Senior Noah Shanshiry of the culinary program won the Outstanding Student of the Year Award from the Career and Vocational Technical Education (CVTE) department B-block Thursday, Feb. 8.
“To me, the award really shows how I took my skills from my exploratory to the major three level, holding a high academic rigor along with the major. My skills have advanced and I’m ready to move into the industry,” said Shanshiry.
The CVTE Student of the Year awards honor a student in the school’s career and vocational technical program who has established the high bar of excellence, according to the Massachusetts Association of Vocational Administrators (MAVA).
This year’s nominees were seniors Grace McCormick in early education and childcare, Emma Regan in graphic design, and Shanshiry in culinary.
“The award is the acknowledgement of the time and commitment someone has put in,” said culinary teacher Lisa McKinney.
To be nominated for the award, a student must be a senior, have a minimum 3.5 cumulative grade point average, technical competence in the student’s career area of study, excellent attendance, leadership qualities, work experience related to the student’s career area of study, participate in extracurricular activities, community involvement, and support the social and civic awareness initiative, according to the MAVA.
Kathleen Duff, director of Career and Vocational Technical Education and Business added that the award is very selective. “Our teachers only nominate the best of the best. A student might not match the criteria. It’s a very specific award,” she said.
Every year, there are typically three or four nominees who are acknowledged and celebrated during a B block ceremony, according to Duff. Winners from every high school CVTE program in Massachusetts will attend a dinner at Mechanics Hall in Worcester on April 12.
To nominate a student, CVTE teachers write a narrative describing the student’s accomplishments and achievements. The student must also complete a questionnaire form. A committee of teachers and administrators then selects the nominees and a winner.
Duff explained that the award is a way to celebrate a student’s hard work and commitment. “It’s a really nice thing for somebody to put on a resume, but it’s about showing someone they have gone above and beyond, and are seen.”