March 10, 2010

'Time to shine' for Palmer robot team 'Time to shine' for robot team

Written By LORI STABILE for the Republican

lstabile@repub.com

PALMER - After winning the prestigious "inspire award" at the Massachusetts FIRST Tech Challenge, Pathfinder Regional Vocational Technical High School's Robotics Team will head to Georgia to compete against 100 teams from all over the world.

Pathfinder's team of seven students won the award at the third annual For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology (FIRST) Challenge at the school on Feb. 27, beating out 31 other teams, including ones from Agawam and Wilbraham.

But before they go "Atlanta or Bust," as one team member's car now advertises, they must raise $9,000, the trip's cost, and are soliciting donations. Already they have raised $895, according to Eric A. Duda, an electronics and robotics technology instructor.

"They own it. I couldn't be more pleased with them. They really went above and beyond. They really stepped up to the plate," Duda said on Friday.

Duda said the students - seniors Tyler A. Wood, Andrew S. Roche, Matthew A. Johnson, Brandon M. Granger, Glen M. Corrow and Justin T. Bren, along with sophomore Ryan P. McQuaid - spent a lot of time on the project, coming in after school, staying until 8 at night, and even showing up on snow days and winter vacations to work on their robot, which can shoot Wiffle balls with precision into their intended target.

The team performed demonstrations with the robot for the Rotary Club and at the Veterans Affairs facility in Leeds. Rotary donated the cost of the robot kit, approximately $1,000, Duda said.

Wood, Johnson, Corrow are from Palmer; Granger, Roche, Bren and McQuaid are from Monson.

Team members said it took time to get the final robot design, with Roche estimating they went through five or six options. They started the project in November. Corrow said they had been watching robotics teams at the school since they were freshmen, waiting to compete.

"We sat on the sidelines. Now this is like our time to shine ... We are completely ecstatic," Corrow said.

The students said they are not anxious about competing against teams from 31 countries. The competition will be held April 14 to 18.

"Our robot is extremely accurate and doesn't have too many flaws, and the flaws it does have, we have seven weeks to fix them," Roche said.

Corrow said getting the inspire award is even more prestigious than placing first. (That distinction went to a team from Sharon that also will be heading to Atlanta.) The award is given to a team that best represents a "role model" and is an inspiration to the other teams, "acting with gracious professionalism both on and off the playing field," according to information provided by Duda.

Duda said team members helped other teams when they encountered glitches with their robots.

"We sacrificed work on our own robot to make sure everybody had a good time ... We came together as a team," Roche said. The team got as far as the semi-finals. Roche described the state championship as like "a huge sporting event." Pathfinder's team even had its own cheering section.

The Pathfinder robot is laptop computer-controlled and runs on a battery pack. The students were given specific building guidelines, such as the robot had to fit inside an 18-inch by 18-inch box, and were told the balls could not shoot higher than 4 feet or farther than 10 feet. Duda said they wrote the computer code for the robot and incorporated Bluetooth technology.

Duda said the team will now qualify for scholarships. It also won the "innovate award."

The Springfield Republican also published an article highlighting the team?s accomplishments (the article is at the end of this email). The students are trying very hard to solicit donations and fundraise $9000 before The World Championship in April. Incredibly, they have raised $2185 to date.

The Pathfinder Robotics Team was featured on a Masslive Video Report yesterday:
http://videos.masslive.com/republican/2010/03/pathfinder_robotics_team_wins.html

Awards:

Motivate Award - Team 3057, Girls Like Bots from Hinham, MA

Connect Award - Team 3397, Essex High School from Essex, VT

Rockwell Collins Innovate Award - Team 785, Team Pathfinder from Palmer, MA

Think Award - Team 1, Team Unlimited from Sharon, MA

Inspire Award - Team 785, Team Pathfinder from Palmer, MA

February 23, 2010

Drama Club Play

On March 12th and 19th the Pathfinder Drama club will be presenting "Almost the Bride of Dracula" at 7:00 PM in the school cafeteria. This is a comedy in which Count Dracula reminisces about three former girlfriends, none of whom worked out for him. The cast includes:

• Ethan Delaney and Lucas McDiarmid as Dracula

• Mitchell Benedetti as Charles; the Butler

• Dalton Czupyna as Dracula's mother

• Samantha Gancorz as Dracula's sister; Melrose

• Bethany Czupyna as Donna

• Alexis Malouin as Dracula's cousin; Vaslisa and as Becky

• Brenda Klusman as Lisa

• Evan Blouin as Jack the Ripper

• Becca Kowalik as Becky's mom

• Dylan Chevrette as Becky's dad

• Joshua Foster as Hank

• Amie Clark and Donna Snow as Sheila and Amelia

The show is about 90 minutes long, with one intermission. Tickets are $5 fore adults and $2 for seniors and children under 12.

February 22, 2010

Pennies for Patients

Bring in your spare change to the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society and help in the fight against blood cancers! The drive will last from March 3rd to March 19th. Donation boxes will be located in all of the english classrooms. All spare change is welcome help. Not just pennies!

