Blue Hills in the Headlines

By Judy Bass

Dave Shea of Milton, a senior at Blue Hills Regional Technical School in Canton, has had the best of both worlds when it comes to great teachers.  Not only is he learning the trade from his Construction Technology instructors at Blue Hills, but he is reinforcing and expanding his knowledge on site with his father, who is also named Dave, by working part-time in the family’s Milton-based business, D & D Construction.

The company, which does residential and commercial jobs at places like Milton Academy, Providence College, and Carney Hospital, handles everything from small projects to extensive remodeling.

At Providence College, for example, the pair recently finished renovating a dual-purpose 22 foot by 30 foot meetingroom/lunchroom which they rebuilt practically from scratch, “right down to hanging the flat-screen on the wall,” says Mr. Shea.

At Milton Academy, the Sheas do “anything and everything” as well, he added.  Dave’s role often involves framing walls, installing the acoustical ceiling, and doing cabinetry.

Another aspect of the business entails buying homes, gutting them, and rebuilding them two or three times their original size.  In fact, says Mr. Shea, his wife liked one home that D & D renovated so much that they bought it themselves and moved in.

Dave, 18, has been interested in carpentry and construction since he was 6 or 7 years old, and always had a knack for working with his hands and with equipment.  His father recalls that for a fifth-grade project, little Dave came on the job with him and used some of the tools, showing an early aptitude for the profession.

Since then, Dave has done well in the Construction Technology program at Blue Hills and he credits teachers such as Mike Harkin and Richard McDonough for helping him learn key fundamentals like how to order stock, doing roof rafters, and measuring a foundation.

“[My teachers at Blue Hills] all did a great job,” Dave affirms.

His goal is to someday own his own construction company, and for now, to continue working alongside his dad and sharpening his skills.

By Judy Bass

Richie Mascarhenas of Randolph, a senior in the electrical program at Blue Hills Regional Technical School in Canton, is doing terrific work in school.  He ranks in the top fifth of his graduating class, is in the school’s demanding pre-engineering program, and receives praise from virtually everyone who knows him.

He’s doing great outside the classroom as well.  Richie, 18, has a co-op job at D’s Electric in Dorchester, an electrical contracting company whose clients are within a 30-mile radius of Boston.

“Richie has been a participant in the cooperative education program since last spring and has always received glowing reports from his supervisor and colleagues,” said Jacqueline Martin, Coordinator of Career Assessment, Planning and Placement at Blue Hills.  “The co-op program has provided Richie outstanding work experiences and opportunities.”

According to Kim Flaherty, operations manager at D’s, he’s excelling in every way.  “He has high grades in my book,” she said appreciatively, noting that in the 12 years she has been there, it’s very unusual for the other employees not to have any constructive criticisms whatsoever of a student employee.  That’s been the case with Richie, though.

And bear in mind that of the four technicians he goes on site with, three are owners of the company.

“He’s a great worker and a great asset,” Flaherty said.  She credits Richie with “above and beyond qualities” such as politeness, warmth, and the three elements of success in any company – being responsible, dependable, and reliable. 

“From day one,” she continued, “Richie was able to handle the basics” and work independently.  “That’s huge,” Flaherty confirmed.

On the job, he does things like install wiring and lighting.  “I like it a lot,” Richie says, and adds that he plans to get his electrician’s license and possibly own a business someday.

By Judy Bass

When most people head to Fenway Park, they’re fired up about who’s pitching for the Red Sox, who the opposing team is, and whether the home squad will notch a victory.  When Ron Abell goes to the ballpark, though, the one thing on his mind is food.

Abell, who is from Braintree and graduated from Blue Hills Regional Technical School in 1984, isn’t a ravenously hungry fan.  He’s actually starting his second year as senior executive chef at Fenway, where he is responsible for supervising 100 employees and feeding several thousand people on a typical game day.

What makes the position additionally challenging, explains Abell, 42, is the fact that he must provide attractive dining options for a variety of venues and discerning palates at Fenway.  For example, there is the EMC Club, a 400-member private club where Abell emphasizes seasonal New American cuisine that highlights regional cookery.  In the rear of the kitchen servicing the EMC Club, he said, there is another kitchen devoted to preparing food for the park’s 55 luxury suites including those of VIPs such as General Manager Theo Epstein, Sox President and CEO Larry Lucchino, and other team bigwigs.

