Announcements May 31 - June 3, 2016

Morning Announcements

The Upton Men's Club is looking for volunteers to help during the annual fireworks event - Saturday, June 25th.  There is a sign up sheet in the main office.

All students who have checked out library materials and are not currently using them, please return your items to the media center.  Also, there is an assortment of water bottles and clothing that were left behind from the After Prom Party.  Please stop by and see if they belong to you.

Nipmuc Honors Scholars Celebrated by Milford Area Chamber of Commerce

Front row, left to right: Julia Salvaggio, Mary Morcos, Stephanie Poly, Karin Plante, Sarah Tong, Elizabeth Hilton, Aaron Kearnan, Kristina Dubois, Amanda St Germain, William Applegate

Back row, left to right: Class President Christopher Bechara, Carly Thibodeau, Abigail Colombo, Kiley Larocque, Isabel DesRoches, Megan Mathieson, Samantha Capalucci.  

Not pictured: Marla DiPoto

As we make our way to the end of the school year, our attention turns to our seniors and the culmination of their time at our school. On May 17 we began the celebration of the Class of 2016 with the Milford Area Chamber of Commerce Honors Scholars Dinner. Held at Lake Pearl Luciano's in Wrentham, this annual event recognizes the top ten percent of students in the Milford area. Students and their families enjoyed a banquet celebration which included the announcement of students in the top ten percent at each school and the awarding of several scholarships. Senior Class President Christopher Bechara introduced each of Nipmuc's recipients and highlighted the many ways that they have acted as leaders and achievers during their time at our school.

One of the highlights of the evening included senior Will Applegate's receipt of the "Excellence in Science Scholarship" for his achievement in the sciences during his high school career.

The students who were honored at this event included:

William Applegate, Samantha Capalucci, Abigail Colombo, Isabel DesRoches, Marla DiPoto, Kristina Dubois, Amanda St Germain,  Elizabeth Hilton, Aaron Kearnan, Kiley Larocque, Megan Mathieson, Mary Morcos, Karin Plante, Stephanie Poly, Julia Salvaggio, Carly Thibodeau, and Sarah Tong. 

Congrats to the top 10% of Nipmuc's Class of 2016!

Announcements May 23 - 27, 2016

Morning Announcements
Mrs. Kykra's 1st semester satire classes - please pick up your portfolios in room 217!

Seniors - If you have not yet returned your iPad, please do so today - Wednesday, 5/25 - at the Help Desk in the lobby. 

Seniors:  Mrs. Callahan will be available to sign off on locker checkout on Thursday!  See her in the school counseling center.

The Upton Men's Club is looking for volunteers to help during the annual fireworks event - Saturday, June 25th.  There is a sign up sheet in the main office.

Do you love our seniors?  Show them how much by giving them a Hershey kiss.  On sale for 25 cents each during breaks and lunches in the cafeteria from 5/20 - 5/24.

All students who have checked out library materials and are not currently using them, please return your items to the media center.  Also, there is an assortment of water bottles and clothing that were left behind from the After Prom Party.  Please stop by and see if they belong to you.

Student Feature Friday - Blackstone Valley Youth Leadership Academy Graduates

Left to right - Max Robakiewicz, Kealani Peters, Sarah Nasif, Ashley Round

Over the course of the school year four Nipmuc students - Sarah Nasif, Kealani Peters, Max Robakiewicz, and Ashley Round - participated in the Blackstone Valley Youth Leadership Academy. Run by the Blackstone Valley Education Foundation (BVEF), the leadership academy provides students with the chance to work with a cohort of student-leaders from high schools across the Blackstone Valley. The group meets regularly to participate in leadership training, gain familiarity with important historical sites in the valley, and organize a community service project. I was proud to attend the recent graduation from the program and see how well our students represented Nipmuc. Included below are some thoughts from our leaders about their experience.

Sarah Nasif
Q: What was the most impactful part of being a member of the Blackstone Valley Youth Leadership Academy?
A: Blackstone Valley Youth Leadership Academy most noticeably helped me to realize the way that one can silently be a leader. In my class, there were introverts and extroverts. When it came to showing leadership, especially in their community service projects, both types of people succeeded and shined.
Q: Tell me about your community service project and what the project taught you about leadership.
A: I orchestrated a volunteer event to landscape the Upton Senior Center. From my event, I learned how to network and professionally communicate with people, especially for donations. Gaining floral and supply donations involved proper emailing and appropriate follow ups with donors as well as showing thankfulness. My project also taught me that leadership involves having a solid plan, which is why I constructed a list of steps for how the volunteers and I would plant.

