Otter Valley Union High School Archives - Stafford Technical Center

Stafford Technical Center Shines at Vermont Skills USA 2010 Competition

Stafford Technical Center is pleased to announce that 16 of their students were awarded medals at the recent Vermont SkillsUSA Competition. SkillsUSA is a national non profit organization serving teachers, high school and college students who are preparing for careers in trades, technical, and skills service occupations including health occupations. Overall, there were 60 competitors in 30 different competitions. Total earned by students in prizes and scholarships was $60,500.00. Stafford Technical Center has a local chapter of SkillsUSA.

The following students received medals in their competitions: Architecture Design (Gold): William “Chad” Johnson-Mill River Union High School, Architecture Design (Bronze): Chad Martelle-Poultney High School; Automotive Refinishing and Technology (Gold) Shane Moyer-Rutland High School; Cabinet Making (Silver) Matthew Ely-Mill River Union High School; Culinary Arts (Silver)-David Sexton-Mill River Union High School; Gorilla Communications (Bronze) Amber Dumas -Rutland High School, Lindsey Brown -Mill River Union High School, Colin Terenzini -Rutland High School and Timothy Mumford -Mill River Union High School. Health Knowledge Bowl (Bronze) Sarah Grimes-Otter Valley Union High School, Kiarah Bombardier -Rutland High School, Brittany Pierce -Fair Haven Union High School, and Shelby Benoit -Otter Valley Union High School. Job Skill Demonstration Open (Silver) Danny Biebuyck-Rutland High School. Nurse Assisting (Silver) Lindsey Brown-Mill River Union High School. Plumbing (Bronze) John Fairbanks-Poultney High School. Prepared Speech (Silver) Colin Terenzini-Rutland High School. TV/Video Production (Gold) Amber Dumas-Rutland High School and Kari Van Guilder-Poultney High School.

Students Address Teen Dating Violence Prevention

Cierra Phelps, a member of the Stafford Technical Center SADD Chapter, and a student in the Public Safety Services Program, was the recent recipient of competitive national grant dealing with teen dating violence prevention. The grant was one of 10 nationwide grants awarded by DoSomething.org with funds from the Liz Claiborne Foundation.

After being awarded the grant, Cierra and her fellow SADD members and classmates went to work to fulfilling its requirements, which was a challenge considering they were required to do an initial presentation of the program, which was called “Hands Are Not for Hitting”, in the span of about 10 school days. The centerpiece of the program was a “silent witness” campaign with 8 plywood silhouettes of victims of dating violence, each with a personal story. The 8 silhouettes were of 6 women, 1 man, and 1 dog. Animals are often victims of domestic and teen dating violence and are abused to terrify the victim or used as a pawn in the relationship. The plywood silhouettes were made by Jeff Fowler of Stafford’s Construction Technology Program and his students. They were painted by Stafford Technical Center SADD members Cierra Phelps, Haley Cotrupi, and Erika Stocker from Mill River Union High School, Jo Lilly from Otter Valley Union High School, and Kayla Stewart from West Rutland High School.

The students developed a pledge for others to sign, asking those that signed it not to be involved in an abusive relationship, either as the abuser or the abused person, and also, if they are a bystander witness to domestic or dating violence, to take some action, if only to report the abuse. The SADD members set up the silent witness campaign outside the cafeteria that serves the students at Rutland High School and Stafford Technical Center. There was also a table where students or staff members could get information. Over 400 people signed the pledge that day and were given a purple silicone bracelet with the saying “Hands Are Not For Hitting” on it. The bracelets and the “witnesses” fostered a lot of discussion.

The SADD members wore T-shirts that were designed by Paige Mayer of the Stafford Digital Arts Program, so that people could identify the members and ask them questions. The shirts, which had a silhouette and the “Hands Are Not for Hitting” logos displayed on the shirts. The logos were so striking that many students and teachers asked if they could purchase a shirt. The SADD members quickly decided to sell the shirts as a fundraiser, and donate the profits to the Rutland County Women’s Network and Shelter. Additionally, the SADD members were asked to do a presentation to the Forestry, Natural Resources, and Horticulture class. Cierra Phelps had a presentation on this topic that she had prepared for a college PowerPoint class at the College of St. Joseph as part of her program of study in the Public Safety Services Program, and she and two other SADD members, James Reed, a junior from Mill River Union High School, and Kyle Lenher, a junior from Proctor High School, presented the program to the Forestry students.