The Pavilion-level buffet, an area expanded this year, gives 1,500 fans access to a restaurant, and they can also order from their seats.  The Absolute Lounge on Brookline Avenue is a private dining area for dugout-seat holders, and then there’s the Players Club, where Abell has barbeques for throngs of 200.

On top of all those responsibilities, Abell’s staff also cooks for members of the media, Fenway employees, and the Sox’ wives and families.

If anything helps Abell fulfill his mission to offer exceptional meals to all who come to Fenway, it’s his eclectic and impressive resume.  After graduating from Blue Hills, where he studied Culinary Arts, Abell attended prestigious Johnson and Wales University in Providence, R.I., then used his cooking skills at high-profile eateries such as Bella’s at Braintree Five Corners, Vin & Eddie’s Ristorante and Bar in Abington, and in Boston, Maison Robert, Icarus, and Biba on Boylston Street, where his employer was the legendary Lydia Shire.

Abell got even more rarefied experience when he was private chef aboard a 100-foot motor yacht that belonged to the founder and president of Saga Food Corp., the largest institutional food service in the country.  This vessel would cruise the West Indies during the New England winter, Abell, recalls, and the Eastern seaboard in the summertime.

Now, though, he’s headquartered in the Hub turning out succulent burgers with all-natural bacon and hand-cut fries, and creating flavorful dishes with premium ingredients like asparagus, rhubarb and ramps.

Abell landed the job when he heard “through the grapevine” that the Sox top brass wanted to up the quality of the food at Fenway.  The owners were improving everything across the board, says Abell, and they wanted to ensure that terrific cuisine was available, which meant healthy, local choices and “something for everybody.”

Helping Abell provide that is his team of sous chefs and hourly employees.  “You have to establish the best team you can to put yourself in a winning position,” he said. “We’re constantly challenging ourselves to be better.  We’re never happy unless everything is perfect.”

You might assume that being in a professional kitchen was Abell’s lifelong goal, but that’s not quite the case.   His family was in the ski business, however, Abell and his sister wanted a different career path.  He felt it might be interesting to attend a technical school like Blue Hills to learn professional skills along with the academic basics.  Culinary Arts was not his first choice, but Abell says the teachers were great and he loved it.

There was another important plus.  Abell developed such solid knowledge of cooking techniques while he was still in high school that when he began college at Johnson and Wales, he was far ahead of his peers, who Abell says were “green as can be.” His knife skills were so good that they allowed him to broaden the rest of his culinary abilities at a quicker pace, he remembers, and he was already familiar with how to prepare sauces and stocks and braise and bake.  That strong foundation he got at Blue Hills “helped me to excel,” Abell confirms.

Despite his obvious success, he admits that the life he leads isn’t for everyone.  He’s on the job by 7 or 8 in the morning and may not leave until 10 at night.  In between, the pace is hectic, Abell’s on his feet most of the time, and there is the constant challenge of meeting lofty standards of service and quality. 

The capable team around him is a big plus.  Abell says he hires people with a “passion and love” for food, a virtue he clearly has as well.

By Judy Bass

Tim O’Toole of Randolph, a senior at Blue Hills Regional Technical School in Canton who is studying Drafting / Computer Aided Design (CAD), has been chosen by the school as its Outstanding Vocational Technical Student for this year.

The award, which is jointly sponsored by the Massachusetts Vocational Association and the Massachusetts Association of Vocational Administrators, is given based upon several criteria including commitment to vocational education, academic success, character and leadership, and participation in school and community activities.  Each vocational school or program in Massachusetts chooses its own Outstanding Vocational Technical Student annually, and they were all honored at a banquet and awards ceremony on April 10 at Mechanics Hall in Worcester.

Tim, who is valedictorian of the Class of 2008, is a standout in numerous areas.  This year, he was one of the first two high school students ever hired for co-op positions at Surveying and Mapping Consultants, a firm in Braintree.   He was awarded a John and Abigail Adams Scholarship by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in recognition of his excellent MCAS scores.  This prestigious scholarship provides four years of free tuition at any University of Massachusetts campus or public college in the state.  Tim also is in Blue Hills Regional’s nationally-certified Pre-Engineering program, which has a particularly rigorous and demanding curriculum.

