The Plainville Times

Within a Warrior - Avari Maxwell

By R.S. Mitts

Her love of hockey started back at the age of 4-years old when she took the ice at Norfolk Arena’s Learn to Play Program. Thirteen years later, Avari Maxwell is now a captain for the King Philip Girls Hockey team, and one of the key players for the team’s success.

Maxwell credits her older brothers, Gavin and Garrett, both alumni of the KP Hockey program, for her interest in starting hockey. In her earlier playing days, she was a member of the Walpole Express, MA Spitfires and most recently the Bandits program. Like many of her KP teammates, she also skated with KPW Youth Hockey organization this past season to build and prepare for the 2021 High School season.

This is Maxwell’s fourth year with the varsity squad, and is “determined to unify the team, and work towards winning the Hock Cup.”

Reminiscing over her high school career, Maxwell mentioned one of her fond memories in addition to being named captain was the bus ride home when the team stopped at Taco Bell. “We beat Franklin and everyone was just happy to be celebrating with each other,” she says. 

While Taco Bell was a highlight Maxwell admits she won’t miss “all the sprints” the team does at practice.

A long-time teammate, junior Morgan Cunningham says, “It’s been a blast having Avari as a teammate. We get along so well on and off the ice. She has a fun, bubbly personality that we all want to be around. She is a smart, talented player and I have been lucky to play alongside her.”

Hockey isn’t Maxwell’s only passion. Dance has been a big part of her life. The KP Girls Ice Hockey coach Ken Assad believes her dance has influenced her hockey game. She also doesn't hesitate to remind the coach how to spell her first name. “What impresses me most about Avari is how she doesn’t let me get away with spelling her name wrong, how much of a leader she is, and with her dance how truly athletic she is -- very motivated and driven leader,” Assad says.

When Maxwell and her fellow captains lead the KP Warriors onto the ice, she looks forward to the games versus Mansfield Oliver Ames. Competing against friends and former teammates adds to the excitement of the game. She also loves the fierce rivalry with Franklin, partly due to the fact that Assad and Assistant Coach Tim Langevin reside in Franklin. Those are the games she gets most “up” for.

Maxwell’s Minutes:
Nickname: None. Just wants AVARI spelled/pronounced correctly, Coach!
Jersey #: 20
Position: Center
Off Ice Interests: Beach, Miller (family dog), shopping at Zara
Pre-Game Routine: Red Bull, listening to “Do I Want to Know” by Arctic Monkeys
Post-Graduation Plans: Pursue hockey at Nicols, Endicott, or Arcadia and study Business Management / Advertising

Within a Warrior - Olivia Donovan

By R.S. Mitts

King Philip Girls Ice Hockey coach Ken Assad lights up when he speaks about his senior captain Olivia Donovan. “Olivia is a determined player,” he says. “Her work ethic is contagious and she is also a very good captain. Leads by example.” Donovan started playing hockey at the age of 7, and she remembers not being able to skate or stickhandle. Her uncle had access to the ice rink at Milton Academy and had her on the ice practicing her skills. Soon she found herself as the only girl playing with a boys’ team in the Medfield Youth Hockey program. As she got older, she gravitated to the all-girls Walpole Express, as well as the Falmouth Clippers during the summer months. The last few hockey seasons have been enjoyed with most of her high school teammates in the King Philip Walpole Youth organization.

Prior to focusing on hockey, Donovan dabbled in dance, lacrosse, soccer, and softball; until she realized she might be “afraid of the ball.” When not on the athletic field or rink, Donovan spends her time working out, hiking, and shopping. She shared that she really enjoys her summertime months while living and working in Mashpee. She has worked at the Popponesset Beach club for several years and values that experience.

Influencing Donovan along the way has been her family. Playing hockey runs in the family. Her father Joe Donovan as well as several aunts and uncles all played the sport, fueling her passion for the game. Even her younger sister, Alison Donovan, got the hockey bug, and is currently a junior on the team.

Recalling her previous three years of hockey at KP, Donovan highlighted her sophomore year. She felt the team was so close and she was able to build “lifelong friendships with many of the seniors on the team.” On the ice she relishes the games against Mansfield Oliver-Ames due to the familiarity of the opponents (some former teammates and many friends) and Canton, as they are always “the most competitive” games. An experience she would not mind forgetting is the 3-3 tie with Ursuline last season that knocked KP out of the state tournament.

