NYC and Salt Lake City, Here We Come!

Earlier this morning approximately 80 Nipmuc students boarded buses on their way to a wonderful weekend in New York City. Under the supervision of Mr. MacFadden and Mrs. Ledoux, our student-musicians are preparing for three days of musical instruction, performance, sightseeing, and culture.

The group's original plan for their departure had them leaving for the city around 7am this morning. After learning that their first performance of the weekend had been moved to earlier this morning, they needed to move their departure time to 5am. As a result the students' weekend started a little earlier than planned with an overnight lock-in held at the school last evening. After spending the night at the school, they boarded the buses and hit the road before the sun had come up for the day.

They have a great trip planned. By 11am this morning they will be at a performance at a chapel in the city. By 1pm they will be on their way to a tour of New York. The remainder of the trip includes Broadway workshops, enjoying a showing of The Lion King, performances for the band and chorus, and visiting the 9/11 Memorial. I'm sure it will be a fantastic weekend. Check out the itinerary below:



Good luck, also, to our seventeen DECA students who are leaving on Saturday for the annual international competition to be held in Salt Lake City. Earlier this spring, 106 Nipmuc students competed at the state DECA competition in Boston. This event provides our business and marketing students a chance to put their projects and entrepreneurial efforts up against other students from across the state. After this competition, we were thrilled to have our largest group of qualifiers for international competition in the school's history.

It is extremely exciting to have so many students competing at the international competition. We wish the following competitors the best as they prepare for six days of excitement in Utah: Julia Accorsini, Cynthia Garabedian, Erika Greenwood, Aaron Larouco, Dana Perry, Ryan McFadden, Stephen Pihl, Tanor Jobe, Christopher Desilets, Maren Chiburis, Adam Ferrucci, William Johnson, Emily Ciantra, Marissa DePolo, Daniel Consigli, Crain Ellis, and Andrew Morin.


Thank you to Mr. Perras and Ms. Soto for chaperoning this event with our students.

Click here to learn more about DECA and the international competition.

Parent Roundtable Discussion: Teen Marijuana Use

Please be aware that Milford Regional's Center for Adolescent and Young Adult Health will be hosting a parent roundtable this Wednesday evening from 7pm-8:30pm at the hospital. The organizers encourage parents to attend this informative conversation. Please visit www.YourTeen.org to register.

Parent Roundtable Discussion: Teen Marijuana Use

April 25th, 7:00 PM - 8:30 PM

Milford Regional Medical Center

Dr. John Kulig M.D., Director of Adolescent Medicine at Tufts Medical Center, will lead the discussion entitled: Marijuana Use: Learn (almost) as much as your teen about it. Parents will learn:

•   Why marijuana use is on the rise and what teens know about the drug

•   The health risks of marijuana use

•   How to counsel teens to refuse marijuana

To register, visit www.YourTeen.org. Attendees will be entered into a drawing for a $100 gift certificate to Mac Med Spa in Milford. The cost to register is $10 per person or $15 for two people registered together. Refreshments will be served. Space is limited. Scholarships are available.

Email Shannon@hcommassociates.com for more information.

Additionally, please be aware that Nipmuc Regional will be welcoming the Worcester County Sheriff’s Office to the school on May 2 in order to present the Face2Face program. Sheriff Evangelidis will meet with our students to discuss the dangers of drugs and alcohol as well as the importance of good decision-making. Sheriff Evangelidis has been visiting a number of local schools in order to work them in promoting student safety. We are looking forward to welcoming him to Nipmuc next week.

Parent Roundtable Discussion: Teen Marijuana Use

Buon Viaggio!

Our world travellers as they
get ready for the first leg of
their journey

Earlier this afternoon, we had the chance to say arrivederchi to forty-six Nipmuc students and seven chaperones as they begin a ten day trip to Italy. Over the course of the past week, I've had the chance to speak with a number of our student-travellers who are so excited to take part in this wonderful opportunity. I know they are going to have a great time.

Our students depart this afternoon on their way to a whirlwind tour of Italy. As you can see from the itinerary below, they will have the chance to take in a variety of experiences as they travel to Venice and continue to Florence, Rome, Sorrento, and Capri.

