Student Reporters: A Look Into Our Schools

On Friday, April 12th, Representative Ellen Story spoke to Fort River’s sixth grade classes about her job as a legislator. Representative Story, a Democrat, represents Amherst, Pelham and Granby in the Massachusetts House of Representatives. Before she joined the Legislature in 1992, she served on the Amherst-Pelham Regional School Committee and as a Town Meeting member.

On Friday, April 5th at the Massachusetts Instrumental & Choral Conductor's Association (MICCA) State Choral Festival, the Amherst Regional High School Chorale and Hurricane Singers won Gold medals and Superior Ratings.

The MICCA State Choral Festival is a prestigious, education-oriented competition at which choral groups perform for a panel of highly qualified judges. Each group is allotted twenty minutes to sing three pieces, none of which can be pop or musical theater.

Last spring, the Amherst Shade Tree Committee sponsored a poster contest to promote knowledge and appreciation of trees. Amherst and Pelham Elementary students in grades 4, 5 and 6 submitted entries to the Committee and many of these were chosen to be included in a commemorative calendar and on posters. Due to the tremendous success of the program, the contest will be held again.

The Amherst Pelham Regional School District will hold the 2nd Annual Educator Job Fair on April 2 in the ARHS Cafeteria from 3pm-5pm.  Teachers from all around the state are invited to attend and learn about job opportunities at ARPS and partnering school districts from Andover, Springfield, Worcester, Salem, Framingham, Needham and several public charter schools. More districts are expected to reserve a table in the upcoming weeks.

For many years, the University of Massachusetts held a job fair at which 185 different school districts in the state participated. Thousands and thousands of education professionals who were experienced teachers or were nearing certificate completion would attend.

The annual student-driven fundraiser, ‘Canes for the Cure, is coordinated by the Future Business Leaders of America Club at Amherst Regional High School.  Four years ago, FBLA members decided to partner with Cooley Dickinson Hospital and raise money for the cancer treatment center.  The students approached local businesses and sold tshirts to the ARHS community to raise money for cancer patients and their families. FBLA has raised an astounding $5,500 for the cancer fund.

If you have an interest in pursuing a career in the field of medicine then Doctors For a Day may be the perfect program for you. Doctors for a Day provides high school students the opportunity to shadow a medical professional for an entire day on March 11^th. Applications are due by February 4.

The program was designed 17 years ago by Dr. Roger Allcroft, a plastic surgeon in Northampton,  “to try and give students a fun and interesting glimpse into what a career in the medical profession is like.”

Two unique competitions are coming to Amherst Regional High School in February, namely the Poetry Out-Loud and the National Council for Teachers of English creative writing competitions. These contests are great opportunities for all ARHS students and staff to enter even if English Literature is not a favorite topic.

Poetry Out-Loud is a national student competition that offers a cash prize of $20,000 to the overall winner. The competition is scheduled for February 12^th   at ARHS with the winner advancing to the Regionals in Springfield, the state level in Boston and the national competitions in Washington, D.C.

In early October, ARHS ninth grader Tosh Foerster was appointed to Governor Deval Patrick’s State Wide Youth Council. This is a great honor which requires Tosh to travel the Statehouse in Boston several times throughout the year and meet with other student and advisors.

The School Council is a state mandated committee that consists of parents and staff members who support the principals. The School Council approves the school budget and puts forward the school improvement plan (SIP). As of March 2012, student representatives are an integral part of the process and provide a forum for student voices. The group meets monthly and all members have full voting privileges.

Throughout the month of January, the ARHS Performing Arts Department has scheduled many opportunities for the community to enjoy the dramatic and musical talents of students. Cabaret, Briefs and orchestral concerts are scheduled in the ARHS Auditorium. Parents, guardians, students and community members are invited to attend these showcases.