Being named captain was a special moment for Donovan. She explains she was at a competition for DECA, a highly regarded business program at the high school, when she heard the news she would sport a captain’s “C” on her jersey senior year. “I was surprised,” she said. “I was at a DECA competition and my phone was blowing up. It certainly was a highlight of 2020 for me.”

As a captain, one of her goals is to bring the team together and somehow have a team spaghetti dinner as a way to “unite the team.” Her own personal goals are to “earn more ice time and rack up some points that hopefully lead to more wins.”

Jen Daniels, a junior on the team said, “Olivia is always supportive and uplifting when needed. When times are tough, she is the first to cheer us up and motivate us to be better.”

To emphasize how she feels about the season and team, Donovan repeated Coach Assad’s “All in” mantra which serves as a rallying cry for the team.

Donovan’s Doodles:
Nickname: Liv, Donnie
Jersey #: 2
Position: Left Wing
Favorite Ice Cream: Vanilla / Chocolate
Pre-Game Routine: listen to music / focus
Post-Graduation Plans: Take a senior trip, would like to attend Boston University – Business School
Off the Ice: Cape Cod, Work out, Clothes & Food

Tri-County Releases Honor Roll, Opens Children's Center Registration, Offers Freshman Interactive Career Support

Tri-County 's honor roll for the first trimester is available. The school opened registration for its Children's Center and now offers freshman interactive tools for career planning.

Honor Roll

A complete list of the honor roll is available here. 

Children Center Registration

Hands-on education is a critical part of vocational high schools and while the Children’s Center opening is dependent on the Department of Public Health’s approval, we are hoping to welcome a new group of children at our center. The Early Education Program prepares high school students for various careers working with young children. The ability to work directly with pre-school children within the on campus facility located in Tri-County Regional High School in Franklin at 147 Pond Street allows students to acquire skills and confidence in teaching.

Tri-County’s Children’s Center is led by three highly qualified teachers in the Tri-County Early Education Program and assisted by students in the Early Education Major. The Preschool sessions are Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday from 8:50 to 11:20 a.m. for the three-day program. Class size is limited to 30 children and tuition is $36.00* per week (*subject to change).

Placement is limited to the residents of the 11 towns within the Tri-County District, Franklin, Medfield, Medway, Millis, Norfolk, North Attleboro, Plainville, Seekonk, Sherborn, Walpole, and Wrentham. Admission is decided through a random draw which will take place on Friday, March 5th, 2021. Names not selected in the drawing will be placed on a waiting list.

Due to the COIVD-19 Pandemic, registration and information sessions will be held virtually this year. Registration begins on Monday, January 25th. Applications will be accepted through Thursday, March 4th, 2021. Registration is limited to children who are at least 3 years of age by September 15, 2021. Enrollment is limited to two years or part of two years for the preschool program, as long as the child is age eligible. For more information about Tri-County’s Preschool Registration, please visit www.tcchildrenscenter.com.

In other Tri-County News, Freshman have opportunity to explore career paths using interactive technology

This year, first-year students have an exciting opportunity to participate in an interactive career-based game designed by our Library Media Specialist, Ariel Dagan, in collaboration with guidance. This “game” empowers the Freshmen to navigate a career quest that draws upon their personal experiences and preferences to illustrate how they relate to their future career goals.

Through the interactive online game quests and challenges, the student will assemble a story about themselves to help determine a career path that reflects their personality and interests. They will earn a better understanding of their strengths and character and who they would like to become in the future. “The year 2020, of all years, was perfect timing to roll out this game! It allowed students to combine their career interests and skills into a fun activity that students completed at home. Student reflections revealed their unique personalities by the way they responded to the questions. In addition, I found that the remote camera setting was a tool utilized that helped boost confidence by giving them space to be themselves,” says Karen Kennedy, 9th Grade Guidance Counselor.