Other Stafford Technical Center SADD members taking part in this project were Rutland High School seniors Chris Crout, Jordan Grenier, James Bonilla, and Ashley Barnes, Mill River Union High School seniors Cantlin Eaton, Kayla Jones, and Nate Hance, and Geoffry McDonald, a senior at Otter Valley Union High School.

The students also implemented this program for students at the College of St. Joseph, and are available to do a “silent witness” display at other schools or organizations.

Public Safety Services Students Become Nationally Certified in Hazardous Materials Awareness

Ten students in the Forestry and Natural Resources and Public Safety Services Programs at Stafford Technical Center recently became certified at the Awareness Level in the area of Hazardous Materials. Chief Robert Schlacter of the Rutland City Fire Department was the instructor through the Vermont Fire Academy for this course. Public Safety Services is a program that serves individuals who may be involved in emergency services – fire police, and rescue, as well as those in related occupations- dispatching, courts, attorneys, etc. Obviously, the professionals in emergency services, the first responders, are extremely at risk to be involved in a hazardous materials incident in a truck crash, a train derailment or a spill or explosion in an industrial facility, as are arborists and tree surgeons who also respond to these emergencies or to the cleanup.

There are tens of thousands of potentially hazardous materials that first responders may encounter. Some may be flammable, some may be corrosive, and give burns, like acids, some may be radioactive, some may be biological agents that are infectious, some may be explosive, and then there are some that are classified as dangerous, which may have more than one risk associated with it.

The students who demonstrated their mastery of this course, and who received national certification in this area were: Christopher Crout, Jordan Grenier, and James Bonilla of Rutland High School, Kyle Lenher of Proctor High School, Geoffry McDonald of Otter Valley Union High School, Kayla Stewart of West Rutland High School, Jakob Galvin and Ben Alger of Fair Haven Union High School, and James Reed, Haley Cotrupi, and Cierra Phelps of Mill River Union High School. Chris Crout, Ben Alger, Kayla Stewart, and Kyle Lenher all scored 100% on this difficult examination.

Ben Alger is a member of the Orwell Volunteer Fire Department and James Reed is on the Middletown Volunteer Fire Department. Ben Alger and Jakob Galvin are members of Mark Skakel’s Forestry and Natural Resoures Program.

Red Ribbon Tree to Memorialize Victims of Drunk or Drugged Driving

redribbontree While Vermont this year had the lowest rate of fatalities in drunken driving crashes, in the past, we have had many, many people killed or injured in crashes involving drunk or drugged drivers. December is “Drunk or Drugged Driving Prevention” Month and one of the activities that happens during this month is the Southern Vermont Red Ribbon Tree, which is placed in the Diamond Run Mall in Rutland. The tree is a way of remembering the victims, those who have been killed or injured, in crashes involving drivers who were under the influence or alcohol or drugs.

The Red Ribbon Tree brings together all the stakeholders in the fight against this serious problem- police, fire, youth, victims, emergency medical services, hospitals, community anti-drug coalitions, court and court alternative programs, and legislators and other political leaders. The tree is dedicated at a ceremony and people attending the ceremony have an opportunity to remember friends or loved ones (or themselves) who were victimized by placing a red ribbon with the person’s name on it on the tree. Each organization can demonstrate their dedication to the cause by placing an ornament with the organization’s name on it on the tree.

The event was hosted by the Stafford Technical Center SADD Chapter, which includes the students in the Public Safety Services and Health Careers Academy and Jackie Fitz-Gerald, a student in the Architecture and Engineering Design Program. SADD members from the Fair Haven Union High School and Proctor High School Chapters and their advisors represented their schools, as did contingents from Otter Valley Union High School and their school resource officer, Anne Bandy, and Mill River Union High School and their school resource deputy Jen Czachor, and teacher Suzanne Striglia. Castleton State College was represented by two members of their SADD Chapter. Lt. David Notte, Sgt. Dave Lertola, and Troopers James Wilborn and Stephanie Shaw represented the Vermont State Police. The Rutland County Sheriff’s Department sent Deputies Lawrence Ynesta and David Fox.

The emergency medical services community had members of the Wallingford and Middletown Springs Squads in attendance. Community anti-drug coalitions, the Rutland Area Prevention Coalition, and the Black River Area Coalition, both had staff members, Tina Coltey and Brigid Sullivan, who spoke to the assembled group of their agencies’ efforts. Three staff members from Rutland County Court Diversion and Community Justice Center were also in attendance. Susan Lebel from the Rutland Regional Medical Center told of the hospital’s efforts and her personal experiences as an emergency room nurse. Lastly, Lawrence McLiverty, the Vermont SADD Coordinator spoke, and others shared their stories of how they were affected by a crash.

