~ THE NEW ~
Uxbridge Times MiBe ne
Established in 1991 Vol. 27 • Issue 2
Over 21,000 Copies Mailed Free
UxbrIdge • North UxbrIdge • LINwood • doUgLas • NorthbrIdge • whItINsVILLe • sUttoN • MaNchaUg
February 2018
Heading to the school of her dreams Story and photo by Richard Lombardo "She's been exceptional since she was born. She taught herself how to tie her shoes at just three years old and hasn't stopped excelling at all she does since." Those are the words of Nancy Malone, who's 17-year-old daughter, Riley, recently became just the third student in the history of Uxbridge High School to be accepted to Harvard University. For Riley, it is the culmination of a lifelong pursuit to attend the school of her dreams. "It's been a goal of mine since I was in the sixth grade. Of course back then it was the only college I knew about," joked Malone. What may have begun under such simple circumstances, became a real, tangible goal when Riley visited Harvard last summer. "The culture at Harvard is extremely welcoming. I even saw banners during my visit that read, 'You Belong Here.' Some of the greatest minds in the country are at Harvard and they are grateful to be among other great minds. That kind of atmosphere is what distinguished Harvard from other universities to me," said Malone. The campus visit only served to intensify Malone's pursuit of a dream, which frankly, she doubted would materialize. Malone elected to apply under the moniker of "early decision" - an incredibly selective honor that few aspiring high school seniors are awarded. While Malone admittedly doubted she would be accepted while she anxiously waited for an outcome, her mom greeted the situation with confidence. Nancy explained, "this may sound a little strange, but I had an intuition that she was going to get in." On December 15th, the wait was finally over. "It was around 8:00 or 9:00 p.m., I was in my room and received an email saying that my application status had been posted. I remember seeing the words 'Congratulations' and 'Class of '22' and it was almost surreal. I walked out of my room, looked at my parents
POSTAL PATRON
and said, 'I'm going to Harvard,'" Malone recollected. Nancy and Riley's father, Michael, huddled together with their daughter, crying together and overwhelmed by the joy of seeing her dream come true. "We couldn't have been more proud than we were at that
"She's been exceptional since she was born. She taught herself how to tie her shoes at just three years old and and hasn't stopped excelling at all she does since." - Nancy Malone moment. We are just so thrilled for her," said Nancy. The road to Harvard is not an easy one, and Malone's extensive involvement with extracurricular activities and volunteer work, paired with exceptional grades is glaring proof at the dedication and effort she put forth to make her dream a reality. Proficient with the saxophone, french horn, trumpet and guitar, Riley is a member of four different Uxbridge High bands: Marching, Concert, Pep and Jazz. She is extremely involved in student leadership, serving as both Senior Class President and Secretary of Student Council. Additionally, she serves as Historian of the National Honor Society and Vice President of the Uxbridge High School Democrats. Her commitment goes beyond the walls of Uxbridge High as Malone also does a great deal throughout the community. She volunteers at the Uxbridge Food Pantry as well as homeless shelters in Worcester and Cumberland, plays an active role in the town Democratic Committee, and tutors other students in Math, English and Spanish. What's more impressive is that Malone does all of this while PRESORTED STANDARD US POSTAGE PAID BOSTON, MA PERMIT NO 55800
ECRWSS
maintaining an average numerical grade of 103.1 in her classes. And oh yeah, she is teaching herself Mandarin in her free time. That hobby should serve her well as she intends to major in Applied Math and Economics as an undergraduate student and hopes to pursue a career in International Business. The future looks bright for Riley Malone who's combination of incredible drive, strong work ethic and commitment to serving the community will undoubtedly reflect proudly on Uxbridge Public Schools when she attends Harvard in the Fall. As for what advice she could offer other Uxbridge youth possessing Ivy League ambitions. Malone answered, "It's not just about getting good grades. Rather, it's about what you want to do with those grades? How will you take what you've learned and push yourself to help the world around you? to me, that's the key." Congratulations and best of luck to Riley as she joins the Class of 2022 at Harvard University.
Nancy and Riley Malone with Harry.
™™™™™™™™™™™™™
SAFE Grant awarded to Northbridge Representative David K. Muradian, Jr. (R - Grafton), Senator Michael O. Moore (D - Millbury) and Senator Ryan C. Fattman (R - Webster) are excited to announce that the Massachusetts Department of Fire Services has awarded a grant to the Town of Northbridge for the Student Awareness of Fire Education or, SAFE program. There are two types of SAFE grants: the original SAFE program was established 23 years ago as a state initiative to provide resources to local fire departments to conduct fire and life safety education programs in grades K12. Their mission is to enable students to recognize the dangers of fire, and more specifically, the fire hazards that tobacco products can pose. The Senior SAFE program was created by the Legislature in the FY’14 budget in order to help local fire departments to
support fire and safety education for older adults, who are the most at risk of dying in fires in the Commonwealth. Since the creation of the SAFE program, the average annual fire deaths for children have been reduced by 72%. The program provides training for children in schools teaching them how to create and practice home escape plans, stop, drop and roll, how to report fires and emergencies and helps reduce a child’s anxiety levels during stressful situations. The Department of Fire Safety hopes to have similar results with the Senior SAFE program by teaching them how to handle situations where oxygen is present and what to look for when one cannot hear a fire alarm. “Simply put, these grants save lives,” said Senator Moore. “Over the years, the grant program has supported efforts
Spaghetti Dinner sponsored by Uxbridge Antique Fire Museum Inc. On Saturday, February 17th, from 5:00-7:00 p.m. a Spaghetti Dinner Fundraiser will be sponsored by Uxbridge Antique Fire Museum Inc. The dinner will be held at V.F.W. Post 1385, 16 Cross St.
in Uxbridge. This event will help restoration of a 1937 Maxim Pumper Engine. Call for tickets: Roy Henry 508-250-8826 or Bill Martin 508-244-1939. Adults: $10/Age 10 & under: Free.
of local fire departments to reduce fire fatalities, and to ensure the safety of local residents. I am confident that these funds will be put to good use and congratulate the community on receiving this funding for fire prevention training.” "I’m thankful for the work of our state and local officials on making these efforts possible,” stated Senator Fattman. “Grants such as these help provide fire safety education to our schools and seniors, and I’m grateful our communities continue to make fire prevention and safety a top priority.” Under the Fiscal Year ’18 budget, the Town of Northbridge Fire Department will receive $4,308 for the SAFE Program and $2,615 for the Senior SAFE Program.
~ INDEX ~ Town News ..............Page 4 Calendar...................Page 17 Senior Corner ..........Page 19 Society .....................Page 23 School News............Page 25 Business News........Page 27 Sports.......................Page 29 Classified .................Page 31