Each spring, MAVA (Massachusetts Association of Vocational Administrators) and MVA (Massachusetts Vocational Association) co-sponsor an awards ceremony for Outstanding Vocational Students across the state. This award recognizes those students whose scholastic and career technical achievements have significantly contributed to their local school district and consequently to the total career technical education delivery system in the Commonwealth. The criteria to be nominated are as follows: a minimum of a 3.50 cumulative grade point average, demonstration of technical competence, excellent attendance, leadership qualities, career technical related work experiences, participation in extracurricular activities, and community involvement. It is with great pride that WVTHS announces that Senior Information Technology student Terry Taskey has been chosen as the 2015 Outstanding Vocational Student at Westfield Vocational Technical High School.
Terry was nominated to receive the Outstanding Vocational Student Award because of his leadership skills, involvement with various extracurricular clubs and activities, and for community service. Terry’s leadership skills are demonstrated in his positions as an officer in our local SkillsUSA chapter, president of the National Technical Honor Society, president of the WVTHS Student Council, one of two students on the State Student Advisory Council, and a student representative to the Westfield School Committee. Terry’s participation in extracurricular activities is commendable indeed. He is a member of FBLA (Future Business Leaders of America), Friends of Rachel club, the WVTHS School Improvement Council, IT Department Program Advisory Committee, School Climate Committee, and WVTHS Key Club. In regard to community service, just last fall Terry helped support an initiative to supply the school’s food pantry, used to assist economically challenged families of WVTHS students. He rallied his fellow Information Technology students for this cause, which resulted in the largest donation of all WVTHS technical programs with over 1,000 non-perishable food items donated. With other Key Club members, Terry also volunteers regularly at the community soup kitchen.
Terry was also nominated for this award because of his commitment to education and excellent technical skills in PC service and networking. He has demonstrated great discipline in the classroom participating in a rigorous course of study that has included honors and dual enrollment college level courses. Terry is also the recipient of a John and Abigail Adams Scholarship awarded to students who score advanced on the MCAS. As part of an IT shop initiative, Terry was able to demonstrate some of his shop acquired skills by participating in and even teaching a weekly programming enrichment course to 5th grade students at various elementary schools in Westfield.
Terry is currently a cooperative education student with the Westfield State University IT Department and he plans to attend college after graduation to study Computer Science. Terry has been accepted to Champlain College, the University of Massachusetts, Westfield State University, Springfield Technical Community College, and Holyoke Community College. WVTHS is very proud of Terry and his accomplishments. On April 15 at Mechanics Hall in Worcester, MAVA will hold an awards ceremony and dinner to recognize Terry, along with other Outstanding Vocational Students from across the state. Congratulations Terry!
Stefan Czaporowski
Principal
Westfield Vocational Technical High School
