Winchendon Weekly News school newsletter - Wednesday, November 30

John and Abigail Adams Scholarship Grantees Recognized by School Committee

On Thursday, December 1, the Winchendon School Committee recognized Murdock High School's 15 recipients of the John and Abigail Adams Scholarship awarded by the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) based on students' performance on the high school MCAS tests.

The John and Abigail Adams Scholarship provides a tuition credit for up to eight semesters of undergraduate education at a Massachusetts state college or university. The scholarship covers tuition only; fees and room and board are not included. The scholarship must be used within six years of a student's high school graduation, and a copy of the award letter must be submitted each year along with a completed FAFSA (financial aid) application.

Ryan Forsythe, Chair of the Winchendon School Committee, said, "The John and Abigail Adams scholarship is one of the state's top recognitions of students across the Commonwealth for academic success. As you heard [Principal MJ Rickson] say, this is not only a recognition of the success of the individual students and their own GPAs but also how they compare to other students across the state in passing the MCAS examination. That is truly a testament to how well you have done at Murdock High School and how well you've done within your studies. That scholarship does give you the opportunity to go to any public state university or college as the principal mentioned, tuition free and you may have wonderful opportunities ahead of you at public and private universities. But that's one way that the Commonwealth is recognizing your success. So congratulations."

From left: Winchendon Public Schools Superintendent Thad King, Winchendon School Committee Chair Ryan Forsythe, award recipients Brooke Zabik, Calvin Tenney, Dylan Monette, Tiana Graessle, Angelina Dellasanta and Abigail Guerra, and Murdock High School Principal MJ Rickson.
Photo courtesy of Winchendon SC

Left to Right: MWCC Foundation Director Carla Zottoli, Director of Veterans Services, Robert Mayer, President James Vander Hooven and Vietnam Veterans of America Chapter 907 members John Kazinskas, James Benton III, John Kazinskas, and Charles Hodgkinson.
Photo courtesy of MWCC

Mount Wachusett Community College Receives Vietnam Veterans of America Chapter 907 Donation

GARDNER, MA - November 28, 2022 - Members of the Vietnam Veterans of America Chapter 907 visited the Mount Wachusett Community College Gardner campus on Monday, November 28, 2022 to deliver their annual donation to the MWCC Foundation in support of veteran students.

The Veterans Memorial Scholarship was established to assist student veterans and ensure that their service and sacrifices will not be forgotten. Scholarship funds are awarded to new or returning full-time students who were honorably discharged from the U.S. Armed Forces or are currently serving in the Reserves or National Guard.

On the Spot College Decision Day at Sizer School

Sizer School high school students attended the 2022 College and Career Fair in October attended by over 30 programs, colleges and agencies.
Photo courtesy of The Sizer School

Sizer School seniors will soon be participating in an exciting college opportunity - On the Spot Decision Day 2022.

"On the Spot Days are supposed to be days of celebration. It is an opportunity for students to meet with representatives from colleges, have a formal interview, and receive admissions decisions to colleges of their interest," explained Jessica Burris, Sizer School's College & Career Access Counselor. "For some students, this can be like a light bulb going off in their head - helping them understand that they do have the ability to go to college."

On the Spot Decision Day 2022 will take place December 8th at Sizer. Colleges that will be in attendance include Worcester State University, Salem State University, Fitchburg State University, University of Massachusetts Dartmouth, and Mount Wachusett Community College.

"On the Spot Decision days happen nationwide. They are opportunities for college admissions representatives to visit high schools and give real 'on the spot' admissions decisions for students! Interviews happen one on one, and if students meet certain criteria, they hear right then and there 'You've accepted!' and in some cases, they will receive scholarships as well!" said Burris.

As of right now, nearly half of Sizer's Class of 2023 are signed up to interview with college representatives.

"Students that have not signed up yet may have different post-secondary plans (work, military, gap year) or these specific colleges are not currently on their application radars," said Burris.

"I have been a part of organizing a few OTS/MCAC (Massachusetts College Application Celebration) days over the past few years but my experiences are that these days can sometimes feel hectic, but students and their accomplishments are stars of the show," she said, adding, "My favorite part of OTS days are the visible revelations that students have when they hear that they have been accepted - telling teachers and administration, showing off their letters, screams of excitement, and sometimes even tears of joy."

Burris joined Sizer School in 2021 and has been instrumental in elevating the future-focused opportunities available to Sizer School seniors. She received her Master's in School Counseling from Fitchburg State and also Sizer's Early College High School and Dual Enrollment Advisor.

Sizer School partners with MWCC and FSU every year to provide advanced learning opportunities to high school students. These programs provide valuable experiences and in some cases, allow students to graduate with a year of college credits under their belts, completely free.

On October 21st, Sizer School hosted its 2nd Annual College & Career Fair. Over 30 colleges, agencies and post graduate program representatives met with students and spoke with them about their futures.

"Our College & Career Fairs spark excitement. Even if students don't leave saying, 'I know what I want to do', so many of them leave saying, 'I didn't know I could do that!' That's an empowered statement. And considering all of our high school students, 9-12 grade, were invited to our October event - the future-focused impact was huge," said Director of Communications & Recruitment Lindsay Alweiss. "I can't wait to see what our OTS day brings."

"On OTS days, the reward lies in helping even one student feel like they have been recognized and celebrated," adds Burris.

Interested in joining Sizer School in the fall? Sizer is now accepting applications for the 2023-2024 school year for students in grades 7, 8 and 9. Apply now at www.sizerschool.org.