April 13

Travel from Rome to Venice

April 14

Walking Tour of Venice

St. Mark's Square, Basilica, Doge's Palace,

Glass-blowing demo & a gondola ride

April 15

Travel to Florence

Stop in Verona to visit the Romeo and Juliet balcony, Roman arena

April 16

Walking tour of Florence

Palazzo Vecchio, Piazza della Signoria, Chiesa di Santa Croce,

Ponte Vecchio, Duomo visit, Gates of Paradise, Dante's House

April 17

Travel to Rome & Rome City Walk

St. Francis' Basilica, Trevi Fountain, Pantheon, Piazza Navona

April 18

Visit Roman landmarks

Vatican & Sistine Chapel, St. Peter's Basilica, Colosseum,

Piazza Venezia, Roman Forum

April 19

Travel to Sorrento

Visit to Pompeii

April 20

Visit Island of Capri with Blue Grotto visit

& return to Rome

April 21

Leave Rome for return to Boston

For many of our students this trip will provide a culminating learning experience for their years of studying Italian at Nipmuc. For others, the trip provides a great opportunity to travel, learn about another culture, experience history, and have a great time with their friends.

I am extremely thankful for Ms. Kate Reardon who organized this trip as well as all of the chaperones who are accompanying our kids on this awesome experience.

Buon Viaggio!

Nipmuc Peer Leadership: Unity in Community

Later today, the Nipmuc Peer Leadership group will be attending the 18th Annual New England Youth Congress. The event is presented by the Anti-Defamation League’s World of Difference Institute. The Youth Congress is intended for students and educators in middle and high schools and offers an opportunity to explore issues of prejudice. The event teaches the knowledge and skills needed to promote prejudice-free schools and communities.

The theme of this year’s event is “Unity in Community”. The presentation challenges our students to celebrate the differences that make everyone unique. It emphasizes that “each of us has the power to promote the value of those differences and, in doing so, create unity in community. To harness this power, workshop participants will examine the most common forms of bias-related conflicts among their peers and will identify strategies to promote greater unity in their respective school communities.” (ADL, A World of Difference Institute)

The Youth Congress takes place at the Boston Park Plaza Hotel and Castle and provides a full day of events and presentations. In addition to the workshops and small group meetings, there are inspirational speakers and musical performances that further serve to unite the over 1000 participants. This annual trip is an important part of the Nipmuc Peer Leadership program. Costs associated with this year’s trip have in part been defrayed by a generous contribution from the Upton Men’s Club.

A Completely Wonderful Performance

An image of the "wedding scene"
from this weekend's performance

"Oh, well. What's a royal ball? I suppose it would be completely...completely wonderful!" - Cinderella

Congratulations to the members of Nipmuc drama for a performance that was - to borrow from the character of Cinderella - "completely, completely wonderful." Each spring the members of Nipmuc drama spend months learning their lines, practicing the score, and building sets in order to inspire audiences with their performance of the annual musical. This year's production brought audiences to their feet by capturing the inspiration and emotion of the classic fairy tale, Cinderella.

The performance stands out for the collective efforts of the actors, musicians, and backstage crew who pulled together to create a memorable show. There are so many stand-out moments from this year's musical. Whether considering Chelsea Daniels' elegant portrayal in the lead role, Lauren Pelland and Kelsey O'Hagan's comic depiction of the evil step-sisters, or the beauty of the soundtrack provided by the pit band, you couldn't help but be impressed with the quality of the production.

It was great to see crowds come out to support our drama students and enjoy the show. While it was clear that the audiences enjoyed this magical production, the real magic in this musical came from the way our students worked together to put on such a great performance. Last week I had the chance to hear from senior student Matt D'Innocenzo as he prepared for his last show as a member of Nipmuc drama. He mentioned how the students consider themselves a family, how they have the chance to "burst out of their shells", and how they all "show up early because they are so excited to be there". Their enthusiasm and pride were certainly on display this weekend.

Congratulations to the students, director Mrs. Elizabeth McCarthy, and musical director Mrs. Marsha Ledoux for a wonderful show!