Senior Portfolio Showcases Each Graduate

As students complete their second trimester of the school year, seniors anticipate graduation. They make sure they have the required credits, pay outstanding bills, and are measured for caps and gowns. But that’s not all that is on their checklist. They must have a completed and approved portfolio in order to get a diploma.

Instituted in 2001, students compile a portfolio to showcase their abilities and vocational skills. The portfolio highlights each student’s accomplishments in and out of school. In grade 9 students complete a Portfolio Agreement and Student Information Sheet. They begin collecting photos and documents from academic work, vocational work, and extra-curricular activities.

During the 10th grade, students obtain a character reference, include a piece of academic work, two pieces of vocational work with written documentation, and one piece of related work with an explanation of the work.

More information is accumulated in the 11th grade. Students obtain a second letter of recommendation from a Chapter 74 (vocational) instructor, and additional academic, vocational, and related pieces. A new component that has been added is a written reflection. This might be a reflection of the student’s strengths and weaknesses.

In addition to a resum and cover letter (taught in the English classes), students in grade 12 review the materials in the portfolio. They select the best, current representation of their work or materials that demonstrate progress. Often students will include recognition received for being on the Honor Roll, earning Student of the Month, being selected for Excellence in Effort, or receiving an athletic award.

Each senior’s portfolio is reviewed and approved by the respective occupational program teachers. In the spring, the portfolios are reviewed and approved by at least two of the program’s Advisory Board members. Mrs. Rita Bretto, Old Colony’s Vocational Coordinator, then receives and approves each portfolio.

In addition to helping students value their education at Old Colony, this portfolio is a helpful tool for students as they move forward into college or the workforce.

 

Second Annual Old Colony Golf Tournament set for May 21

This year’s golf tournament is scheduled to be held at the Acushnet River Valley Golf Course on Sunday, May 21, 2006. This will be a great event for family, friends, alumni and guests of Old Colony. Proceeds will be donated to the Old Colony Scholarship Fund. Golfers who register on or before May 14, 2006, will be eligible to win a Scotty Cameron putter. Interested individuals or parties can contact Mr. Gary Brown at 508-763-8011, ext 118.

 

 

Old Colony students win 21 medals at SkillsUSA District Competition

On March 2, 2006, 77 student-members of Old Colony’s Chapter of SkillsUSA participated in the district competition held at Upper Cape RVTHS in Bourne, MA. Old Colony students took home 8 gold medals, 8 silver medals, and 5 bronze medals. Congratulations to all of competing students – you are all winners!

GOLD MEDALS:

• Scott Hooley (Lakeville) – Carpentry
• Jared Galvin (Freetown) – Computer Maintenance Technology
• David Cook (Rochester) – Computer Programming
• Jared Jacobs (Carver) – Nurse Assisting
• Andre Arsenault (Acushnet) – Culinary Arts
• James Cornwall (Carver) – Electronic Applications
• Team: Jeffrey Cormier (Acushnet) & Christopher Kirk (Acushnet) – Web Design

SILVER MEDALS:

• Bryant Hampston (Lakeville) – Computer Programming
• Rebecca Dexter (Carver) – Nurse Assisting
• Steven Cleary (Rochester) – Precision Machining Technology
• Zachary Card (Carver) – Technical Computer Application
• Keith McAvoy (Freetown) – Electronic Applications
• Bancroft Ellis (Lakeville) – Welding
• Team: Keith Morgado (Freetown) & Kyle O’Neill (Lakeville) – Web Design

BRONZE MEDALS:

• Jamie Pooler (Carver) – Computer Programming
• Michael Poland (Lakeville) – Technical Computer Applications
• Kevin Burns (Carver) – Electronic Applications
• Team: Matthew Willett (Carver) & Adam Veary (Freetown) – Web Design

 

NHS Chapter receives 6th Outstanding Service Project Award

The Old Colony Chapter of the National Honor Society was awarded a national Outstanding Service Project Award as part of the National Honor Society Conference held in Washington, D.C., November 11-13, 2005. Seventeen students represented Old Colony at the thirteenth annual conference. This is the sixth time and third year in a row that Old Colony has received a national Outstanding Service Project Award. The Old Colony NHS is the only chapter in the country to have won six Outstanding Service Project awards!

