Region – Hundreds of local eighth-grade students and their families recently visited Assabet Valley Regional Technical High School (AVRTHS) for the annual Exhibit/Admissions Night.
As they came through the front doors, they were greeted by Principal Mark Hollick handing out programs for the evening.
“We really enjoy opening up the school for an evening event like this, because we know that many people still aren's sure exactly what we do here,” Hollick said. “It gives our students and staff a chance to show off, to let their passion come through, and to hopefully dispel the myths that Assabet is second rate. We are a terrific blend of both challenging academics and state-of-the-art technical training.”
Besides admissions sessions that explained the process of applying to AVRTHS, there were demonstrations and programs presented by the school's technical departments, academic fields, athletics, and clubs and organizations.
The FIRST robotics team, AZTECHS 157, demonstrated their Frisbee-shooting robot in one hallway, while the band and chorus provided music in another. Vinyl footsteps on the floor made by the Painting and Design Technologies students marked a clear pathway through the school, while one stairwell had a series of numbered items labeled “40 Reasons to Love Assabet,” reminding everyone of the school's 40th anniversary.
One program that probably had the most traffic was the Culinary Arts Department, where students and chefs were making a variety of dishes for visitors to sample.
“Our students enjoy the best of both worlds and head off to prestigious colleges or directly into the workforce as skilled technicians,” Hollick said. “The main difference between us and any local comprehensive high school is that our students have options and get to choose half of their high school career as something that really gets them excited. We continue to urge people to come give us a chance, to take a tour, to visit, to see how technical education in the 21st century has evolved.”