The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society is located at: 9 Erie Drive, Suite 101 Natick, MA 01760. Telephone is: (800) 688-6572

Website: www.schoolandyouth.org/ma

February 4, 2010

Ski and Snowboard Trip

The next ski and snowboard trip is scheduled for Friday Feb. 12th to Wachusett Mountain. We will leave the school at 2:30 p.m. and return at approximately 10:30 p.m. Other information and permission slips are available in reception or from Mr. Condon. The trip will be limited to the first 25 students paid in full with signed permission slips.

February 4, 2010

2nd Annual Motorcycle Rally

On behalf of the Pathfinder Regional Vocational Technical H.S. Machine Technologies Department, we would like to thank you very much for the most generous sponsorship you provided for the 2nd Annual Motorcycle Rally held on September 12th 2009. The rally was a great success. The $10,000.00 proceeds are being put to use right away with the purchase of a Tormach PCNC1100 CNC Machine. This machine will help to enhance our 9th grade exploratory program and will also be used by the upper class students for CNC training.

Special thanks go out to Dan Walker for the many hours spent organizing and soliciting company sponsorships for the event. Without Dan’s help and guidance the Bike Rally would not be possible. Also, Hoppe Tool showed a great deal of support in time and money to help make the rally a success. The Western Massachusetts Chapter of the National Tooling and Machining Associations sponsorship of $3,000.00 was a huge help in reaching our goal of $10,000.00. It is with the support of individuals and industry leaders like you that makes Pathfinder Machine Technologies Department one of the most progressive and quality vocational education facilities in the Pioneer Valley.

We hope that you will continue to show your support and make the 3rd Annual Motorcycle Rally in the fall of 2010 bigger and better. Happy New Year and thanks again.

January 26, 2010

Financial Aid Information Session

A free financial aid information session will be held this Sunday, January 31st at American International College (AIC) on State St. in Springfield. The event is sponsored by Congressman Richard Neal and starts at 12:30. It will be held in the Karen Sprague Cultural Arts Center. Pre-registration is not required.

January 15, 2010

No Name Calling Week

Pathfinder will once again be observing No Name Calling Week from January 25th to the 29th. This is an unfunded Federal DOE initiative that we gained some notoriety and good press from last year, as we were the only area school participating.

• Students will be made conscious and aware of just how pervasive name calling is, both in our society and in our school.

• Students will be made aware of now hurtful name calling can be.

• Teachers and students will gently remind each other when they do name call.

The goal is to create a more tolerant, caring atmosphere for all of us at Pathfinder. We will be conducting an essay contest through the Freshman English classes.

"Students don't care how much you know, until they know how much you care."

Cavett Roberts

January 15, 2010

Pathfinder Drama Club Costume Dance

This dance is to benefit the Pathfinder Drama Club. The theme is costumes; costumes are not required, but are welcomed. There will be a costume contest, and the male and female winners will receive a pair of movie tickets. Refreshments will be available and there will be a bake sale.

Please register guests in the Reception Office. Tickets are $5 at the door, or tickets can be purchased in advance from Mr. O'Donnell for $4.50.

January 12, 2010

Senior and Sophomore Breakfast Buffet and Bake Sale Fundraiser

The Senior and Sophomore classes of Pathfinder Regional are having a Breakfast Buffet and Bake Sale, along with a raffle on January 24th from 8 am to 12 pm at The Church of Divine Mercy, formerly St. Peter and Paul in Three Rivers. Our Breakfast Buffet will include pancakes, french toast, scrambled eggs, bacon, toast, coffee, tea and juice. Adults will pay $5, and children 12 and under, along with senior citizens, will pay $3. All are welcome! If anyone would like to make a donation towards towards our Bake Sale or Raffle please contact

Joe Storozuk at Pathfinder at (413)-283-9701.

January 12, 2010

Second Trimester Progress Reports

Second trimester midterm grades close on January 15th. Progress reports will be issued shortly thereafter.

December 7, 2009

Massachusetts State Auto Dealers Association Competition

Nineteen students from Pathfinders Automotive Technology Program competed in the written portion of the Massachusetts State Auto Dealers Competition on October 22nd. This competition was held at Worcester Technical School and included over 400 students from technical schools across the state.

From this qualifying test, 8 teams of 2 were selected for the hands-on upperclassman competition. Joshua Ocasio and Brendan Eliot won the honors and were named to Team Audi. Josh and Brendan would then be debugging a 2010 Audi A4.

In the underclassman competition, Daniel Hayden and Jason Bren finished in the Top Ten to go on in their respective hands-on event.

These 4 students traveled to Mass Bay Community College on December 4^th. Joshua Ocasio and Brendan Eliot did well finishing 4^th in the upperclassman event while Dan Hayden finished 1^st and Jason Bren finished 3^rd respectfully in the underclassman event.

Congratulations to these 4 students on their achievements and to representing Pathfinder and its automotive technology program.