Tim excels academically, as proven by his 3.88 GPA as well as the highly laudatory comments of his teachers.  Many of them consider him exceptionally mature, responsible, conscientious, and a leader and role model for his peers.

“Tim is both persistent and consistent,” said Blue Hills Drafting / CAD Instructor Thomas McGrath. “He sets his own expectations very high and continually reaches them. You will find Tim in the Drafting shop after school during his academic week and his co-op week, working on his senior project. This effort alone shows the level of his determination.”

Both his father, Timothy O’Toole, and uncle, William O’Toole of West Bridgewater, are Blue Hills Regional graduates.  His father studied Auto Body, his uncle concentrated in Structural Wood (now Construction Technology).

Tim plans to continue his education, probably at Merrimack College in North Andover, Mass., where he would study civil engineering.

By Judy Bass

Imagine how convenient it would be to have your entire home outfitted with sophisticated electronic systems that could be activated at the touch of a button whether you are nearby or hundreds of miles away.  You could turn on the air conditioning or heat while you are driving home, flick on the driveway lights long before you arrive, see what is happening in various rooms via cameras installed in discreet locations throughout the house, and have music wafting outdoors by the pool.  For those with the desire and the means, throw in a high-tech media room, elaborate computer networks, and a movie theater with a 130-inch screen.

All that and more is possible with the help of the professionals at StarTec Communications in Randolph, electrical contractors who specialize in burglar and fire alarms as well as the kind of high-end residential integration described above.

According to Vice President Eric Farmer, a licensed electrician whose mother, Pat, founded the company and is now its president, StarTec’s clients are mostly upscale white-collar professionals. They typically live in opulent homes worth between one and three million dollars in affluent communities such as Weston, Wellesley, and Cohasset.   Even a relatively small job done by StarTec has a rather substantial price tag – installing five indoor cameras might run you $18,000, while an ultra-complex, no-expense-spared project could cost a whopping $250,000.

Farmer, 40, has something noteworthy in common with one of his employees, Matthew George.  Both were educated at Blue Hills Regional Technical School in Canton.  Farmer is a 1985 graduate who studied Electronics and Heating, Ventilation, Air Conditioning and Refrigeration; George, 17, a senior from Canton, is in the Electrical program and has a co-op position at StarTec.  George’s mother graduated in 1985 with Farmer, whose brothers also attended Blue Hills (Todd was in Graphic Communications and graduated in 1988; Kenny, who studied Electrical, graduated in 1991).

“If I didn’t go to Blue Hills,” says Matt George, “I wouldn’t have gotten this job or gone into the electrical field.”  He mentioned that he really enjoys being at StarTec and traveling to homes in communities such as Marshfield, Cohasset and Dover to do projects including installing alarm systems, hanging plasma TVs, and running wires for motion sensors.

His goal after graduating from Blue Hills in June is to keep working at StarTec and get his license to be a master electrician.

George is especially grateful to his school and his boss.  “I feel that Blue Hills has opened up a career for me and so many opportunities,” he says.  Of Eric Farmer, George notes, “He has taught me a lot I never knew was possible.”

By Judy Bass

Blue Hills Regional Technical School in Canton recently hosted its first Criminal Justice Careers Day for seniors in response to their high degree of interest in such careers, said the school’s Lead Guidance Counselor, Deborah Lowrance, who planned the event.

The well-attended occasion drew a capacity crowd of enthusiastic students, Lowrance added.  They listened intently as a distinguished panel of men and women talked about their career choices, what they liked and did not like about their professions, the education they had, and the salary levels they have attained.

The panelists were Chief Justice Frank Crimmins of the Stoughton District Court, Robert Crocker of the Massachusetts State Police, Homicide Detective Russell Grant of the Boston Police Dept., Assistant Chief of Probation Ronnie Layne of the Third District Court in Cambridge, Lieutenant Patricia Sherrill of the Canton Police Dept., Lieutenant Detective Mary Sinnott of the Massachusetts State Police, and Jay Farley of the Massachusetts State Police.

