VALLEY TECH TO RECEIVE AWARD FROM USDA FOR NUTRITION PROGRAM

UPTON – Blackstone Valley Tech is making national news again by supporting and improving the health of students through a comprehensive approach to nutrition. As a result, the school has been awarded the HealthierUS School Challenge (HUSSC) Silver Award by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). In receiving this award, Valley Tech joins a very select group of 2,161 schools throughout the U.S. that are certified, and is the first high school in the Northeast to receive the distinction. A senior official from the USDA will visit Valley Tech’s 65 Pleasant Street campus in Upton, on Wednesday, January 18, 2012 at 1 p.m. in the school’s cafeteria to present the official award.

As a recipient of this award, Valley Tech receives $1,000, an award plaque signed by a USDA official, and a banner to display in the school. The HUSSC application process was led by Mary Leslie, director of food services and the school’s nutrition educator, Martha Leary Pellegrino, RD, LDN.

The HealthierUS School Challenge is a voluntary national certification initiative for schools participating in the National School Lunch Program. It supports First Lady Michelle Obama’s “Let’s Move!” campaign by recognizing schools that are creating healthier school environments through the promotion of good nutrition and physical activity while also helping schools prepare for the school meal pattern changes currently being developed by the USDA for nation-wide implementation. Sponsored by the USDA Food and Nutrition Service (FNS), the initiative encourages all schools take a leadership role in helping students to make healthier eating and physical activity choices that will last a lifetime. Valley Tech has worked hard to make changes to their school nutrition environment in order to improve the quality of the foods served, provide students with nutrition education, and provide students with physical education and opportunities for physical activity.

To qualify for the award, Valley Tech submitted a formal application and met a set of criteria set forth by the FNS. The HUSSC criteria reflect the recommendations of the 2005 Dietary Guidelines for Americans, and the Institute of Medicine (IOM) published recommendations (April 2007) for foods that should be served in schools, outside of the organized school lunch meals. HealthierUS Schools must also have a school wellness policy, as mandated by Congress. Schools receiving a HUSSC award commit to meeting the criteria throughout their four year certification period.

In addition to the healthful meals being served in Valley Tech’s cafeteria, the school has a nutrition curriculum called VITA, which stands for Vitality through Training, Instruction and Assessment, that is taught to students to promote personal wellness and fitness. Through Valley Tech’s School Based Health Center (SBHC), a program of Milford Regional Medical Center, referrals of students who would benefit from nutritional counseling are made. The SBHC is a collaborative effort between the school and Milford Regional Medical Center supporting existing school services to provide convenient and easily accessible school based health care for students. Physical education and fitness are also an extremely important part of promoting a well-rounded nutrition program. In addition to traditional physical education, the school has an occupational physical education program teaching students proper body movement techniques that can protect them from injury in their chosen vocation.

Valley Tech prides itself on a student participation rate not less than 65% for the school lunch program, 20% higher than the national qualifying criteria for high school participation in the HUSSC. Ms. Pellegrino credits high participation at Valley Tech to the well-rounded program offered to students at the school. The school also has a Student Advisory Committee which allows students to offer their insight into menu offerings.

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, Blackstone Valley Tech 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.

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VALLEY TECH STUDENTS ASSIST LOCAL FAMILIES

Valley Tech Student Council members and members of the Class of 2012, Micaela Connors (Uxbridge), Michael Hennessy (Mendon), and Shawn Slaney (Northbridge), display over 1 ton of food collected by the Student Council to feed 31 families from throughout the Blackstone Valley this Thanksgiving.

UPTON – The spirit of giving is alive and well at Valley Tech as members of the school’s Student Council demonstrated this Thanksgiving week. As is typical

among Valley Tech students, the bar was raised to a new level with this year’s annual Turkey Run fundraiser. The fundraiser, coordinated by the Student Council, helps feed the families of Valley Tech students who are in need this Thanksgiving holiday. Members of the Student Council were each given a list of items to fill Thanksgiving baskets. They then dispersed through the community to collect items on their lists by asking donations of area merchants and the general community as well as donating items themselves. Impressively, over 1 ton of food was collected and students more than doubled their collection goal gathering enough food to feed 31 Valley Tech families.

Baskets were distributed to families in time for Thanksgiving. A surplus of canned items will be donated to an area food pantry. In addition, Valley Tech’s National Honor Society is holding a can drive to benefit the Sutton Food Pantry through December 15.

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, Blackstone Valley Tech 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.

