Tag: Stafford Technical Center

Former Stafford Instructor Receives Award

On November 20, 2009, the Vermont Business Teachers’ Association held their Fall Conference at the Franklin Conference Center in Rutland, Vermont. Ms. Nancy Deuel was awarded the Barbara Gerardi Foley Award In Business Education by Melissa Connor, VBTA President. 

Starting her teaching over 40 years ago, Nancy was instrumental in the transition from typewriting to keyboarding at Stafford Technical Center and Rutland High School, as well as teaching Shorthand, Typing I and II, Keyboarding, Computer Applications, E Commerce, and Accounting as well as other business related skills.

Because of her love for Accounting and Business Principles, Nancy has inspired students to major in these areas after graduating high school, and consider business careers they may otherwise have not if not influenced by Nancy’s passion for accounting.

In addition to teaching, Nancy has been a long term member of VBTA and has been an advisor for FBLA.  Receiving her business education degree from Castleton State College, this business teacher exemplifies a native Vermonter who has been educated, worked, and lives in the Green Mountain State.

Nancy is now retired and we are all very proud of her accomplishments and congratulate her on this award.

Pictured Left to Right:  Melissa Connor, VBTA President and Nancy Deuel.

Help for Haiti

On Friday, January 29th  Stafford Technical Center’s  Health Careers, Human Services, and Hospitality students held a bake sale to benefit the earthquake victims of  Haiti.

The students in Health Careers initiated the idea of this fundraiser. Students and staff brought in homemade treats and sold them in Campus Common Grounds (Stafford School Store)  and also during STC and Rutland High School lunch periods. Two hundred dollars was raised for this cause.   A special thanks to all who contributed to its success.

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.

FCCLA Launches National Outreach Project “Dig It !”

Student members of Stafford Technical Center’s FCCLA (Family Career and Community Leaders of America) are starting a donation campaign for the Children’s Miracle Network.  They will collect donations and make a wall of stars with the names of the contributors on it. All money collected will be routed through the Children’s Miracle Network to Fletcher Allen Healthcare Children’s Hospital in Burlington, VT.  FCCLA members will visit the hospital in May and bring flowers that they have grown in honor on sick children. This campaign is an exciting new partnership with the nation’s largest charity for children and  one of the largest in-school organizations, FCCLA. For more information about this campaign contact Susan Densmore, Stafford’s Human Services Instructor and local FCCLA advisor at [email protected]or visit FCCLA’s website at www.fcclainc.com

Tool Tours

Kindergartners from Northwest School listen intently as Steve Briggs, Stafford Technical Center’s Computer Technology Instructor demonstrates how a “Bo-Bot” works.  The children participated in  Stafford’s annual Tool Tours Program where they have the opportunity to have their first glimpse of a technical center.   Students and Instructors from Stafford’s  Computer Technology, Culinary, Automotive Technology, Construction Technology, and Electrical/Plumbing engaged them in activities that modeled what is taught in their program areas.

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.

Donor Principle

On December 22, students from Stafford Technical Center’s Hospitality & Entrepreneurship, Health Careers, and Human Services Programs recently participated in a very important community service project; The Gift of Life Marathon at the Paramount Theater.  These students and their instructors volunteered in a number of capacities from handing out snacks, keeping a watchful eye on the offspring of those parents donating blood, and some even giving blood for the cause.  Playing even a small part in this very large event, is an important component of their lesson plan for life. 

The following students participated:  Hospitality & Entrepreneurship: Kayla Buckley (West Rutland), Courtney Mumford (Mill River), Brianna Allen (Mill River), Antonia Briggs (RHS), Ashley Carroll (RHS), Stephanie Colton (RHS), Aimee DuBray (RHS), Josh Marcille (West Rutland), Emily Patch (Mill River), Brent White (Mill River), Christina Campo (Proctor), Alison McLellan (Proctor) and Kati Messer (Mill River); Human Services: Charlena Breon (West Rutland), Nicole Broadwell (RHS), Sabrina Benge (RHS), Chelsea Felion (RHS), Brittany Hance (Otter Valley), Alyssa Hartwell (RHS), Rebecca Raymond (RHS), Laura Brown ( Mill River), Sara Graham (RHS), Jennifer Hebert (RHS), Jack Kearney (RHS), Mercedes La Plant (Proctor), Amy Lincoln (West Rutland), and Ariel Martin (Otter Valley); Health Careers: Dan Biebuyck (RHS), Kiarah Bombardier (RHS), Alyssa Chereshkoff (Otter Valley), Colton Francis (RHS), Lindsey Kent (Mill River), Brittany Pierce (Fair Haven), Molly Spaulding (Fair Haven), Kayla Thomas (RHS), Kasey Beebe, (Fair Haven), Shelby Benoit (Otter Valley), Lindsey Brown (Mill River), Robert Forkey (Fair Haven), Sarah Grimes (Otter Valley) and Shannon Whitehurst (Fair Haven).

Red Ribbon Tree to Memorialize Victims of Drunk or Drugged Driving

redribbontreeWhile 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.

Preschoolers Learn Wreath Making

 

Preschoolwreathmaking09 011

Pictured: L-R: Brittany Hance (Stafford Human Services Program), Stafford Pre-Schooler Kaitlyn Sharp, Ariel Martin (Stafford Human Services Program), Stafford Pre-Schooler Gabrielle Couture, and Emily Humiston (Stafford Forestry & Natural Resources Program)

Students in Stafford Technical Center’s Forestry& Natural Resources and Human Services Programs work with the Stafford pre-schoolers in the art of wreath making.  Each pre-schooler takes home their own handcrafted wreath.  This is an annual event which takes place in the Stafford Technical Center’s on campus greenhouse.

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.