The interactive game ran for six weeks, and students accessed the program online at home. The game incorporates several tools, including Naviance, Careers In, and the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Naviance is a college planning and career assessment tool that helps identify students’ strengths, needs, and interests, giving them a better understanding of which career may suit their desires. Careers In (Salem Press) is a series that provides real-world information such as a day in the life, networking, earnings and advancement, work environment, and areas with high levels of employment. Through gameplay, the students will complete tasks using these online services to delve deeper into their interests and discover possible career paths.

The game includes over 40 engagement opportunities where students will compete in a boss battle, solve puzzles, and answer open-ended questions through a video or written journal. Since launch, over 80% of students have played the game and spent an average of xx hours engaging with the game. Students noted how the game helped solidify the path they were on or helped them discover different opportunities that excite them. This online game allows students to think introspectively and answer questions honestly as the answers are not publicized.

“The Tri-County Guidance Department strives to motivate every student to develop a well thought-out post-secondary goal, and progress in reaching those goals, prior to graduation. Our guidance team has a long history of success of implementing a goal-oriented career plan starting at day-1. This ‘Career-Focused Game’ developed by Mr. Dagan in collaboration with Ms. Kennedy and Mr. Casey gave the grade 9 students a fantastic start. It truly is the icing on the cake!” Scott O’Brien, Head of Guidance.

This career exploratory game concluded on January 4th, 2021 to allow students to decide their top three programs offered at Tri-County.

Within a Warrior - Gabby Trujillo

By R.S. Mitts

Gabby Trujillo, a senior and captain on the KP Girls Hockey Team, first hit the rink at the age of 11 in South Riding, VA. Since those early days playing for her community team, she never stopped enjoying the thrill of the sport. “I wasn’t very good," she remembers. "But my mom wanted me to be more aggressive, so she forced me to continue playing hockey.”

Over the years, she has played for the Rhode Island North Stars, the Massachusetts Spitfires and the King Philip Walpole Youth Hockey program. It was with KPW that her u14 team won the state title in 2016-17.

She's also tried a variety of sports but focused on soccer and hockey. She has a passion for the game of hockey and still very much enjoys her teammates with the Boston Bolts soccer club.

Gabby, as she is known to all, played some minutes as a freshman for the varsity hockey team but as her high school years progressed her role on the team grew, culminating this season as one of the four captains. “She really cares about the underclassmen," KP Girls Hockey head coach Ken Assad says. "Gabby is always looking out for them, making sure they do the right thing and are part of the team.”

Doing the right thing includes having fun off the ice. One of her favorite memories occurred her sophomore year while decorating the locker room for senior night. Trujillo and a few teammates decided to wrap up then goalie Cristina Coleman like a mummy and leave her to fend for herself. As Trujillo described it, “The locker room makes high school hockey.”

On the ice, Trujillo is tough to beat. She plays against the opposing top line and defends her goalie and teammates at all times. Ally Donovan, junior on the team and defensive partner commented, “I have enjoyed playing with Gabby since my freshman year. We have been partners almost since day one, and she has taught me a lot about hockey and high school in general. She is very smart and understanding, [I] couldn’t imagine my HS hockey experience without her.”

Competing against rival Mansfield/Oliver Ames/Foxboro (MOA) are the games where Trujillo thrives. She knows many of the girls on that team, especially MOA's goalie Jessica Widdop. The two are close friends and long-time teammates. “My personal goal is to score off Jess this season," Trujillo says. "Then win the Hock Cup."

Trujillo hopes that her final season is a memorable one. Winning would be great, but working together as a team is something she wants to improve upon each game. She has embraced coach Assad's belief in her and the team and says there are "great things are ahead.”

TRUJILLO TIDBITS:
Nickname: Gabby, Gibby
Jersey #: 19
Position: Defense
Favorite Ice Cream: Cherry Chocolate Chunk
Pre-Game Routine: Drink Water, hydrate, stretch, rock music
Post-Graduation Plans: medical field, would like to attend Syracuse Off the Ice: Volunteer work aka BUBBA THE BLOOD CELL, hang with friends

Gabby Trujillo, a senior and captain on the KP Girls Hockey Team, first hit the rink at the age of 11 in South Riding, VA. Since those early days playing for her community team, she never stopped enjoying the thrill of the sport. “I wasn’t very good," she remembers. "But my mom wanted me to be more aggressive, so she forced me to continue playing hockey.”