Ryan Joyce, 18, of Milton, said that he wanted to be at the Career Day because he had a desire to learn more about various criminal justice careers such as probation officer and detective. 

Ryan, who is studying Electrical at Blue Hills, says he is not entirely sure what he will do after he graduates in June, although he is considering engineering as a career choice. 

Being at the Career Day changed his mind a little, and now Ryan says he might consider becoming a state trooper someday.

Summarizing what he discovered by listening to the panelists, Ryan observed that “people don’t take these jobs for money – it’s more their passion.  They love their job, and they are good, respectable careers to get into.”

Student Tom Chisholm of Avon would probably agree.  Tom, 17, who is also in Electrical at Blue Hills, is set to seriously pursue a career in criminal justice.  He has already been accepted to Bridgewater State College and UMass-Dartmouth to study that subject. 

On March 13, he also job shadowed someone whose career path he wants to emulate - Lt. Detective Commander Robert Merner of the Homocide Unit of the Boston Police. Merner’s wife and Chisholm’s mother know each other and work together, so it was kind of appropriate that Tom would be given this valuable opportunity to see a professional in his chosen field in action.

Merner introduced Tom to his colleagues, then took him out in his car and informally showed him the ropes of the job.  The experience heightened Tom’s eagerness to follow in Merner’s footsteps even though he understands that he would need to be a policeman for at least four years before he moved up to being a detective.  Some detectives that Tom met told him that they were on a list for a few years before they were promoted to their present positions.

Don Maida of Dedham went to the assembly even though he is headed for Curry College in Milton next year to study nursing.    He says he never realized that there are so many females in law enforcement, and how demanding the profession is.  Don may take the civil service exam just to see how he does on it.

By Judy Bass

Courtney Flynn of Braintree likes to stay ahead of the curve.  This accomplished and confident young lady, who is a senior at Blue Hills Regional Technical School in Canton, where she studies culinary arts and ranks seventh out of 207 members of the Class of 2008, is already on the fast track to success.  

As far back as her sophomore year, she began thinking about college.  Accepted to the Massachusetts College of Pharmacy in December 2007 – “I knew by December 15 where I was going and that puts me one step ahead of everyone else” - Courtney plans to become a radiology technician by earning her bachelor’s degree in a 33-month accelerated program.  Eventually, she hopes to become a board-certified radiologist. “I’m a strong student,” Courtney says.  “If I want to do it, I can do it.”

Anyone who knows her wouldn’t argue with that assessment.  Mass. College of Pharmacy was the only school Courtney applied to because she was so certain that was where she wanted to be.  She belongs to Blue Hills’ chapter of the National Honor Society and was selected as a John and Abigail Adams Scholar, a recognition bestowed on high school seniors by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts for their outstanding MCAS scores that provides four years of free tuition at any UMass campus or public college or university in the state.  Although Courtney won’t be using the scholarship, she realizes it is a tremendous accolade for which she is grateful.

Courtney came to Blue Hills unsure of her future career path, but Culinary Arts appealed to her after going through Exploratory, which introduces all freshmen to the 14 technical programs at the school before they select one to concentrate in.  Her culinary training has helped her to get jobs at places such as Konditor Meister and Ivy’s Fine Cakes and Pastries, both in Braintree, and she feels that her knowledge of the food service industry is something she can always use lifelong for part-time employment.

Her interest in radiology developed quite unexpectedly.  In Courtney’s sophomore year, she got a serious ankle injury while playing soccer for Blue Hills that required two surgeries and physical therapy.  One consequence of this accident was her newfound fascination with radiology, which developed while she was being treated for the injury at Children’s Hospital in Boston.  She often spoke to the radiologists there, who said that it was a terrific field to be in.  “I want to be able to help people like the radiology staff at Children’s Hospital helped me,” she vows.

Aside from her obvious intelligence, other notable characteristics about Courtney are her focus, intensity, poise, keen sense of determination and revved-up energy level.  “I can’t sit still,” she smilingly admits, and she puts that ability to sustain a fast pace to very good use. 

