Patricia A Hannaford Career Center

This week, on May 29th, we had the pleasure of hosting our annual Celebration of Learning event, a testament to the dedication and hard work of our students, families, and staff.

The event was a resounding success, showcasing the remarkable achievements and growth of our students throughout the year. We are incredibly grateful to the families who supported their children’s educational journeys, the students who demonstrated exceptional commitment and creativity, and the staff who tirelessly guided and mentored them.

The collaborative effort that went into making this culminating event memorable was truly inspiring, reflecting the strong sense of community and excellence that defines Patricia A Hannaford Career Center. Thank you all for an unforgettable school year, and congratulations to our concentrators as they embark on their next adventures.

More photos of this wonderful event can be viewed here!

Our students attended the Vermont FFA Convention at VSU in Randolph on Monday and Tuesday this week. The 24-25 Vermont FFA Officer team was elected and is pictured with National FFA Southwestern region VP, Emily Gossett.

L to R: Megan Lafountaine, Gerrit Beenen, Emily Gossett, Erin Whipple, Mackenize Chase, and Jessie Allen. Four of the five state officers are PAHCC students!

The convention was truly a highlight of the year for students in several of our programs!

Our Agricultural Mechanics and Technology team earned 2nd place, with Trevor Carr, Colton Reed, and Wyatt Kennett each earning a $5,000 scholarship to the University of Northwestern Ohio! Trevor Carr also earned 3rd place individually out of more than 40 competitors.

Our Parliamentary Procedure team qualified to compete nationally in Indianapolis this fall. Calvin Almeida earned third place of ten drivers in the Safe Tractor Operation Competition. We enjoyed a tour and creemees at Silloway Maple. Vergennes FFA brought the musical chairs rotating trophy home again this year.

Congratulations to all the students who participated!

2024-2025 Vermont FFA Association State Officer Slate

President - Mackenzie Chase - Middlebury (Sustainable Agriculture)

V.P. - Garrett Beenen - Vergennes (Auto)

Secretary - Erin Whipple - Middlebury (Sustainable Agriculture)

Treasurer - Megan LaFountaine - Vergennes (Auto)

Reporter - Jessie Allen - Cold Hollow FFA Chapter, Enosburg

Green Mountain (State) FFA Degree

Mackenzie Chase

Erin Whipple

• Chapter Scrapbook - First Place - Hailey Chase - Chapter Historian (Mechanical Science)

• Non-Agriscience Poster - First Place Team - Hailey Roberts, Emma Reen (Sustainable Agriculture)

• Non-Agriscience Poster - Second Place Individual - Hailee Allen (Sustainable Agriculture)

• Agriscience Poster - First Place - Hailey Chase (Mechanical Science)

• Maple Team Event - Second Place - Middlebury - Nathan Cook-Yoder, Hailey Chase, Taryn Burns, McKenna Cram, Alexis Whipple (Intro to Ag)

• Maple Team - Second Place Individual - Nathan Cook - Yoder (Intro to Ag)

• Maple Team - Third Place Individual - Taryn Burns (Intro to Ag)

• Ag Mechanics - Diesel Team #1 - Third Place - Each member of the team received a $4,000 scholarship to UNOH - Josh Malbon, Peyton Ball, Connor James

• Ag Mechanics - Diesel Team #2 - Fourth Place Team - Each member of the team received a $2,000 scholarship to UNOH - Mason Livingston, Devin Brisson, Robert Cavoretto

• Washington Leadership Conference Scholarship for $1200 - Hailey Chase (Mechanical Science)

• Creed Speaking - First Place - Taryn Burns (Intro to Ag)

• Creed Speaking - Second Place - Mckenna Cram (Intro to Ag)

• Creed Speaking - Third Place - Alexis Whipple (Intro to Ag)

• Prepared Public Speaking - Second Place - Erin Whipple (Sustainable Agriculture)

• Prepared Public Speaking - Third Place - Shyanne Wedge (Sustainable Agriculture)

• Dairy Foods - Third Place Team - Nate Cook-Yoder, Taryn Burns, Alexis Whipple, Katelyn Busby, McKenna Cram (Intro to Ag)

• Dairy Foods - First Place Individual - Nate Cook-Yoder

• Dairy Cattle Handling - First Place Individual - Brailey Livingston (Sustainable Agriculture)

• Dairy Cattle Handling - Second Place Individual - Elaina Sheldrick (Sustainable Agriculture)

• Dairy Cattle Evaluation - Second Place Team - Ruby Hubbell, Hailee Allen, Alex Henley, Mackenzie Chase (Sustainable Agriculture)

• Dairy Cattle Evaluation - First Place Individual - Mackenzie Chase

• Employment Skills - First Place Individual - Mackenzie Chase (Sustainable Agriculture)

• Employment Skills - Third Place Individual - Hailee Allen (Sustainable Agriculture)

PAHCC is currently hiring for the following positions:

• Diesel Technology Instructor

• Substitute Office Staff

• Substitute Teachers

• Work-Based Learning Coordinator

• Welding Instructor

If you are interested and want to learn more, you can contact info@pahcc.org or 802-382-1012.

