tears when the list first is
posted. Unfortunately, cases like that
do exist; I talked to one of them. Brianna Hiscock said that she is one of
the people who did not get the shop
that she wanted. She told me how she
wanted Allied Health but got Sheet
Metal, which was near the end of her
six choices. I have heard from many
teachers that this has happened before,
year after year, but most students end
up liking their shop placement.
Rejection from a shop is bad news
for many people. And there are some
Best Wishes to Freshmen in Placements
by Nicole Miller
Congratulations to the class of 2015! Worcester Technical High
School is proud to assimilate the Freshman class into the building by
accepting them into one of many hard working trades. Freshmen were
notified of their placements just before the holiday break. About 88% of
the freshmen were placed in their first choice for shop, and schedules were
adjusted for a clean start as we enter the second half of the school year.
Hopefully all are content with their new technical areas, because
we are sure all the teachers and upperclassmen are happy to have you
working with them. The next years of your high school life here should be
outstanding, exciting, with a little difficulty mixed in. Hard work truly pays
off in the end, so try your best. Enjoy your four years here at WTHS.
Brandi Card
who take another perspective. Brandi
Card put a positive spin on not being
assigned her first choice—Cosmetology. When I asked her why she wasn’t
upset she said, “Everyone was expecting me to cry about not getting Cosmo
and everyone was like, ‘You didn’t get
Cosmo, oh, I’m sorry.’ But I couldn’t
care less. I got into something I don’t
actually hate and I am actually good at.
Even if I didn’t get into Cosmetology I
can still work with it; it’s not like I can’t
do it and it’s not like I completely hate
my assigned shop. So that’s why I’m not
crying and why I wasn’t shocked when
I got into Telecom.”
To sum up, most people will be
fine with their shop placement. Brandi
got Telecom instead of Cosmetology
because the people who looked at her
final top six thought she would be a
better fit in Telecom. For all of you
students who didn’t get your first pick,
please believe that it’s not the end of
the world. The point of cases like this
could be that things happen for a good
reason.
tooltips
Give us your input. Trade Winds
is looking for story ideas and
student highlights.
Contact Ms. Ann
Sweetman in B222.
JAN/FEB 2012
9
VOLUME 6 ISSUE 2
Shoptalk
The
Trifecta Veterinary Clinic at Tech High
By John Licoski
W
orcester Technical High
School allows students to
get hands-on experiences
with the shops and trades
they study and practice. In
a couple months, the Veterinary Assisting Shop will open “a full functioning
clinic that will operate during regular
school hours,” according to Veterinary
Assisting Instructor Ms. Christina
Melvin. “The clinic will be open to the
public—targeted mostly to those who
can’t afford proper veterinary care for
their animals. It will be appointmentbased, and will be run by our students,”
and veterinary medical students from
Tufts University, the partner school.
PHOTO / CARMELA MARCASCIANO
Explaining some of the proceMs. Melvin and Ms. Supernor with Veterinary Assisting students.
dures and the student responsibilities,
Ms. Melvin said, “There will be exam
rooms and my students will be working With its new improvements, the shop fecta win across the board.” Ms. Melwith the veterinary students. There will rooms will become a fully functioning vin is a certified veterinary technician,
and a member of NAVTA (National
be a laboratory area and we also plan clinic.
Ms.
Melvin
said,
“The
core
of
reAssociation of Veterinary Technicians
on doing some minor medical proceally,
truly
learning
veterinary
assisting
is
in America). She explained that Vet
dures such as minor surgery, X-ray, and
to
have
the
students
get
as
much
handsTech is now known as Veterinary Assome laboratory work.” She continued,
on
experience
as
possible.
Now
that
we
sisting because it is the first high school
“There will be a waiting room area and
are
on
the
second
floor
with
in the country to be approved by NAVmy students will also be able
direct
access
to
outside
TA. When the WTHS department
to give the clients helpit
is
very
easy
to
have
submitted the application and met the
ful information about
animals
here,
and
for
requirements for the prestigious certifiproper pet owner
the
students
to
have
cation, the shop became known as Vetship, and advice for
a
true
hands-on
exerinary Assisting.
keeping their pets
perience.