Over the years, she has played for the Rhode Island North Stars, the Massachusetts Spitfires and the King Philip Walpole Youth Hockey program. It was with KPW that her u14 team won the state title in 2016-17.

She's also tried a variety of sports but focused on soccer and hockey. She has a passion for the game of hockey and still very much enjoys her teammates with the Boston Bolts soccer club.

Gabby, as she is known to all, played some minutes as a freshman for the varsity hockey team but as her high school years progressed her role on the team grew, culminating this season as one of the four captains. “She really cares about the underclassmen," KP Girls Hockey head coach Ken Assad says. "Gabby is always looking out for them, making sure they do the right thing and are part of the team.”

Doing the right thing includes having fun off the ice. One of her favorite memories occurred her sophomore year while decorating the locker room for senior night. Trujillo and a few teammates decided to wrap up then goalie Cristina Coleman like a mummy and leave her to fend for herself. As Trujillo described it, “The locker room makes high school hockey.”

On the ice, Trujillo is tough to beat. She plays against the opposing top line and defends her goalie and teammates at all times. Ally Donovan, junior on the team and defensive partner commented, “I have enjoyed playing with Gabby since my freshman year. We have been partners almost since day one, and she has taught me a lot about hockey and high school in general. She is very smart and understanding, [I] couldn’t imagine my HS hockey experience without her.”

Competing against rival Mansfield/Oliver Ames/Foxboro (MOA) are the games where Trujillo thrives. She knows many of the girls on that team, especially MOA's goalie Jessica Widdop. The two are close friends and long-time teammates. “My personal goal is to score off Jess this season," Trujillo says. "Then win the Hock Cup."

Trujillo hopes that her final season is a memorable one. Winning would be great, but working together as a team is something she wants to improve upon each game. She has embraced coach Assad's belief in her and the team and says there are "great things are ahead.”

TRUJILLO TIDBITS:
Nickname: Gabby, Gibby
Jersey #: 19
Position: Defense
Favorite Ice Cream: Cherry Chocolate Chunk
Pre-Game Routine: Drink Water, hydrate, stretch, rock music
Post-Graduation Plans: medical field, would like to attend Syracuse Off the Ice: Volunteer work aka BUBBA THE BLOOD CELL, hang with friends

Within A Warrior - Libby Curran

By R.S. Mitts

The seven seniors of the King Philip Girls Hockey team.

2020 was a very unique year to say the least. Everyone experienced some level of disruption, disappointment or a combination thereof. As the new year is upon us, most are hopeful for a more positive – back to norm 2021. This light-hearted series is meant to make the last year of seven senior-members of the King Philip High School Girls Hockey team, just a little more memorable. While allowing you, the reader, an opportunity to learn what lies…Within-A-Warrior!

WAW#1 - Libby Curran

“What impresses me most about Libby is at such an early age she has the mind of a seasoned physician…as well as a good hockey player,” chuckled Ken Assad, head coach of the KP Girls Hockey, referring to a running inside joke between him and one of his captains, Libby Curran. “She is a leader on the team, keeping the girls together with her ability to create a fun atmosphere, while knowing when it is time to focus and work hard.” Curran started playing hockey at the age of 9, at the urging of her father, Greg Curran, and the “coolness” of having her name on the back of the jersey, like her younger brother Jack, was an added bonus. In addition to hockey, Curran participated in soccer, ballet, cheerleading, gymnastics and softball. After taking a year hiatus from the ice, she realized she missed it and joined right back with the KPW Youth Hockey organization. When asked why the year off, Curran recalled, “I was the youngest on the team, it was scary.”

Since the age of 11, she has been fully committed to the sport, along with playing softball, almost year round. Curran mentioned that “always being involved, never a break in action,” unlike other sports she tried, as a draw to the sport of ice hockey. She loves the “team aspect of hockey, the locker room time and being with a great group of friends.” Her hard work and dedication paid off in 2016-17 when at the age of 14 her KPW team won the State Title.

As a sophomore, Curran saw significant playing time with KP High. Her ice time and leadership role increased last season under Coach Assad, who she credits with bringing a “new attitude, great energy to the program.” Last season the team came up one point shy of the tournament, due to what Curran stated was her least favorite memory to date. A tie in the last game of the season against Ursuline, knocking the Warriors out of the postseason. In contrast, “Beating Franklin for Coach Kenny was the best!”