December 7, 2009

Football & Golf Athletic Banquet

The Football and Golf Athletic Banquet will be held on Friday, December 11th at

6:00 pm at Amvet's. Letters will be sent home this week to parents. Athletes are free and may have up to 4 guests. Ticket prices are $10.00 each. Please RSVP by November 30th.

November 25, 2009

Holiday Mail for Heroes Program

For the third consecutive year, the Red Cross and Pitney Bowes are joining forces to send seasonal cheer to soldiers, veterans and their families during the holiday season through the Holiday Mail for Heroes program.

Holiday Mail for Heroes makes it easy for all of us to say "Thanks!" and "We're thinking of you!" to these brave Americans, particularly to the millions of soldiers who will be overseas and away from our families during the holidays.

Here's how it works:

1. Between now and the cut-off date of Monday, December 7th, you send a card to:
   
   Holiday Mail for Heroes
   P.O. Box 5456
   Capitol Heights, MD 20791-5456
   
   
2. Pitney Bowes screens the cards to make sure they're safe (no hazardous materials) and forwards them to participating Red Cross chapters nationwide.
   
   
3. The Red Cross sorts and reviews the cards, and distributes them to service members, their families and veterans

It's so easy you could fit it in with your errands today!

They do have some basic rules:

• Sign all cards

• Address them to "Dear Service Member, Family or Veteran."

• There's a limit of 15 cards per person or 50 for a school class or business group.

• Please bundle groups of cards in single, large envelopes.

To keep the program streamlined, safe and consistent, they ask that you not:

• Send letters

• Include personal information such as home or email addresses

• Use glitter because it can aggravate the wounds of hurt soldiers

• Include inserts of any kind -- they'll be removed in the screening process

According to the Red Cross, there are over 1.4 million men and women serving in the U.S. armed forces, and over 24 million veterans. This is the perfect way to thank them, and their families, for serving their country, with a holiday greeting!

November 9, 2009

H1N1 Information

Message from the school nurse Click Here

Swine Flu Symptom Checklist from the Department of Public Health Click Here

November 9, 2009

Thanksgiving Food Drive

The Student Council Members will be collecting non-perishables and turkeys (sign up sheet in teachers room) as well as monetary donations for their Annual Thanksgiving Food Drive. You can place your donations on the table in front of the business office. Donations will be accepted from November 9th - 23rd. Any help large or small will be greatly appreciated. Valley Human Services will pick up and distribute meals to needy families in the local area.

October 27, 2009

Jeans & Pink for the Cause

Friday, October 30th

Donate $5.00 and show your support by wearing jeans and pink!

All proceeds will be donated locally to

The Baystate Regional Cancer Program.

*See Mrs. Storey in the reception office to donate and put your name on the card to Baystate.

Cancer care offered by the Baystate Regional Cancer Program includes:

• Radiation oncology

• Medical oncology

• Surgical oncology

• Our renowned Comprehensive Breast Center

• Integrated medical and surgical services, including thoracic surgery, neurosurgery, plastic surgery and more. As well as support services such as social work, spiritual services, financial consultations,etc.

Forestry Contest

Congratulations to the Pathfinder students who represented the state of Massachusetts in the Forestry Contest. The contest was held at the National FFA Convention in Indianapolis, Indiana. The team, which included Chris Nau, Hayley Morin, Katlynn Holmes, and Jessie Prucnal, receives silver as a team and each went home with an individual award.

October 1, 2009

College Information

Local College Fair

Two free local college fairs will be taking place in the month of October and all Pathfinder students are welcome to attend! The first college fair will be help at Belchertown High School on Thursday, October 8th from 7:00 to 9:00 p.m. The second event will take place at Cathedral High School on Thursday, October 22nd from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. Over 100 colleges will be in attendance at both events. Information on the colleges participating in these events is available in Guidance.

September 2, 2009

College Information

Local College Fair

All Pathfinder students are invited to attend the annual fall college fair offered by the New England Association for College Admissions Counseling on Sunday, Sept. 20th from 3:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. The fair will be held at Western New England College in Springfield, only about 10 minutes from the Eastfield Mall.

This event is free of charge and starts with a College Awareness and Financial Aid workshop. After the workshop, students will have the opportunity to gather information and speak with representatives from numerous public and private colleges and universities, community colleges and technical institutes. Students of any grade level are welcome to attend.

Roadmap To College for Young Women

Bay Path College in Longmeadow, MA is holding an event for young women on Sunday, Sept. 27th from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. for students. The event will feature an SAT practice test, SAT tips, and information on college visits. Parents will learn about college admissions, financial aid tips and SAT strategies for their daughter. There will also be a complimentary lunch for all. Registration is required. Register at www.baypath.edu (click on "Events Calendar", then "Admissions") or call 1-800-782-7284.

September 2, 2009

NEWS FOR THE NEW SCHOOL YEAR

Class Meetings:

Freshman - September 9th
Sophomore - September 15th
Junior - September 16th
Senior - September 10th

All class meetings are at 1:30 p.m.

Late Buses start September 10th

School Pictures:

Freshman and Juniors - September 17th
Sophomores and MVIP Students - September 24th
Senior Retakes - TBA