This event was planned and executed by members of the Stafford Technical Center SADD Chapter; student Kyle Lenher, a junior from Proctor High School, was the overall Project Director. He was assisted by Sarah Grimes, a senior from Otter Valley Union High School, who supervised her fellow Health Careers students. The tree will remain at the Diamond Run Mall during the holiday season so that others can remember those who have been lost to these crashes.

Students Present on “Sexting”

Jo Lilly Presentation

Picture: Jo Lilly, Stafford Public Safety Services Student presents on “sexting”

Seven students from Stafford Technical Center’s SADD Chapter, all of whom are involved in the Public Safety Services Program, recently presented a workshop of the topic of “Sexting” to about 50 teens and adults at the Governor’s Youth Leadership Conference in Burlington. The students were Kayla Stewart, a junior from West Rutland High School, Geoffrey McDonald, a senior from Otter Valley Union High School, Cierra Phelps, a junior at Mill River Union High School, Erika Stocker, Kayla Jones, and Nate Hance, seniors at Mill River Union High School, Jo Lilly, a senior at Poultney High School, and Ashley Barnes, a senior at Rutland High School.

Sexting is a relatively new phenomenon which involves sending sexually explicit or provocative messages, cartoons, or photos of naked or seminude people by cell phone or computer. Sexting is much more common than people think, especially more common than the parents of teens think. About half of all teens report having been “sexted”, and about thirty percent of all teens report that they have sent sexting messages. The percentage of males involved in sending seems to be roughly twice that of the rates of females. Of the girls who sent photos of themselves, about half reported that they were pressured by their boyfriends to do so. Interestingly enough, about one of six boyfriends whose girlfriends sent nude photos of themselves mass e-mail the photos to others following a breakup of the relationship. It is presumed that this happens more often following the girlfriend dumping the boyfriend than the other way around.

Sexting can be a form of bullying, also. In a case from Japan, an obese male middle school student was humiliated after a fellow student took naked pictures of the obese student in the shower during gym class, without the student’s knowledge, and then sent the photos out to a large number of schoolmates. In a case from Ohio, a girl committed suicide after months of harassment from fellow students who had been sent naked photos of the girl by her ex-boyfriend after they broke up.

Sexting can also result in a number of criminal charges being brought against the sender or receiver of the photos, particularly if one of them is a minor. The charges may include pornography or child pornography or a host of other charges. A number of these charges may result in one’s becoming a registered sex offender, also; there are cases where 18 year olds with photos from their sixteen year old girlfriends have become required to register as sex offenders.

Hopefully, by raising awareness of teens in Vermont of the dangers in sexting, fewer teens will become victims.

Heritage Family Credit Union donates prizes for Financial Literacy

The Heritage Family Credit Union donated a Wii Fit System, Nintendo DS, and an MP3 player that were given away on June 5th to students in Stafford Technical Center’s Hospitality & Entreprenuership program. The student’s names were entered throughout the year for every financial literacy test they passed. The curriculum is free through the National Endowment for financial education. The Heritage Family Credit Union supports the teaching of financial literacy to high school students. Their generous donation served as motiviation for students to score well on their financial tests.

These students names were drawn for the following prizes:

Wii Fit System: Stephen Bassett (Otter Valley Union High School)

Nintendo DS: Alison McLellan (Proctor High School)

MP3 Player: Jenna Pelkey (Otter Valley Union High School)

Stafford would like to thank the Heritage Family Credit Union for their generosity and for supporting financial literacy. We also extend our gratitude to Katrina Kessop who has done a tremendous job as our “resident teller” at our STC Heritage Credit Union Branch. Kessop instructs the Hospitality and Entreprenuership students how to properly handle money and assist customers with credit union transactions.

SADD Chapter wins Two Awards

Recently, the Stafford Technical Center SADD (Students Against Destructive Decisions) Chapter was recognized with two awards, one from the Vermont State SADD Organization, and one from the national SADD organization. The first award, was given to the chapter at the Vermont SADD spring meeting, recognized the Stafford Chapter’s collaboration with three local SADD chapters from Proctor High School, Fair Haven Union High School, and black River High School, as well as the partnership with Rutland County START, a law enforcement collaborative aimed at reducing underage drinking, and Rutland Area Prevention Coalition, the county’s community anti-drug coalition.