Kealani Peters
Q: What was the most impactful part of being a member of the Blackstone Valley Youth Leadership Academy?
A: The most impactful part of the Blackstone Valley Youth Leadership Academy for me was meeting new people from other places and really connecting with them. I am so glad to have done this program and had a lot of fun with it.
Q: Tell me about your community service project and what the project taught you about leadership.
A: I collected coloring books, crayons, markers, stickers, etc. for the Milford Hospital Pediatrics Unit. I collected over 150 coloring books and many other supplies. It helped me realize that being a leader is about being organized, coordinated, and taking charge.

Max Robakiewicz
Q: What was the most impactful part of being a member of the Blackstone Valley Youth Leadership Academy?
A: The most impactful part of being a member of BVYLA is the chance to meet new people and not only making new friends but also being able to incorporate their ways of leading into my leadership philosophy in order to become better at leading.
Q: Tell me about your community service project and what the project taught you about leadership.
A: My community project was collecting items for Milford Regional Medical Center's Comfort Care. They are an organization which gives goods to dying patient's families to comfort them during such a tough time. This taught me about leadership through being able to understand how much a role of a leader can impact people such as setting up donations for a good cause.

Ashley Round
Q: What was the most impactful part of being a member of the Blackstone Valley Youth Leadership Academy?
A: The most impactful thing I took from BVYLA is applying my leadership skills with new people. Getting the chance to meet other leaders in the district was a great experience. Over the weeks, my leadership skills definitely grew because of the new friends I met. I think everyone took a little something from everyone, and it was a great group to be a part of.
Q: Tell me about your community service project and what the project taught you about leadership.
A: My community service project took place at Memorial Elementary School in Upton. I worked with kindergarteners after school in Mrs. Smith's class. The day I went to visit the students was St. Patrick's Day. I created a plan to do St. Patrick's themed activities with the students. I read them a book and then we did an additional activity with a pot of gold. Each student got to pick coins out of the pot and then they added their coins together. It was a lot of fun to work with these children. One of the biggest attributes of being a great leader is being a good role model. This definitely showed me how you have to be a good example to everyone you are around because you never know who is looking up to you. Especially younger children, at the age they are soaking in all the information they can get. Being older, they look up to you. I had a great time working with these students!

Announcements - May 16 - 20, 2016

Morning Announcements
Seniors:  Mrs. Callahan will be available to sign off on locker checkout today!

The Upton Men's Club is looking for volunteers to help during the annual fireworks event - Saturday, June 25gth.  There is a sign up sheet in the main office.

Do you love our seniors?  Show them how much by giving them a Hershey kiss.  On sale for 25 cents each during breaks and lunches in the cafeteria from 5/20 - 5/24.

Spanish Immersion meeting today in room 241 from 11:30 - 12:30 p.m. for the following seniors: B. Bukunt, S. Capalucci, T. Brossi, A. Cormier, M. Mathieson, R Morrison, K. Nocera, J. Hill, S. Dowd, J. St. John, K. Scott, T. Ellero, A. Mirageas, S. Dougherty, T. Leacy, K. Woods.
 
Come to see Nipmuc Drama Guild's Annual One Act Competition!  This year there are 3 shows directed by Sam Crocker, Cam McCulloch, Evelynn Slavin, Karley Collins and Sam Jokela.  Tickets will be sold at the door on Thursday, May 19th at 7:30 p.m.

Seniors!  Please pick up your graduation tickets from Mrs. Linehan as soon as possible.

Mandatory NHS meeting at both breaks on Thursday, 5/19 in room 217.

There's another school-wide competition!  Now ending May 20th, all grades can participate in Coin Wars to raise money for PKD research.  The jars can be found in the office.  Follow - pkd_knowledge on Instagram or contact Chloe Hoff (hoffc19@student.mursd.org) for more information.

All students who have checked out library materials and are not currently using them, please return your items to the media center.  Also, there is an assortment of water bottles and clothing that were left behind from the After Prom Party.  Please stop by and see if they belong to you.

The last book club meeting will meet after school this Thursday, 5/19.  The book, Salt to the Sea, will be discussed.  All members please return all public library books by Thursday.

Looking for something fun to do this Friday, 5/20?  Well, look no further!  Come to the Rockin For SuperTy Benefit Concert in the Nipmuc auditorium at 7 p.m.  come to help end pediatric cancer and help us rock Nipmuc!