Apply at Indeed or SchoolSpring!

On May 2, Dr. VerPlanck represented PAHCC with our newly branded booth on a perfect spring day at the VT Department of Labor’s (DOL) first outdoor job fair in Middlebury. According to Joy, the DOL put on a great event that provided abundant opportunities to spread the word about our programming to the other exhibiting organizations and speak to several qualified candidates for our open positions.

Enrollment for the 2024-2025 school year at Patricia A. Hannaford Career Center is still open!

The application process is quick and easy – simply visit our website at https://forms.gle/uGq9AHeDYfdgkLvG8 to submit your application online.

Don't miss this opportunity to embark on a rewarding educational journey at PAHCC and take the first step toward a bright and successful future!

Adult education classes now accepting enrollments:

• Advanced Welding: TBD June
• Licensed Nurse Assistant (LNA): TBD July
• Clinical Medical Assistant Certification (CMAC): July 1
• Soldering Certification: TBD Fall
• Forklift Operator Safety Training: TBD Fall
  
• Small Engine Repair: TBD Fall
  
• Phlebotomy Technician Training: September 10

Head over to the website for course details on these and other future classes.

Hailey is a PAHCC student and maker in both teen and community Makery. Hailey is 15 and a third-year 4H member from Bristol. She has been making her sweet sixteen formal dress. Hailey chose a beautiful green satin and lace fabric to create her desired flowy and elegant look.

This was Hailey's first major sewing project and she learned several new skills for this challenge: following a pattern, fitting, working with lace, and inserting a zipper. At the VT state 4H exhibition Hailey received a ribbon and qualified for the 4H Eastern States in Massachusetts in September. Congrats to Hailey!

Shannon Bryant and Dr. VerPlanck received a tour of Middlebury College's Maker Space from Daniel Houghton, the maker space manager. Daniel teaches industrial design at the college and is a member of our own Makery Steering Committee. The tour included a rich discussion of the potential for collaboration between our two community innovation centers.

Intro to welding courses continue to be busy for adult ed, with two more participants shown below: Claude Godard and Willem Finnegan.

We expect to pick back up with welding classes in the fall. Anyone interested in taking a welding course, intro or intermediate, is encouraged to register now so that when dates are set, you've got a seat!

On Tuesday, A.R.T. students traveled to Burlington for the Vermont Young Playwrights (VYP) State Festival. There, they joined students from across Vermont to listen to readings of selected student works and to participate in a variety of workshops.

Plays by A.R.T. seniors Sarah Heath and Benjo Torres were both presented at this year's VYP. Junior Bea Hooper's play was given an honorable mention. The photo is of Sarah Heath joining the cast and director of her play, The Thermostat, after its reading at VYP.

Students have made a big push in the last two weeks to finish installing the flooring, baseboard trim, cabinet hardware, and appliances. Dennis Newton Electrical installed a heat pump last week as well. Two industry pros walked the students through a mini-split installation. Thank you, Dennis!

The Tiny House is nearing completion and will have the finishing touches applied over the next few weeks. The Tiny House was showcased on Memorial Day Monday, May 27th at Homes First VT, our non-profit partner, who hosted an open house to highlight the project.

Culinary Arts went on a 2-night excursion to New York City. On their way down they visited the Culinary Institute of America (CIA). In the city, they tried Dominican cuisine, went sightseeing all over Manhattan, and enjoyed a tasting menu at The Gramercy Tavern followed by the Broadway production of Wicked!

Students raised the funds for this culinary adventure by running the Glass Onion Eatery all year. It was also great to be able to see two former Culinary Arts students, Nima Mehregan and Abby Bailey, who are now studying at CIA.

Culinary student Carley Cook (center) with her coworkers at Little Miss Taco in Bristol. Carley has a paid co-op there on Mondays and Fridays and helps prepare between 200 and 300 gourmet farm-to-table takeout meals for delivery throughout Addison and Chittenden counties. Owner Clarina Cravins (right) reports being pleasantly surprised, "Carley came to us with more skills than we expected. We do a lot of different types of prep here, and Carley jumped right in able to do just about everything."