Stafford’s chapter was also lauded for the variety of programs that it has undertaken which are designed to promote healthy lifestyles and responsible highway usage, as well as those designed to reduce destructive behaviors among teens such as underage drinking and drugging, and dangerous internet use. The chapter’s efforts to make the community aware of their actions were also noted.

The June issue of the SADDvocate, the national SADD monthly newsletter, has chosen the Stafford Chapter as this month’s spotlight chapter. There are about 10,000 SADD chapters in the United States, so to be chosen to be a chapter worthy of being a model for other chapters is quite an honor. The national magazine highlighted a variety of the chapter’s programs designed to positively impact the community, and the fact that this chapter was the recipient of a 2009 Vermont Governor’s Award for Outstanding Community Service.

The Stafford Technical Center SADD Chapter has been in existence for four years. The 2008-2009 members are: Kayla Jones, Cantlin Eaton, Erika Stocker, Angelica Towsley, and Nate Hance from Mill River Union High School, Vicky Stone, Cody Hesse, Cody Taylor, and Justin Cram from Otter Valley Union High School, Ashley Barnes, Ashley Haas, and Dan Ball from Rutland High School, Joanna Lilly from Poultney High School, and Jon Schaff from Fair Haven Union High School.

National Technical Honor Society Chapter inducts 7 Students

L-R: Matt Adamsen, Chelsea Tice, Patty Danahy, Becca Hall and Paige Mayer; Missing from photo were Melissa Rixon and Kayla Perry

Stafford Technical Center inducted seven students into the National Technical Honor Society (NTHS) on May 7, 2009. The candlelight ceremony was held in Stafford’s Dollhouse Restaurant. The mission of NTHS is honor outstanding student achievement in career and technical education, promote educational excellence, and help to create strong partnerships with business and industry. These students exemplify the core values of NTHS, which are leadership, service, honesty responsibility, skill, citizenship, and scholarship. Stafford is very proud of them and their accomplishments.

The following students inducted were: Matt Adamsen-Power Mechanics/Welding (Otter Valley Union High School), Chelsea Tice-Video Production (Fair Haven Union High School) Patty Danahy-Architecture Engineering Design (Fair Haven Union High School), Becca Hall-Health Careers Academy (Proctor High School), Paige Mayer-Digital Arts (Rutland High School), Melissa Rixon-Music Technology: Jazz and Contemporary (Rutland High School), and Kayla Perry-Music Technology: Jazz and Contemporary (Otter Valley Union High School)

Hospitality Students Attend ICDC Conference

Stafford Technical Center Hospitality students recently attended the DECA International Career and Development Conference in Anaheim, California, April 29th-May1st.

The following students participated in the Leadership Development Academy led by the FOCUS group and received a certificate of participation:

Stephen Bassett Otter Valley Union High School

Ashley Bruno West Rutland High School

Morgan Harvey Otter Valley Union High School

Shelby Mahoney Otter Valley Union High School

Jenna Pelkey Otter Valley Union High School

While attending the academy, LDA students raised over $10,000 for the Muscular Distrophy Association.

Students who competed in role play events included Fair Haven Union High School student Christian Doran in Sports and Entertainment, Mill River Union High School student Brianna Allen and Proctor High School student Alison McLellan in Travel and Tourism.

Over 13,000 students participated in this ICDC conference which included visits to Disneyland, Universal Studios, Dodgers Stadium, and Laguna Beach.

Sponsors that helped make this trip possible are: Smalley Construction, Vermont Country Store, Omya, Heritage Family Credit Union, Applebee’s of Rutland, Lenco, Inc., Mc Neil and Reedy, O’Brien, Shortle, Reynolds, and Sabotka, Melanie’s Hair Gallery. Also, contributions were made by students and staff at Stafford Technical Center and Rutland High School. We thank everyone for their support.

Auto Technology Students place 2nd at Ford/AAA Student Auto Skills Competition

Pictured Left to Right: Kevin Reynolds and Eric Douglas-Stafford Auto Technology Program

Eric Douglas and Kevin Reynolds, two students in Stafford Technical Center’s Auto Technology Program, placed second in the 2009 Ford AAA /Student Auto Skills Competition. The event was held on 4/30 at the Loudon Speedway in Loudon, NH. Stafford competed with 1o other technical centers from around Vermont. To pre-qualify for the event they were up against approximately 140 other students. The competition involved diagnosing and repairing a 2009 Ford Focus and making it driveable. Stafford is very proud of Eric’s and Kevin’s accomplishments.

Eric Douglas is also a student at Otter Valley Union High School and Kevin Reynolds attends Mill River Union High School.