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100% OF VALLEY TECH PRACTICAL NURSING PROGRAM GRADS PASS STATE BOARDS

Valley Tech is proud to announce that the first graduates of the school’s post-secondary Practical Nursing (PN) Program, a total of 19 individuals, have all successfully passed the challenging National Council Licensing Examination for Practical Nurse (NCLEX-PN). All graduates passed the exam in their first attempt.

These 19 students, now Licensed Practical Nurses (LPN), are eligible to begin entry-level Licensed Practical Nursing careers in long term care, office settings, ambulatory care settings, acute care settings, rehabilitation centers and to continue their nursing education. Employment of LPNs is expected to grow 21 percent between 2008 and 2018, faster than the average for all occupations, in response to the long-term care needs of an increasing elderly population and the general increase in demand for health care services. This projected growth offers exciting opportunities for those considering a nursing career.

“This was an extremely motivated and dedicated group of students. The practical nursing faculty is proud to have participated in their professional growth and academic success,” stated Practical Nursing Program Coordinator, Kathy Ashe, MSN, RN, CNE. “It was through their own hard work that they’ve achieved this tremendous accomplishment.”

Valley Tech opened the LPN program in 2009 following Initial Status Approval from the Massachusetts Board of Registration in Nursing in July 2009 and full approval from the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education. The Practical Nursing Program has been awarded Candidate status for Initial Program Accreditation by the National League for Nursing Accrediting Commission. The second class will graduate from the program in June of 2012.

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NATIONAL CHAMPS: VALLEY TECH STUDENTS AMONG BEST IN THE NATION

Stephanie Rivard of Northbridge proudly displays the gold medal she won at the 47th annual SkillsUSA National Leadership and Skills Conference in Kansas City, Missouri for Technical Drafting.

(l-r) Mollie Letendre of Hopedale, Beth Belanger and Melissa Burdick both of Northbridge won the silver medal as part of the Community Service Team at the 47th annual SkillsUSA National Leadership and Skills Conference in Kansas City, Missouri.

UPTON – Seven Valley Tech students recently represented the school and the Commonwealth of Massachusetts at the 47th annual SkillsUSA National Leadership and Skills Conference in Kansas City, Missouri. This event is the showcase for the best career and technical education students from across the country. The national SkillsUSA conference matches more than 5,500 students competing against each other in 94 trade and technical fields. Competition is fierce and it is no easy feat to walk away with the gold. For the past several years students from Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical High School have returned from competitions, conferences and high profile events with plenty of hardware, and this year was no exception.

Two Valley Tech students secured gold medals and four students captured silver medals. This was the eighth time in the last nine years that Valley Tech students recorded podium finishes at the prestigious championships. All seven of the 2011 student representatives from Valley Tech placed in the top 10 for their respective competitions.

Daniel Serafin a 2011 graduate from Millbury won the gold medal for the Plumbing competition.

Stephanie Rivard of Northbridge took the gold medal in the Technical Drafting competition.

Valley Tech’s Community Service team, under the direction of English and History Team Leader Rosemary Quirk, won the silver for its school year-long campaign promoting respect in the school and in the community with its project entitled Respect Y.E.S! (Yourself, Environment, Society). The three-person team included Elizabeth Belanger of Northbridge, Mollie Letendre of Hopedale and Melissa Burdick of Northbridge.

Marissa Bunnewith of Millbury proudly displays the silver medal she won at the 47th annual SkillsUSA National Leadership and Skills Conference in Kansas City, Missouri for Commercial Baking.

Daniel Serafin of Millbury proudly displays the gold medal he won at the 47th annual SkillsUSA National Leadership and Skills Conference in Kansas City, Missouri for Plumbing.

Marissa Bunnewith of Millbury won the silver medal in the Commercial Baking competition.

Andrew Cardin of Sutton finished 4th in the nation in Welding.

“We are exceptionally proud of the performances of the seven students who devoted a tremendous amount of time to prepare for these high-pressure competitions,” said Valley Tech SkillsUSA co-advisors Cheryl Joubert and Fran Petty. “We are also grateful to their vocational technical instructors and chaperones who helped them refine their knowledge and skills during the past two months.”

The success of these students can be credited to the solid preparation originally provided at the K-8 sending schools in our District’s 13 member towns along with the two-way education and a strong emphasis on academics validated through work competencies by Valley Tech’s highly qualified Blackstone Valley Tech high school instructors.

Last year a different Valley Tech Community Service team won the gold and took the silver medal in Food & Beverage Service.

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, Blackstone Valley Tech works toward enhancing the economic, social, and historic strengths of the region by providing integrated academic and vocational technical skills, empowering students to achieve world-class educational excellence, diverse career opportunities, and individual success in an ever-changing global society all in a safe learning environment. The school’s website is www.valleytech.k12.ma.us.

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