We were pleased to welcome more students from Salem High School, their families and friends, to join us last week as we celebrated the accomplishments of students pursuing career and technical education (CTE). Through the generosity of Club members, we were able to continue the tradition of providing a grant to a student identified by their teachers in each of Salem High’s CTE programs. We honored seven students on Tuesday and presented them each with a $500 check.

 

Bruce Whear welcomed the crowd and explained how Rotary became involved in supporting students in the trades and how important these programs are to the community.

 

Following Bruce’s remarks, Nelda Quigley, Salem High School Internship Career Coach, shared more about the CTE programs at Salem High and introduced each recipient. Each student also spoke and graciously thanked their teachers for their support and guidance through their high school careers.

 

Here are this year’s CTE grant recipients:

 

Jack’s teacher, Bridget Zanni, says that he is the 3-D’s – Driven, Determined and Dependable. She recommended him for this grant because of his leadership both in and out of school. Over the years, Jack has been on the track team and has worked in the food industry throughout the pandemic. He passed the food handlers exam and is poised to complete the ServSafe national exam for Food Service Managers. In her culinary class he has been a leader in class discussions, kitchen activities and dining room responsibilities. He has been a true pleasure to have in class. Jack plans to take the next year to gain more experience and explore his options. She believes that Jack’s leadership qualities will bring him every success in life, and she looks forward to hearing what he will do next in the world of culinary.

 

Nominating teacher Ken LaFrancois noted that Dylan accomplished a first at Salem High School. He completed an entire set of living room furniture – a beautiful black walnut elliptical coffee table, two round end tables, and a matching round mirror. Dylan is very sociable and likes to have fun but is able to be serious when he needs to be. He is patient and yet efficient which is a skill not many students have achieved – or a lot of adults. Dylan hopes to continue to use his talents in wood working and carpentry.

 

Through her hard work in her four years at SHS, Yasmine has completed the entire Early Education and Care pathway with enthusiasm and dedication. Her teacher Catherine Jeffers stated that she consistently shows a desire to grow as a person and as a teacher. She is a commendable role model for her peers. She is caring, dedicated and totally focused on her pursuits. Her teacher says that Yasmine was always engaging children in the classroom and during outdoor activities. She has a special way that exhibits natural teaching qualities.

 

Jennifer has been a Medical Assisting student for four years and was nominated by Kellie Donlon. When she was 16, Jennifer completed the First Jobs program at North Shore Medical Center working for six weeks in the Endoscopy department. This year, Jennifer was one of the first to complete a 180-hour internship program at North Shore Physicians Group. Next year, Jennifer will be attending the Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Science and will be studying in the pre-med program.Jennifer hopes to complete the Certified Clinical Medical Assistant Certification exam this month.

 

Nominating retired teacher Bob Babikin described Roniele as someone who has demonstrated a strong ability to set goals and then do whatever is needed to achieve them. Even though Roniele appears shy, his teachers say that the old adage that still waters run deep applies to his strong and constant determination. During the pandemic, Roniele, like so many of the students and teachers, struggled to transition to remote learning. Roniele stood out as one who reached out to the school resources and applied himself to end up with excellent grades in all his subjects including the toughest ones such as Business and Forensic Science. Roniele has a deep passion for all things automotive and is looking forward to attending the Ohio Technical College studying auto technology.

 

Riley’s electrical teacher, Brian Lowe, says that when you set Riley in motion, he goes to work. He just does not mess around. Using the skills he learned in class, Riley installed new lights in the stock room closet, wired the table saw in the carpentry workshop as well as helped to install a 100-volt drop over the carpentry table. Riley loves to get the job done and can be counted on the do the work safely and efficiently. Riley would like to apprentice with a residential electrician in the coming year and to continue to hone the skills that have make him stand out at Salem High School.

 

Teacher David Barnard pointed out that during his sophomore year, CJ decided to learn everything offered during regular classes, and to get involved in anything in his world that involved construction. He began to work for various contractors and for himself. His efforts in these areas allowed him to purchase a good, used pickup with a plow, which enabled him to recover some of his expenses through plowing and snow removal. These efforts set him apart from his peers and led him to accept a student assistant position, helping with freshman students in BPM. He even had the opportunity to teach a science teacher the rudimentary skills of welding. He will pursue a degree in Construction Management and Engineering at the Wentworth Institute of Technology.

 

     

• None outside of the program

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