 

 

Around the Colony

* Culinary Arts Dept. senior Andre Arsenault (Acushnet) has been selected as Old Colony’s Outstanding Vocational Student Award nominee for 2006. This statewide award program recognizes the outstanding vocational education students from the Commonwealth. The award recognizes the excellence Andre has achieved in his academic studies, as well as the Culinary Arts field. Andre exemplifies the high ideals of vocational-technical education. Andre will receive his award on April 6, 2006, in Worcester, MA.

 

* Computer Information Technology (CIT) Department senior Brandon Duarte (Acushnet) has been selected as a nominee for the National Honor Society Scholarship Program, which is sponsored by the National Association of Secondary School Principals (NASSP). Brandon is the school’s NHS chapter secretary and is also a member of the Student Council, Peer Leadership Group, and Web Team. He is now eligible for one of 200 scholarships of $1,000.

 

* CIT senior Jessica Williams (Carver) created the winning entry in the recent Old Rochester Community Television (ORCTV) Logo Contest. ORCTV operates public, educational and government access television channels and serves residents in Marion, Mattapoisett, and Rochester, MA. A panel of judges unamimously selected Jessica’s creatively designed logo as the winning entry out of 118 contest submissions.

 

* The Old Colony administration is pleased to recognize the following student-athletes who were recipients of Massachusetts Interscholastic Athletic Association Outstanding Sportsmanship Awards: Football: Nathan Deree (Acushnet); Girls Soccer: Kerrie Rousseau (Acushnet); Golf: Stephen Bernat (Acushnet); Volleyball: Hannah Savaria (Rochester); and Boys Soccer: Shaun Laronda (Freetown).

 

* CIT senior Timothy Blanchard (Carver) has been selected as Old Colony’s nominee for the 2005-2006 Walter J. Markham Award. The award program is sponsored by the Massachusetts Association of Vocational Administrators. In his senior year, Tim was elected as chairperson of the Student Advisory Committee to the School Committee, making him a member of the Old Colony District School Committee. Tim is also a member of the Student Council (current secretary), Peer Leadership Group (current president), and Web Team.

Top

 

* Old Colony is pleased to announce that seventeen seniors are recipients of John &Abigail Adams Scholarships, which are available to students whose MCAS performance puts them at the top 25 percent in their district. Recipients are granted four years of free tuition at the University of Massachusetts or at any of the nine state or 15 community colleges in Massachusetts. Personal letters from Governor Mitt Romney were mailed to each student recipient. They are:

• Alexander Amaral (Acushnet)
• Andre Arsenault (Acushnet)
• Jennifer Babineau (Rochester)
• Jonathan Cardoso (Acushnet)
• Steven Cleary (Rochester)
• David Cook (Rochester)
• Jonathan Denham (Rochester)
• Derek Deschamps (Acushnet)
• Brandon Duarte (Acushnet)
• Michael Ferreira (Freetown)
• Mathew Hudon (Acushnet)
• Erin Mello (Acushnet)
• Matthew Nye (Carver)
• Thomas Ouellette (Freetown)
• Daniel Rittenhouse (Acushnet)
• Kerrie Rousseau (Acushnet)
• Corey Silveira (Mattapoisett)

* CIT senior Stephen Bernat (Acushnet) has been selected to receive the 2005-2006 Massachusetts Vocational Association (MVA) Award. Stephen is now eligible for a $500 cash award based upon his leadership ability in school, as well as his vocational and academic excellence. Stephen’s many school activities include the Student Council (current president), Peer Leadership Group (current secretary), and Web Team. He played four years on the school’s golf, baseball, and basketball teams. In his senior year, Stephen received a Certificate of Merit from the Prudential Spirit of Community Service Award Program and represented OC at the annual Mass. Student Government Day.

 

* Old Colony was represented at the Massachusetts Celebration of National Girls and Women in Sports Day on February 3, 2006, by Kerrie Rousseau (Acushnet) and Hannah Savaria (Rochester), The event took place at Faneuil Hall in Boston, MA.

 

* Members of Old Colony’s senior Applied Economics Class recently visited Precix, Inc., in New Bedford, MA. In addition to a tour of the facility, the students shadowed a mentor during part of the morning. The cost of the program was paid by Junior Achievement of Southeastern Massachusetts