WESTFIELD – Amanda Gamelli’s passion for empowering students can be seen daily at Westfield High School’s reorganized Reed Career Center.
“I absolutely love my job,” said Gamelli. “Every day is different and every day I interact with new students.”
For years, the career center had a guidance/career counselor, and two paraprofessionals, but in June of 2014 a guidance counselor was cut and for the 2014-2015 school years, the school moved the counselor to a regular guidance position with a full caseload of students, according to Megan Stopa, chair of the Guidance Department.
“The career center became the College and Career Center and housed the two guidance secretaries, as well as one paraprofessional,” said Stopa. “The paraprofessional ran the career side of the new office suite, kept track of work study and student assistants, and scheduled college and military representative visits. We no longer had a tutoring program, career counseling, career inventories or a career fair. We just did not have the manpower to do all of this.”
Stopa added that when the 2015-2016 school year began the paraprofessional position was cut and the two guidance secretaries moved back to the guidance office, leaving the career center “empty with no one to man it.”
“Amanda Gamelli joined our team has a half-time counselor and a half-time ELA teacher, and we decided to utilize her skills to open up the empty career center and get it up and running as it was in the days of the infamous Eleanor Larabee,” said Stopa.
Stopa explained that Larabee was a career counselor who wore a business suit every day and set a “great example” for the students.
“Eleanor visited the students at their job placements, she checked on them in classes, she organized job shadowing and internships, she was classy and taught the students to be classy,” said Stopa. “I see that same passion in Amanda. She is the Eleanor Larabee of 2016.”
Gamelli had taught English at Westfield Technical Academy for seven years and while teaching she completed two master’s degrees, in administration and guidance counseling. When an English position was cut from Westfield Technical at the end of the school year last year, her path led her to Westfield High.
“I love being able to meet with students to discuss their future plans,” said Gamelli. “I have the ability to meet with college representatives, set up instant admittance days, military visits, internship placements, work study placements, student assistant placements, tutoring schedules and more.”
Currently, Gamelli is working with several students including seniors Anna Grady, Jordyn Renee Chartier, and Dominique Alexis Holmes on internships.
Grady, who has begun her internship at WGBY in Springfield, spends 14 hours each week at the station and will receive one credit at the end of the semester.
“I have done a lot of research to update their resources, organize info sheets, and help in preparing for various events,” said Grady. “It is a great way for students to gain exposure in a workplace that is geared toward a career that they have an interest in, while also staying closely connected to the school.”
Bess Kapetanis, education programs coordinator at WGBY, noted that its internship program supports the station’s commitment to lifelong learning.
“Anna’s enthusiasm and determination demonstrated that she wanted to learn about and contribute to our work at the station,” said Kapetanis. “She’s proven to be a capable assistant in the Community Engagement and Education Department where, among her duties, she researches and prepares PBS resources that help WGBY in its support of children, families and educators throughout our region.”
For Holmes and Chartier, they just completed their career interest inventory paperwork with Gamelli and hope to land an internship with the Roots Learning Center.
“I am signing up for this internship because I am planning on going to college to major in early childhood and I know that this internship will help me come to a conclusion of whether or not this will be something I want to do for my future,” said Holmes. “I am targeting the Roots Learning Center which can take care of children from infant, toddler, and preshool aged children. I have always had an interest in learning how they learn and develop.”
Chartier echoed those sentiments.
“I am signing up for this internship because I think it is a great opportunity for someone my age getting ready to go off to college and I am excited to be taking advantage of it,” said Chartier. “Being able to put participation of an internship on a resume for a future job or college shows that you are willing to take initiative and take an extra step to achieve your future goals. I hope to be an elementary school teacher when I graduate college so having this opportunity to intern at a school is too good to pass up.”
Gamelli said that students have three options through the career center – student assisting, work study, and internships.
“All three options allow students to gain the experience needed in the real world,” said Gamelli. “Through these programs the students work on their communication skills, organizational skills, writing skills and problem-solving skills to help mold them into adulthood. They learn to be respectful, and to earn the respect of their employer or the teacher they are working with.”
Gamelli added that if a student realizes they don’t connect with what they are doing, she explains that is OK since it is a learning experience.
“It’s important to take all experiences as learning experiences whether they are positive or negative,” said Gamelli.
Kate Phelon, executive director of the Greater Westfield Chamber of Commerce, also met recently with Gamelli and Principal Dennis Duquette to discuss ways that local businesses can become more involved with the career center.
“The Chamber is going to keep promoting the career center opportunities to the business community through our monthly newsletter and through social media of any of their events,” said Phelon.
Phelon also encouraged businesses to consider participating in the school’s career fair in June to provide students with career choices.
“I also have been reaching out to local businesses where I think some of the students would be great matches,” said Gamelli. “I have had students who know what they want to do and I have reached out to the businesses and asked if they’d be willing to take an intern student.”
Gamelli noted it is important to have the high school-community connection.
“Westfield High School houses some amazing students who have drive, ambition, character, motivation, and a willingness to learn,” said Gamelli, adding, “All qualities that businesses should look for in an employee/intern.”
After Gamelli meets with business owners and discusses what they would like the student to do on the job, she meets with the student to see if it’s a fit.
“This ensures that if a student takes an internship they are doing what they actually want to be doing,” said Gamelli. “It also allows me to reinforce the dress code and business etiquette with the students. I remind them that this is an opportunity to shine and to show the community how amazing the students are at Westfield High School.”
For more information on how businesses can get involved with the career center, contact Gamelli at (413) 562-9623 or via email to [email protected].
