Latest news with #WestfieldTechnicalAcademy
Yahoo
4 hours ago
- General
- Yahoo
Groundbreaking held for Grandmothers' Garden outdoor classroom pavilion
WESTFIELD — Mayor Mike McCabe, Ward 3 Councilor Bridget Matthews-Kane, School Committee member Kathleen Hillman, board members and friends of the Grandmothers' Garden performed a ceremonial groundbreaking on Wednesday for the new outdoor classroom pavilion set to begin construction this week. Friends of Grandmothers' Garden board member Allen Steiger thanked everyone involved in helping to get the project to this point, singling out the mayor, councilors, the Conservation Commission and all of the volunteers. 'More to come as this takes place,' he said. Jackie McDowell, outreach coordinator for Grandmothers' Garden, said the silt fence will go up later this week, and excavation will begin next week by R.A. LaPlante Construction and Rob Levesque of R. Levesque Associates, architect. McDowell said the Westfield Technical Academy's horticulture department will be doing the landscaping and planting design, under department head Nate Sperry. McDowell said the project should be completed, including an attached restroom, by September or October. In February, the City Council unanimously approved the Community Preservation Commission's funding of $528,200 for the new outdoor classroom pavilion and rest area at Grandmothers' Garden, which sits in a portion of the 10-acre Chauncey Allen Park. At the groundbreaking, McDowell said the project is a wonderful collaboration with Westfield Public Schools. The 30-by-40-foot wood pavilion will be used by local schools for nature-based programs, STEM instruction, arts, photography and community field trips. For Westfield Technical Academy across the street, they foresee class instruction for students of horticulture, construction, technology, history, science and environmental studies; and for Westfield State University, for students and faculty who are pursuing biology studies, visual arts education, environmental sciences and urban planning to use the facility. The pavilion will also be available for private classes, social and special events, small gatherings, picnics, meetings and reunions. At the groundbreaking, McDowell said the project is a wonderful collaboration with Westfield Public Schools. Elementary school STEM Coach Lindsey Ayers, also present at the groundbreaking, said with both the Westfield River and Highland elementary schools nearby, the new outdoor classroom will be a wonderful setting for studies students are already conducting on erosion and ponds. 'Doing those activities over here in an actual environment, and being able to bring students here to do projects, is really going to enhance their [education].' An ADA-compliant restroom will be built on one end of the pavilion classroom, and a paved area for seating, just outside the other end. 'A lot of people put in a lot of work, so we're thankful,' said Friends of Grandmothers Garden board member Dan Florence. 'We're looking to grow the community of Grandmothers' Garden with what we're doing here. It's gorgeous — one of the best kept secrets in Westfield,' he added. 'I'm just thrilled. It's going to make this space even more available to the community. It's a wonderful addition,' said Ward 3 Councilor Bridget Matthews-Kane. Read the original article on MassLive.
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Westfield Starfires join students for STEM showcase
WESTFIELD, Mass. (WWLP) – Students at a local middle school mixed education and fun, with a special appearance from the Westfield Starfires. Westfield middle schoolers got to enjoy a baseball game in the sun, but also got to learn the science behind the sport. It was a busy day for Westfield Middle School on Wednesday, as they partnered with Westfield Technical Academy and the Westfield Starfires baseball team for a STEM career showcase. Project Lifesaver launches in Chicopee to help locate wandering individuals The middle school students got the chance to interact with the technical school and see if it's a high school they would want to attend. From aviation and construction, to auto-tech, manufacturing, and electric wiring, the options for industries offered varied. 'A lot of great things to offer here at Westfield,' said Westfield Technical Academy Assistant Principal Kevin Daley. 'For them to see a non-traditional high school in the tech atmosphere, it's great for everybody.' STEM education actually has a lot to do with the sport of baseball. 'Velocity, speed, pitching, fielding, all of the things that go into math and science happen out here,' said Westfield Middle School Assistant Principal Karri Kells. The Westfield Starfires went head-to-head with the Worcester Bravehearts here at the stadium with an audience of over 1,500 people. The Starfires are trying to make a comeback from last season, and getting to speak with students, take photos, and sign autographs made it all the more special. 'It's a great opportunity for these students to see where these players are from, what universities they attend around the country,' Starfires team owner Chris Thompson said. 'And there's just a lot of energy at the ballpark, it's amazing.' Even though the team came up short in the double header, they can redeem themselves on Thursday against the Vermont Lake Monsters. WWLP-22News, an NBC affiliate, began broadcasting in March 1953 to provide local news, network, syndicated, and local programming to western Massachusetts. Watch the 22News Digital Edition weekdays at 4 p.m. on Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
16-04-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Westfield Technical Academy high schoolers compete in Chef Showdown
WESTFIELD, Mass. (WWLP) – Wednesday was the second day of the cooking competition, where sophomores and juniors at Westfield Technical Academy are showing off their cooking skills. These high school students are participating in the annual four-day Chef Showdown, and the culinary arts instructor told 22News that he is amazed by the students' skill sets. Sunshine Village art show at Chicopee senior center Today, the culinary students had to make a dish from a different part of the U.S., with choices ranging from soul food to Creole cuisine. The students had 30 minutes to prep and 40 minutes to cook. The winners from yesterday's contest were able to get a head start. WTA culinary arts instructor Eric Rogers said this competition is showing students how important it is to work together. 'You know, getting ideas from other students and bouncing ideas from each other, collaborating, researching, designing their own dish, and then putting it into practice in the kitchen,' Rogers said. A team of three won Wednesday's competition, and those students will compete against each other on Thursday. They'll get to choose two sous-chefs to work with to produce an entree with one side and a dessert. The special ingredient is beef tenderloin and crawfish. Coincidentally, April 17 is National Crawfish Day. WWLP-22News, an NBC affiliate, began broadcasting in March 1953 to provide local news, network, syndicated, and local programming to western Massachusetts. Watch the 22News Digital Edition weekdays at 4 p.m. on Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