The important thing is that Ms.
healthy and well.”
Next
I
asked
Melvin’s
students can graduate as Ap After
Ms.
about
the
timing.
proved
Veterinary
Assistants thanks
Melvin
finished
Ms.
Melvin
said,
to
the
new
clinic.
“To
see this come
her quick summary
“Why
the
clinic,
and
to
be,”
said
Ms.
Melvin,
“basically, my
of the new clinic,
why
now?
Why
not?
dream
come
true.”
I asked some quesI mean, the economy is Before I left this interview, Ms.
Ms. Melvin
tions of my own—first
hard
and
there
are
hard
Melvin
wanted to give Tufts University
about the clinic’s location
times
for
everybody
and
pets
and
the
Construction trades at Tech
at Tech.
still
need
to
have
their
basic
health
their
due
respect and gratitude for their
She said, “The C-202 and C-203
care
needs
met.
[The
clinic]
is
not
only
work
in
preparing
the clinic.
area will be dedicated solely for the
going
to
help
my
students
with
their
By
early
spring
we hope to have
clinic, so the cage area will be included
learning.
They
will
gain
hands-on
exanimals
get
the
care
they
need to stay
as well.”
perience,
practicing
their
skills
on
real
healthy
by
visiting
our
school
Veteri
The Vet Assisting Shop and the
animal
with
real
clients.
Also,
we
are
nary
Clinic
to
see
Tufts
University
stuclinic will be in the same location with
going
to
be
helping
the
vet
students,
dents
and
our
own
Veterinary
Assisting
easy access to the outside, via the doors
that access the B-C connector area. and the community, so it’s really a tri- students.
“The core of
really, truly learning
veterinary assisting is to
have the students get as
much hands-on experience
as possible.”
VOLUME 6 ISSUE 2
JAN/FEB 2012
10
Shoptalk
TRADITIONAL READING
By Samantha Murphy-Cripps
On Friday December 9th, Mr. Ted Coghlin, Jr. joined
the families of the preschoolers from the Childhood department’s morning and afternoon preschool classes in the
annual reading of The Gingerbread Baby by Jan Brett. He
has joined in this traditional event for 10 years, dressed
in one of his very colorful and seasonal sweaters. When
asked why he does this every year for the kids Mr. Coghlin
responded, “I’m a big kid.”
Chair of the General Advisory Committee for the
Vocational Technical Education Advisory Council, Mr.
Coghlin said “My job as part of the board of advisors is to
help the faculty help the students by providing them with the
resources they need.” He noted that everyone at Worcester
Technical High school helps the students prepare for future
success in the workforce, including the youngest participants
in the Early Childhood program. He said, “These children
(referring to the preschoolers) help the students in the Early
Childhood department learn and prepare for work.”
PHOTO / SAMANTHA MURPHY-CRIPPS
sportreport
Winter Track Trains at Tech
By Maleena Jumpp
A
s I sat in to watch our
WTHS/North
Eagles
indoor track team practice, Jerry Snay, the relay
coach gave me some insight
on how they train the team members.
Meets are usually held on Wednesday, so the team works out on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday. On
these days, the students train from 2 to
3:45pm in different phases for competitions: Strength; speed; agility, plyometric; and cardio.
The team trains throughout the
enter school. Jumpers, for example,
train with Marc Groccia, who works
at North High, in the gym. The throwers also train with Groccia—in the hall
between Auto collision and Auto tech.
The sprinters train with Jerry Snay in
C D buildings, third floor. Just before
the holiday break, team members were
powering through climbing circuits on
the stairs outside of the Coughlin office.
The long distance and middle distance
runners train outdoors with Donald Vo
at Green Hill Park and the Belmont
Hill area. Vo is also the assistant coach
of the North-Tech Cross Country Team
There are many reasons why students want to be on the Indoor Track
Team. Snay said students join “to compete, to get in shape, to be a member of
a team and to prepare for other sports.”
Just like Soccer, Field Hockey and Boys
and Girls Cross Country, Indoor Track
is a combined team, pooling athletes and
talent from North High and Worcester
Technical High School.