“I love being active,” Courtney, who just turned 18, explains, and her packed schedule reflects that.  She’s relentlessly on the go from 6 am until 11 pm every day, going to class at Blue Hills, working out front serving customers and behind the scenes in the kitchen at the school’s superb student-run restaurant, the Chateau de Blue, which is part of the Culinary Arts program, and spending 20 hours a week at her job at Mary Lou’s coffee shop in Holbrook.  Then there’s also Student Council and varsity soccer – she’s captain of the team - to add to the list of activities she pursues.

Athletics have also defined and influenced Courtney’s life.  She did varsity track as a freshman, and participated in varsity soccer throughout high school. 

Courtney volunteers to help the senior citizens who take buses on shopping trips from the Braintree Council on Aging, she assists her school’s Student Council with selling snacks to adult Blue Hills Continuing Education students at night, and cleans books at the Braintree Public Library.

Despite her accomplishments and clear promise for the future, Courtney isn’t at all complacent.  On the contrary, she is always pushing herself hard to excel, and she wants her instructors to urge her on as well.  “Tough teachers are the best teachers,” she says, “and that ultimately helps you.  I want to push myself, not just get by doing as little as possible.”

One of those “tough teachers” whose friendship and guidance she still prizes is Linda Campbell, the recently retired Humanities Cluster Chair from Blue Hills.  “She’s the reason I buckled down and became the student I am today,” Courtney says admiringly.  Of her high school education, she explains, “We have the whole package, the whole learning experience” that combines technical training for careers with rigorous academic instruction.  “It was the best choice I could have made to come” to Blue Hills, she mentions. 

Comparing her education with her twin sister Kerri’s at Braintree High, Courtney says, “I learned the same stuff [she has} and a lot more.  I got the same learning and then some.  I got so much more out of it,” including the opportunity to meet students from eight other towns in the Blue Hills Regional district and take Blue Hills’ 10^th grade MCAS prep course, which she calls “the most helpful thing you can take.”  To the girls’ immense credit, both are extremely academically motivated.  Kerri was accepted to eight schools and will be attending Curry College in Milton.

Courtney knows that she has a demanding road ahead of her, and that college won’t be easy.  Still, she’s energized by the challenges that await her.  “If you put forth the effort,” she says, “you can do anything you want to.”

By Judy Bass
This year marks the 100^th anniversary of the inception of vocational education in Massachusetts.  That milestone will surely occasion a great deal of reflection on the past, but it should also inspire students, families, educators and citizens to look eagerly to the future. 

Career and technical education has evolved tremendously in the last several years as a result of MCAS testing, changes in the global economy, the shifting professional goals of young people, and the fluctuating job market.  Blue Hills Regional Technical School in Canton is extremely proud to be in the vanguard of those changes.  Blue Hills Regional provides practical career instruction and valuable intellectual context from academics.  The school also fosters a stimulating environment where traditional programs exist side by side with dynamic new offerings like cutting-edge 21^st-century robotics and engineering.

So, if you think you know what today’s vocational high school is all about, think again. 

For young men and women who are “hands-on learners” and seek a robust high school experience that gives them a solid foundation in academics, critical thinking, interpersonal skills, professional training, and the team concept of problem solving, technical education is ideal.  They will be challenged, tested and gratified as never before.  There are numerous other benefits as well. 

All incoming freshmen participate in Exploratory, which gives the opportunity to investigate each of the 14 career pathways the school offers.  Not only do they develop an appreciation of the world of work, but they often discover that the profession they believe they want might not be right for them after all.  How much better to find that out while you’re still in high school rather than when you’re in college after spending thousands of dollars! 

From the moment a ninth-grade student enters Blue Hills, there is a direct connection established between his or her education and military, employment or post-secondary experience which includes apprentice programs, licensure programs, and two-, three-, and four-year college programs.  It’s amazing how students integrate the elements of their Blue Hills education to formulate a custom-tailored strategy for success.  One 2006 graduate studied engineering and cosmetology, became a licensed hairdresser, and is now in college in Rhode Island learning business management because she intends to someday design and run her own beauty salon.  Examples like that are the norm, not the exception, at Blue Hills Regional.