Student Feature Friday - Nipmuc Friends of Seniors Club Promotes Computer Literacy

Pictured left to right "Friends of Seniors": Zackary Lapointe, Daniel Whitcomb, Brock Wickstrom,
William Whitcomb, John McDonald, Jake Barefoot, and Scott Estabrook

In sharing the achievements of students in my Feature Friday posts, I sometimes have the opportunity to highlight the work of unsung heroes, students who have shown dedication to making a difference in the lives of others without ever seeking recognition or praise. In this week’s post, I’m proud to share the dedication of an impressive group of Nipmuc volunteers. Each of the boys in today’s feature have been volunteers at our local senior centers, spending an hour each week in Mendon, Upton, and Uxbridge helping our communities’ senior citizens to learn about and use technology. The students began their work through the Nipmuc Friends of Seniors group and found a way to continue this service throughout their years at Nipmuc. In speaking with them about their work, they are quick to point out the meaning that they found in the activity and the positive impact it had on their own lives.

Enjoy this week’s features of our unsung heroes!

Q: What has been the most rewarding part of this volunteer experience?
Jake Barefoot
I don't know if I can choose the single most rewarding part of this experience. For the past two years I have been given the opportunity to volunteer with friends, learn the importance of consistency and responsibility, learn how to communicate solutions, meet some very interesting people, and see the seniors drastically improve their ability to use technology. It has been a blast teaching community members, and making friends with the seniors who are there every week.

Scott Estabrook
To me, being able to develop a relationship with the senior citizens was the most rewarding part of the volunteer experience. It was always nice to hear about their life stories, and seeing how just us being there to talk to them, even if we couldn't help with their computer issues, made their day.

Zackary Lapointe
The most rewarding part of this volunteer experience has been being able to give back to the community. I often help out my own grandparents with technology, teaching them how to use their cell phones and iPads as well as helping them figure out any technological problems. However, there are a lot of senior citizens who don't have anyone to teach or help them, so it's nice to be able to help others learn how to use technology at the senior center.

Daniel Whitcomb
The most rewarding part of volunteering at the senior center has been the relationships I have formed with many of the senior citizens. After holding a computer class there every week, I learned a lot about the people I met. More importantly, I learned a lot from these senior citizens who have a lot of knowledge to offer to our generation.

William Whitcomb
I think the most rewarding part about helping out at the senior center was speaking to the seniors each week and building relationships with them. I feel like I could walk in there with a group of friendly faces waiting for me two years from now. It was amazing to get to know these people and help them out the best we could each week.

Steven “Brock” Wickstrom
I would have to say that the most rewarding part of my volunteer work would be the skills I have learned at my time at the senior center. At the center, I helped seniors mainly with technology-related issues, so I feel that thanks to this experience I have learned valuable skills relating to helping people understand a concept or idea that is foreign to them. I feel that I now have more patience when helping people understand concepts that are difficult for them and can better understand people when they are having difficulty with something. I have also been able to form connections with both those that work at the senior centers and the many regular attendees who came to the center looking for technology-based help. It has been very interesting working alongside citizens much older than me, helping them with concepts foreign to them and very familiar to me.

Announcements May 9 - 13, 2016

Morning Announcements
Attention Nipmuc! Yearbook superlative, clubs and activities photos will be taken on Monday morning (5/16).

It's time for another friendly competition!  This week, all grades can participate in Coin Wars to raise money for PKD research.  The jars are in the office.  Remember - Coins add to a grade's points and dollar bills subtract.  Follow pkd_knowledge on Instagram or contact Chloe Hoff (hoffc19@student.mursd.org) for more information.

Do you like to travel? Did you hear about the fun adventures students had in Italy over April vacation?  Well next year during April vacation we will be traveling to Spain and you can come with us! There will be another parent night, if you haven't already attended one, on Tuesday, May 17th at 7 p.m. in Room 239 .  See Ms. Reardon with any questions.

Would you like to see what Mr. Ferris, Mrs. Kyrka, Mrs. Towne, Mrs. Hefez and many other faculty and staff members wore to their proms? Come to the media center to see the historical prom collection.  See who wore what dress and who wore what tux.

Attention Sophomores!  A representative from Herff Jones will be here in the cafeteria during lunches on Thursday, May 12.  If you need your ring resized or want to order a ring, please come by at lunch on May 12.