The indoor track team season began
the first week of December and ends the
last week of February. The track team has
nine track meets at South High School
on Wednesdays. Events for Indoor: High
Jump, Shot Put, 2 Mile, 1 Mile, 1000 meters, 600 Meters, 300 Meter, 50 Meter, 1
Mile relay, and 4x200 Relay. The people
who keep things running smoothly for
the indoor track team are Destiny Albino,
Jannette Cortes, Desirae Rosario and the
grad assistant is Jake Somers. The Tech
Captains are Chelsey Hernandez, Kelsie
Ruslow, Victor Sambola, Anthony Bailey,
and Chris Sales.
Winter Tips
By Lois Dwira
According to the calendar, winter is
most certainly here.
Celebrate the New Year with good
health and cheer. Although we haven’t
seen any real winter weather since
October, we do live in New England,
and eventually, we will have to enjoy
the snow. Here are a few tips on how
to stay healthy throughout the 2012
school days and vacations.
Wear jackets, gloves, and boots
Always wash your hands for
15-20 seconds—with soap
Keep your personal distance
Cover your mouth & nose when
you cough or sneeze
Get enough rest
Get some exercise and be safe
while walking on snow and ice
Stay warm and enjoy good times
with your friends and families
JAN/FEB 2012
11
VOLUME 6 ISSUE 2
snapshots
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VOLUME 6 ISSUE 2
sceneit
New Drivers, Safe Drivers
New law prohibits cellphone use by teens
By Maleena Jumpp
T
hrough the 1990’s, teen
driving records indicated
that the number of fatal
accidents had increased
rapidly as more teens got in
the drivers’ seats of their own vehicles.
Stronger teen driving laws have been
applied, including the graduated license.
The graduated
driving license requires teen drivers
to meet certain
restrictions before obtaining
a full driver
license.
Just getting a permit
requires a test,
a set number of
supervised hours
behind the wheel,
and night restrictions. And most recently, a 2010 law prohibits
any cell phone use by teen drivers
while behind the wheel. Teens also pay
higher insurance premiums.
The laws specifically directed toward teen drivers include the following: Passenger Restriction; Time Restriction Violation—driving between
12:30am-5am; Operating to Endan-
techtoons
JAN/FEB 2012
12
ger/Recklessly or Negligent; DragRacing; Speeding; Conviction for the
use of a mobile electronic device (text
or phone); Negligent operation and
injury from mobile phone use. Some
violations carry a 3 year suspension of
license and up to $500 fines (http://
www.mass.gov/rmv/jol/jol_penalties_
chart.htm).
For over two decades, the
number of deadly accidents
involving
teen drivers has
decreased.
It
seems that the
stricter
teen
driver
laws
have reduced
deadly accidents. Even
though these
laws may seem
unnecessary to
teen drivers (especially the cell
phone ban), there
has been about 30%
drop in highway fatalities
among teenagers. Some people
say that the strict teen driving laws protect all drivers and make the roads safer.
Others say the laws are too restricting
to teen drivers and limit some of their
privileges. There is a state discussion
now about banning the use of all handheld mobile devices for all drivers.
By X’dielle Gonzalez-Guzman
College Advice
By Jenna Boyle
I
t’s senior year for about a quarter of
the students at WTHS, and senior
year means college decisions. But
before reaching the senior year decision process, students need to be ready
to apply. Mr. Brian Potter, head guidance counselor, says there are lots of tips
for applying to colleges. He said, “The
most important things you should consider are what interests you have and the
possible majors. Size and location of the
school matter too, but not as much.”
Applications should be filled out
during the first half of the senior year,
but the timing matters on the application. The deadlines for Fast-Action
fall around the November. Regular
deadlines are grounded in the January
time frame. Students are always curious and concerned about their chances
of getting in to college. Potter stated
that “The grades and the transcript will
be the first and most important thing
colleges will look at.” It’s crucial for all
students to keep up their grades for all
four years of high school.
Although the process is time
consuming, more and more colleges are
using the online applications through a
website called Commonapp, which has
streamlined the application process.
From a guidance counselor’s point of
view, Potter said, “The most important
thing when applying to colleges is following through and making deadlines.
Teachers are here to help you, but you
need to pull in the effort too.”
Juniors, it’s not too early to start
this process.