Academic instruction is now a major part of a technical school student’s preparation.  Employers want to hire job applicants equipped with a wide spectrum of knowledge.  It’s no longer adequate to know, for example, only metal fabrication, auto repair or culinary arts and little or nothing about world literature or history.  Having a strong grounding in English, math, science and social studies is necessary to excel in today’s ultra-competitive marketplace, and is absolutely essential for those who switch careers later on. 

US Department of Labor research shows that individuals in the workforce will have at least seven different jobs and three or four career changes in their lifetime.  Blue Hills Regional students are lifelong learners who know how to hit the books again years after leaving high school in order to navigate a career transition.  Blue Hills Regional graduates have the fundamental background in academic subjects to do it easily without missing a beat.

We emphasize the difference between a career and a job.  A job usually refers to short-term employment without an exciting future, much flexibility or the possibility of substantial earnings.  A career provides growth, demanding challenges and choices, upward professional and economic mobility, and potentially impressive earning power, especially with advanced degrees in hand.  Blue Hills is thus an excellent springboard to a career, which many of our grads have affirmed to us from their own experiences.

Blue Hills focuses on career preparation in areas that are anticipated to have burgeoning opportunities for years to come.  According to recent data from the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, there will be more projected job openings between 2006 and 2016 in the service sector – 12,218,000 – than in any other field.  This category includes workers who assist the public such as cosmetologists, cooks, home health aides and child care professionals (Blue Hills has excellent programs in all these areas). 

Service occupations are expected to add the second most new jobs – 4,830,000 - to the US economy than any other category except professional and related occupations.  Further, many of the occupational fields requiring short- or moderate-term on the job training that are expected to gain more than 100,000 jobs between 2006 and 2016 are taught at Blue Hills, among them food preparation and serving (452,000), child care (248,000), maintenance and repair (140,000), and construction (134,000).

Technical education is not for everyone, just as the concept of “one size fits all” is not true in education in general.   But for those who absorb and retain knowledge more effectively by participating in hands-on activities that reinforce it, who want to be trained in the career paths available, who desire high-caliber academics and who want to be ready to meet the myriad challenges of the 21^st century, Blue Hills Regional Technical School is definitely the place to be. 

Judy Bass is the communications specialist at Blue Hills Regional Technical School in Canton.

By Judy Bass

 
The William A. Dwyer Chapter of the National Honor Society (NHS) at Blue Hills Regional Technical School in Canton held its annual induction ceremony on February 13. Twenty-three new members were welcomed from the classes of 2008, 2009, and 2010, and 15 second- and third-year members participated in the ceremony as well. 

The school’s NHS chapter is named for William A. Dwyer, who was Blue Hills’ first superintendent-director.  The chapter’s faculty advisor is Jane M. O’Malley.

Presentation of the candidates and second- and third-year members was done by Assistant Superintendent/Principal James P. Quaglia.  The faculty guest speaker was Math Instructor Al Dellorco.

There was also an installation of chapter officers.  They are President Christina Furness of Braintree, Vice President Patrick Neil of Randolph, Secretary Felicia Jones of Randolph, and Treasurer Clarissa Lautert of Randolph.

New inductees from the class of 2008 are Matthew Cuddy, Braintree; Kabrina Dumas, Dedham; Niki Patel, Canton; Ashley Rupp, Holbrook.  From the class of 2009: Kayla Fernandez, Randolph; Michael MacMurdo, Holbrook; Brian McKenna, Westwood; Bianca Riley, Randolph; Stacey Sheehan, Randolph.  From the class of 2010: Christina Avillan, Randolph; Christiane Bathard, Randolph; Rolanda Bernard, Randolph; Daveen Blythe, Randolph; Jane Ehrhardt, Holbrook; Tyler Ellett, Norwood; Margaret Feldman, Randolph; Danielle Gagnon, Randolph; Mary Gainey, Holbrook; Kirsten Lawson, Randolph; Christina Russo, Holbrook; Jalisa Tull, Randolph; Chelsea Walker, Randolph; Jacquelyn Young, Randolph.

Second year members from the class of 2008 are Courtney Flynn, Braintree; Rachel Jenner, Braintree; Felicia Jones, Randolph; Benjamin Lee, Holbrook; Anikko Phongchit, Canton.