This month, culinary students went foraging for some of Vermont’s best wild delicacies. They made dandelion fritters using the whole head of the dandelion dipped in egg then breadcrumbs and pan-fried. They also made pickled fiddleheads, pickled ramps, and wild ramp pesto, which they sold at the Glass Onion.

Students in culinary arts worked tirelessly to make refreshments for the Celebration of Learning. They also learned how to braid bread using 6 pieces by making rainbow dough!

Students are putting finishing touches on their capstone projects: Album Cover and Merchandise Design. Students designed all aspects of the album art, printed the work on our school's large format printer, cut, and assembled the final work, complete with vinyl sticker designs. In addition to making a full-scale, working album cover, students also mocked up their cover designs in a digital context (in Spotify, iTunes, etc.).

As part of this comprehensive project, students also created merchandise that consumers might buy at a concert (hoodies, t-shirts, hats, bags, posters, VIP passes, etc.). The project will conclude with students presenting all aspects of their design work in an oral presentation, accompanied by a visual show board that they have designed in Adobe Illustrator and assembled by hand.

This month, Brenan Hathaway practiced backing up the Mack truck in the Diesel class. Students get the opportunity to operate manual vehicles so they will be well versed in driving and repairing a variety of diesel equipment.

Diesel 1 students finish up projects in the shop and prepare their Snap-On tool boxes for next year's Diesel 2 program.

Yoga for Big Kids and Little Kids! Students in the Human Services Program recently gathered for yoga with both PlayLab preschoolers and a local Registered Children's Yoga Teacher, or R.C.Y.T.

Using a play-based approach, the instructor guided everyone through a series of breathing exercises and movement activities. Being able to bring one's energy level up and down is an important skill for all of us to learn - whether age five, fifteen, or fifty!

Afternoon Human Services students have been spending the past several Wednesdays at Project Independence/Elderly Services. Students have been playing card games, Yahtzee, and bowling, while also assisting with theater improv and a variety of art projects.

Project Independence/Elderly Services participants simply love the energy that these young people bring, and students enjoy the conversations, stories, and humor that fill their time!

James Spillman achieved his National Incident Management System (NIMS) certification for Materials, Measurement and Safety this past Friday before wrapping up his career here at PAHCC.

Students finished building this beautiful picnic table last week. They will be leaving it at PAHCC for students to enjoy!

Former Medical Professions student, Ainsley Busby talked to Med Pro 1 about what it’s like going to nursing school and gave students some helpful tips.

Jacob Kemp placed second in the state in the Game of Logging competition. Casey Calzini placed tenth. Congratulations!

Students traveled to Green Mountain Conservation Camp in Castleton, VT this week for a statewide Envirothon Competition. This cooperative event brought specialists from Natural Resource Conservation districts around the state to set up challenges in Aquatics, Forestry, Wildlife, Soil Science, and Current Energy Issues.

Students worked as a team, competing against other schools, to answer rigorous written responses to lab questions in the field and gave presentations on renewable energy. The campus provided beautiful venues for the different stations. PAHCC was a first time participant and we took home an award for Highest Score in Soils. Congratulations NRM!

The NRM class toured the McNeil Generating Station, a biomass power plant in Burlington this week. Students learned how McNeil fits into Burlington’s Net Zero Energy Roadmap and how it affects Vermont’s climate and forestry.

Sustainable Agriculture students worked very hard all spring in The Garden Patch Greenhouse. Everyone’s hard work paid off and our program hit its goal of $10k in plant sales! The greenhouse was open to the public and students managed the greenhouse during business hours. They trained in customer service and point of sale (Square payment/inventory management system).

Students grew 400 potted flowering plants for Porter Medical Center’s Employee Appreciation Program. Representatives from PMC picked up the plants on May 14, 2024. Each pot left with a sticker designed by Lauren Depina.

AM section students and Deep Roots Farm residents, Jolene and her twins represented PAHCC at the Bridport Central School Career Day on Friday, May 10. They were joined by Sustainable Agriculture alumnae, Ashlynn Fleming and Stephanie Pope who drove up in a New Holland self-propelled chopper. It was great working together in an effort to promote the continuing growth of agriculture in Addison County.

The last week of May, Sustainable Agriculture students welcomed young friends from the Addison County Parent/Child Center to Deep Roots Farm. Young friends met the goat kids and sat on equipment.

Sustainable Agriculture Students visited Digligle Farm in Brandon where they raise Guernsey cattle for show. We are pictured with embryo transfer winter calves.

Email: info@pahcc.org
Website: hannafordcareercenter.org
Location: 51 Charles Avenue, Middlebury, VT, USA
Phone: 802-382-1012
Facebook: facebook.com/CareerCenterVT

Instagram: instagram.com/careertechvt

LinkedIn: inkedin.com/school/pahcc