Do you want volunteer hours?  Spend time landscaping the Upton Senior Center on May 15th from 11:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.  Pasta lunch will be served for full-day volunteers.  Contact Sarah Nasif if interested.  nasifs18@student.mursd.org                    

Nipmuc Students Attend DECA International Competition in Nashville



Nipmuc DECA at the Grand Ole Opry

"It was a meaningful trip because it helped with preparing me for a future career in marketing and gave me the opportunity to learn new 21st century skills needed in college and workplace readiness, such as collaboration, communication, and networking."  -Junior Sean Kelleher  

As junior Sean Kelleher stated in the quote above, Nipmuc students's participation in our DECA program continues to be a powerful way to connect learning in the classroom with the real world. Over the course of the past 10+ years, Nipmuc DECA has become a model program, providing students with a chance to find their passion for business, marketing, and entrepreneurship. As part of the DECA - an international business/marketing education program - students have the chance to complete year-long projects that they put to the test through local, state, and international competitions. So many students find a excitement for their studies and a path to their futures through DECA and the support provided by Mr. Gary Perras and Mr. Ryan Cody.

One of the goals for any DECA student is to have the chance to attend the International Career Development Conference (ICDC) each spring. This year Nipmuc sent its largest group of attendees to the ICDC, held in Nashville during the third week in April. Students had the chance to network with business-minded students from across the country, participate in workshops, compete with a pool of 18,000 international contestants, and experience life and culture in Nashville.

Congratulations to all of this year's ICDC attendees including: Hannah Barrows, Chris Bechara, Matthew Benoit, Jaclyn Bianchi, MacKenzie Callahan, Samantha Capalucci, Timothy Carey, Alyssa Cicconi, Abigail Colombo, John Dacey, Shane Dougherty, Kristina Dubois, Jack Ernst, William Gavin, Alison Goddard, Sean Kelleher, Thomas Keville, Kiley Larocque, Brandon Lefebvre, Meaghan MacKay, Kathryn McManus, Paige Murphy, Ryan Nelson, Angelica Puchovsky, Katie Sauer, Peter Schiloski, Abigail Sterling, and Joria Todd.

Left to Right: Matthew Benoit,
Brandon Lefebvre, Sean Kelleher

I had the chance to speak to several of the conference attendees to share their experiences. Congrats to all attendees including three finalists - Chris Bechara, Shane Dougherty, and Pete Schiloski - who had the chance to be recognized on stage in front of nearly 20,000 DECA members. I hope you enjoy reading about their most memorable moments from this awesome experience. 

Chris Bechara

The most memorable and meaningful part of the ICDC trip to Nashville was talking to students throughout the entire world and learning what being an entrepreneur has done for them. Discussing their passions for their businesses was also an amazing experience. 

Matt Benoit

The most meaningful part of my trip to Nashville was being able to experience a completely different culture from where I come from. I was able to see live music, beautiful views, and experience southern hospitality everywhere I went! The most meaningful part of the ICDC was sitting in the Bridgestone Stadium, looking at the thousands of people from around the world, realizing that all of my hard work had paid off. 

Shane Dougherty

The most memorable part of the trip was being called up on stage as a finalist in front of 18,000 students. There were more than 230 groups in our category. To be a finalist we had to have placed in the top seventeen. That was an assurance that all our and Mr. Perras's hard work paid off. 

Sean Kelleher

The most memorable part was the opportunities Nipmuc DECA experienced, including a concert at the Grand Ole Opry, the Nashville Sounds baseball game, the Massachusetts DECA party at the Wild Horse Saloon, the opening and closing session for DECA ICDC, and the tour/focus group of Universal Music Group in Nashville. It was a meaningful trip because it helped with preparing me for a future career in marketing and gave me the opportunity to learn new 21st century skills needed in college and workplace readiness, such as collaboration, communication, and networking.

Paige Murphy

Nipmuc Focus Group with
Doug Phillips, Director of Digital Marketing
for Universal Music Group, Nashville

To me, the most meaningful part of my trip to Nashville was being able to present the project that my group members and I worked very hard on. For months, our time and effort went into carrying out a community service project, and being able to present it one last time was one of the most rewarding things. Having the opportunity to do something like this was a great challenge and will most definitely carry over into my future experiences. 

Peter Schiloski

The most memorable part of my DECA ICDC trip was the whole southern experience we were able to take in through our travels. This trip allowed me to see a different style of life than my own which is something we do not get to do every day.







Announcements May 2 - 6, 2016

Morning Announcements
Do you like to travel? Did you hear about the fun adventures students had in Italy over April vacation?  Well next year during April vacation we will be traveling to Spain and you can come with us! There will be another parent night, if you haven't already attended one, on Tuesday, May 17th at 7 p.m. in Room 239 .  See Ms. Reardon with any questions.