Second year members from the class of 2009 are Michelle Sweeting, Milton; Shawn Willett, Braintree.

Third year members from the class of 2008 are Samantha Budwit, Canton; Deanna Finlayson, Norwood; Christina Furness, Braintree; Clarissa Lautert, Randolph; Jessica Massey, Randolph; Patrick Neil, Randolph; Timothy O’Toole, Randolph; Simone Wornum, Randolph.

For Immediate Release                                                                 Contact: Judy Bass

                                                                                                                Blue Hills Regional

                                                                                                                781-828-5800 x333

                                                                                                                jbass@bluehills.org

MASS HIGH SCHOOL PROVIDES ADVANCED DRIVER TRAINING TO KEEP STUDENTS SAFE ON THE ROADS

Holbrook Insurance sponsors potentially life-saving Driver Training for Blue Hills Regional Technical High School Students

(CANTON) – Blue Hills Regional Technical High School recently took its students out of the classroom to teach them real-life driving skills that will reduce their risk of being involved in a crash.  Holbrook Insurance is sponsored the training on Wednesday, Feb. 13 from 1–4 p.m. for students and their families. The hands-on driving exercises were conducted by In Control Advanced Driver Training at the site of the former South Weymouth Naval Air Station. 

The program is geared to first and second-year drivers who have a permit or driver’s license.  Federal statistics show that 43 percent of first-year drivers experience a crash, while that figure is 37 percent for second-year drivers.  In Control helps students learn the safest reaction to potentially dangerous driving situations, as well as proactive techniques to help them lower their risk of being in a collision.

“Far too many teens are injured or killed because of a lack of driving experience,” said Jim Crowley of Holbrook Insurance, which is providing much of the funding to make this training possible.  “In Control will allow these young men and women to actually practice accident avoidance and reaction techniques in a safe environment, so they will have a real sense of how their vehicle should be handled when encountering a dangerous situation while driving.”

The Blue Hills students participated in several drills that will greatly increase their chances of staying safe on the roads.  These included emergency braking, defensive driving, tailgating drills, emergency lane changes, and handling distractions while on the road.  Earlier this school year, Blue Hills Students Against Dangerous Decisions (SADD) invited In Control to speak to the entire student body about safe driving.

“Teens are usually very excited when they first get their driver’s license, and do not realize how little they actually know about proper driving,” said Tom Cavanaugh, assistant principal at Blue Hills Regional Technical School.  “At Blue Hills were have always been committed to giving our students an education that will serve them well in the real world.  We believe providing advanced driver training does exactly that.  It gives our students the knowledge and confidence to help them be safer drivers, and allows them to utilize safe driving skills for the rest of their lives.”

Blue Hills Regional Technical High School is the latest example of Massachusetts educators taking a more serious approach to driver training by supplementing traditional drivers’ education with In Control’s advanced training, which addresses the skills and attitudes needed to create safer new drivers. Recently, the South Shore Charter High School in Hingham made In Control Advanced Driver Training a required course for any student wishing to drive a vehicle to and from school.  

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About In Control Advanced Driver Training

In Control Advanced Driver Training was founded in 2003 by professional racecar driver Brandon Bogart in an effort to lower the number of accidents caused by driver error.  Automobile crashes are the number one killer of people under 25 and In Control’s program has been found to reduce crash rates in new drivers by 70 percent. 

The half day  In Control program is an extreme driver training course designed to not only teach participants the appropriate way to respond to unavoidable, real-life road situations, but also to instill lifelong attitudes that make safer drivers.  This closed course hands-on education was adapted from existing law enforcement training that Bogart has been instructing for more than a decade. 

In Control has trained over 6,000 students and receives limitless praise from graduates, parents, schools, police departments, insurance companies, legislators and community groups all over New England.   The course is held on closed airport runways and other large paved areas where students are able to practice emergency maneuvers in a safe environment.  In Control operates a fixed site facility at the South Weymouth Naval Air Station and a mobile classroom which serves locations throughout New England including North Andover, Worcester and Cape Cod, Massachusetts.  For more information about In Control Advanced Driver Training, please visit: www.WeDriveInControl.com.