Student Volunteers awarded $3,500 in Scholarships

Milford Regional Medical Center student volunteers planning to pursue careers in the healthcare field were recently awarded scholarships totaling $3,500. Three students were awarded the Perry Memorial Volunteer Scholarship and two students were awarded scholarships from the Auxiliary of Milford Regional.

Ryan LeVine of Hopkinton, Julia Philbrook of Uxbridge, and Gretchen Scotland of Franklin were the recipients of the Perry Memorial Volunteer Scholarship, each student receiving $500. Applicants were required to have volunteered at Milford Regional, among several other considerations.

Northbridge resident graduates TEC Academy

Aaron Buckley and Riley Goyette were named the 2023 recipients of the Brenda M. Bonetti Memorial Scholarship presented by Larry Bonetti recently, at the Catholic Community of Sacred Heart Church, Hopedale.

Aaron, a 2023 Graduate of Blackstone Valley Tech will be attending the Dean College pursuing a degree in

Ryan Chick of northbridge was among more than 300 seniors graduating in June from TEC Connections Academy (TECCA), the Commonwealth’s largest, public K-12 virtual school. TEC Connections Academy enrollment has grown steadily from about 240 students nine years ago to nearly 3,000 today with students representing every county in Massachusetts.

TEC Connections Academy is a tuition-free, online public school for K12 students that offers a safe and social learning environment where empowered students direct their own educational journey. Teachers focus on emotional well-being and social development in addition to academics.

FMI call 800-382–6010 or visit www.TECConnectionsAcademy.com.

Julia Philbrook,

For more than 20 years, Bill and Anne Perry were dedicated volunteers at Milford Regional Medical Center. The Perry’s were known for their commitment to volunteerism and appreciation for education.

LeVine will be attending the University of Connecticut in the fall and would like to become a trauma surgeon. Philbrook will be attending Worcester Polytechnic Institute in the fall and hopes to become a dosimetrist, and Scotland is currently enrolled in Quinnipiac University with plans to become a physician’s assistant.

The Auxiliary of Milford Regional awarded two scholarships to high school seniors. Anchita Mahanta of Milford and Philbrook were each awarded $1,000 from the Auxiliary. Mahanta volunteered in the Emergency Department at Milford Regional and hopes to study psychology at the college of her choice. The Auxiliary serves Milford Regional through programs of education, community service, public relations, and support of volunteer services – along with supporting the hospital through fundraising efforts. Since its founding, the Auxiliary has raised close to $1 million, resulting in state-of-the-art equipment, advanced technology, key renovations, scholarships, expansions in patient care, and critical programmatic support.

“Milford Regional is very proud of these students and grateful to the Perry family and the Auxiliary for their continued support of our student volunteers’ pursuit of higher education,” said President and Chief Executive Officer Milford Regional Medical Center and Healthcare System Edward J. Kelly. “These scholarships are an investment in the future of our local youth who are admirably working toward a career in the healthcare field.”

Intrepid Readers August meeting set

All are invited to join the Intrepid Readers at the Simon Fairfield Public Library, 290 Main St., Douglas, on August 8th at 6:30 PM to discuss Robert Weintraub's no Better Friend : One Man, One Dog, and Their Extraordinary Story of Courage and Survival in WWII.

This is a remarkable story of Royal Air Force technician Frank Williams and Judy, a purebred pointer, who met in an internment camp during WWII. Judy was a fiercely loyal animal who sensed danger and instinctively mistrusted anyone in enemy uniform. Their relationship deepened throughout their imprisonment. The dog became a beacon for the men, who saw in her survival a flicker of hope for their own.

Copies of the book are available at the Library. Call 508476-2695 for more information. Homemade treats inspired by the book will also be available.

Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical High School (BVT) students proved their vocational-technical ability at the 59th annual SkillsUSA national Leadership & Skills Conference in Atlanta, Georgia, June 19-23. The event is the world's largest showcase of career and technical education students.

The highlight of the conference is the SkillsUSA Championships, where more than 6,500 outstanding career and technical education students – all state contest winners from across the nation – compete in 110 hands-on skill and leadership competitions. Students work against the clock and each other, proving their expertise in occupations such as electronics, computer-aided drafting, precision machining, medical assisting, and culinary arts. In the third and final stage of the SkillsUSA competition series, BVT students competed with impressive results. Once again, the student competitors demonstrated their career-technical expertise and proudly claimed one gold, three silver, and three bronze medals. All contestants who medaled or met a threshold contest score for their event as an indicator of proficiency were awarded Skill Point Certificates.

"Our students continually strive to perfect the skills needed to compete against the best vocational technical students in the SkillsUSA District, State, and national Championships," said Superintendent Director Dr. Michael Fitzpatrick. “In 2023, our students proved their technical skills are among the best in the country by earning 173 medals at all three levels.

The following BVT students placed in the top 10 at the 2023 SkillsUSA national Leadership and Skills Conference Championships and earned Skill Point Certificates. More details are available at www.valleytech.k12.ma.us/skillsusa.

BELLInGHAM Bronze: Lucien Stenehjem, Robotics & Automation Technology.

BLACKSTOnE Silver: Daniel Cardone, Web Design. 7th place: Carolyn Powers, Collision Damage Appraisal.

DOUGLASnational Parliamentarian: Hunter Claflin. 7th place: Skyler Robinson, Restaurant Service.

GRAFTOn Gold: Caitlin Brown, Health Occupations

Professional Portfolio. 5th place: Grant Purcell, Career Pathways Showcase/Industry & Engineering; and Ava Mills, Career Pathways Showcase/Industry & Engineering.

HOPEDALE State Officer Elect: Kallie Allen. national nORTHBRIDGE Silver: Riley Driver, Industrial Motor Control. Bronze: Emily Wildfeuer, Architectural Drafting.

Voting Delegate: Kallie Allen and Ella Foster.

MEnDOn Silver: natalia Vazquez, Web Design. 5th place: naomi Tsuda, Commercial Baking.

MILLBURY national Voting Delegate: Allison Garden.

UPTOn Bronze: Jacob Giancola, Robotics & Automation Technology.

UXBRIDGE 5th place: Grace Mathieu, Career Pathways Showcase/Industry & Engineering.

ABOUT BLACKSTOnE VALLEY REGIOnAL

VOCATIOnAL TECHnICAL HIGH SCHOOL (BVT): Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical High School serves the towns of Bellingham, Blackstone, Douglas, Grafton, Hopedale, Mendon, Milford, Millbury, Millville, northbridge, Sutton, Upton, and Uxbridge. Located in the heart of the Blackstone Valley, BVT creates a positive learning community that prepares students for personal and professional success in an internationally competitive society through a fusion of rigorous vocational, technical, and academic skills.