Would you like to see what Mr. Ferris, Mrs. Kyrka, Mrs. Towne, Mrs. Hefez and many other faculty and staff members wore to their proms? Come to the media center to see the historical prom collection.  See who wore what dress and who wore what tux.

Attention Sophomores!  A representative from Herff Jones will be here in the cafeteria during lunches on Thursday, May 12.  If you need your ring resized or want to order a ring, please come by at lunch on May 12.

Do you want volunteer hours?  Spend time landscaping the Upton Senior Center on May 15th from 11:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.  Pasta lunch will be served for full-day volunteers.  Contact Sarah Nasif if interested.  nasifs18@student.mursd.org                    

Student Feature Friday: Sophomore Sarah Nasif Winner of WMRC/Dean Bank High School Leadership Award

Left to Right: Kathy Larracey, School Counselor; John Clements, Principal; Kevin Goffe, President Dean Bank,
Award Winner Sarah Nasif; Tom McAuliffe, President WMRC, Mary Anne Moran, Associate Principal;
 Maureen Cohen, Director of Curriculum

On Thursday morning I was excited and thankful to welcome representatives from Dean Bank and WMRC to Nipmuc to present the Dean Bank/WMRC Radio High School Student Leadership Award to sophomore Sarah Nasif. It was an exciting opportunity to work with two community partners as we celebrate the fantastic work of our students. In addition to receiving the award, we had the chance to take part in a live radio broadcast that highlighted the many ways that Sarah excels as a student leader at Nipmuc. 

Sarah is a talented student, performer, and leader who has distinguished herself at Nipmuc in a variety of ways. She is a member of Nipmuc’s volleyball and lacrosse teams, a member of her class’s executive board, and Nipmuc’s Model UN club. In addition, she has been acting in Nipmuc’s Drama Guild since freshman year where she has starred in productions such as “Grease” and “Almost, Maine”.

Most recently, Sarah has taken on the challenge of increasing her capacity as a student leader by participating in the Blackstone Valley Youth Leadership Academy. Supported by the Blackstone Valley Education Foundation, the leadership academy provides students from across the valley the chance to attend workshops in order to develop their leadership capacity, design a community service project, and make a difference in the community. As a member of the BVYLA Class of 2016, Sarah has worked with students from other high schools to learn about the characteristics of a leader, how to manage diverse responsibilities, and how to market one’s achievements.

Through this program Sarah has organized a community service project to support the Upton Senior Center where she will be beautifying the gardens for our community's seniors. 

Q:  What are some leadership activities that you have participated in during your high school career?
A:  This year I was enrolled by one of my teachers into the Blackstone Valley Youth Leadership Academy. I also was able to act as a leader for my younger teammates in this past volleyball season. Nipmuc's Model UN and my class's student executive board are school leadership opportunities that I have taken advantage of as well.

Sarah live on WMRC

Q: What has your experience with the BVYLA taught you about leadership?

A:  After participating in the BVYLA I've come to realize that the word "leader" does not follow a single definition; there are different types of leaders: quiet, loud, meticulous, careless, supportive, and overpowering. Of the many leader-types, each has their weaknesses and strengths. By being aware of these strengths and weaknesses, people can improve themselves in group settings.

Q:  Tell me about your community service project and what you hope to accomplish through this work.


Student Leadership Award

A:  I plan to rehabilitate the Upton Senior Center. I have contacted a carpenter in Upton who has agreed to be paid for work via GoFundMe. Along with interior improvements, I want to beautify the exterior with landscaping. Generous donations of perennial flowers, landscaping expertise, and volunteer work are all going to be part of a community service day. Many people who could greatly advantage from the Center's services are unaware of what the Center can offer or where it's located. I hope that this project will not only make the Senior Center more welcoming to the community, but will simultaneously promote the local businesses that contribute. As I have learned from the BVYLA, advertising and press releases are very important for business and volunteer events. If I promote my project enough, citizens of my town could learn more about the Center and the local businesses affiliated.

Q:  What other extracurricular activities have you been a part of during your high school career?
A:  I have been acting in Nipmuc's Drama Guild since the beginning of my freshman year. Lacrosse is my spring-season sport and I am currently on Yearbook Committee and Searching for Sunshine, a community service group.

Q:  What is your favorite subject?
A:  I gravitate towards anything science-related, especially chemistry.

Congratulations, Sarah. You can learn more about the award and listen to the interview by visiting WMRC's webpage here.