Looking ahead to this season, Curran replied, “ALL IN,” stealing a frequently used term by Coach Assad. Curran’s goal for the team is to win the newly created “Hock Cup” and have a memorable senior season. It will take a total team effort, led by the four captains, which Curran doesn’t take lightly. Asked what it meant to her to be named a captain, she responded, “It was an honor, need to work hard, lead by example and balance being friends and focusing on the goal at hand.” One of her teammates, junior Sydney O’Shea added about Curran, “Libby excels at her role. She is always enthusiastic. Optimistic and encouraging all of us to be the best we can be.”

Curran’s Cuts:
Nickname: Libby, birth name Elizabeth
Jersey #: 8
Position: Defense
Favorite Ice Cream: Mint Chocolate Chip
Pre-Game Routine: Any type of music
Post-Graduation Plans: Attending University of New Hampshire
Off the Ice: Hanging with friends and family

This Friday Within a Warrior continues with a profile of senior Gabby Trujillo.

King Philip Middle School Announces Honor Roll for Trimester 1

7TH GRADE

HIGHEST HONORS

Ajoy, Jaydon; Albert, Chloe; Amirineni, Srithika; Arun, Nakshatra; Bailer, Luke; Basile, Justin; Beaupre, Lucy; Berry, Jillian; Berthiaume, Erin; Brown, Ryan; Brutus, David; Burns, Ryan; Byrne, Paul; Cady, Jacoby; Carew, Allie; Carone, Aidan; Chatham, Lex; Chick, Jorja; Ciuica, Alexander; Cleasby, Allison; Coliflores, Isabella; Crisci, Nathan; Curry, Alexandra; Danson, Kyle; DelVecchio, Christopher; Derfler-Murphy, Teaghan; DeVasto, Aidan; Dorcil, Kaitlynn; DoRosario, Riley; Follett, Madison; Frazier, Thomas; Garland, Nora; Garvey, Faith; Gill, Alexandria; Gill, Ava; Griffin, Lauren; Hasson, Noam; Hayes, Leah; Heffernan, Cian; Jones, Phoebe; Keough, Madison; Khannouchi, Jinan; Kosar, Brooke; Kurtzer, Kathryn; LaPlante, Caitlin; Lawson, Daniel; LeBlanc, Katherine; Lefebvre, Abigail; Love, Michael; Lussier, Ella; Lutfy, Audrey; Lynch, Kelsey; MacKinnon, Damon; Martin, Ethan; McDonald, Brodie; McFarlane, Catherine; McGrath, Liam; McKenna, Sara; McManus, Ella; Mullen, Zachary; Nerney, Thomas; O'Brien, Reilly; O'Connell, Colin; O'Neill, Patrick; O'Shea, Camryn; Obara, Lauren; Patlola, Aarush; Pitman, Cole; Putt, Catherine; Ragan, JoHanna; Rana, Anusha; Rawson, Freya; Redlitz, Danielle; Ricci, Ayla; Rivera, Ignacio; Rose, Eve; Schneider, Brenton; Shaughnessy, Aiden; Shore, Matthew; Shore, Caleigh; Shrivastava, Rivya; Silva, Emma; Simone, Liam; Stanfield, Claire; Stock, Christopher; Sylvain, Georgiana; Theberge, Elizabeth; Torricelli, Samantha; Wehmeyer, Ella.

HIGH HONORS

Adamos, Evgenia; Amorim, Marco; Anderson, Dylan; Andre, Annabelle; Armenta, Gustavo; Astin, Amber; Barber, Brandon; Beatty, Ella; Berthiaume, Violet; Birenbaum, Jack; Bishop, Felicia; Blakesley, George; Booth, Jacob; Bourque, Louise; Brady, Colin; Buban, Ethan; Campbell, Rose; Campbell, Henry; Carmichael, Olivia; Casassa, Preston; Castro, William; Cates, Connor; Ceurvels, Kaitlyn; Cloutier, Brycen; Coen, Kieran; Comendul, Duggan; Cory, Sean; Cotter, Julia; Crotty, Matthew; Cullen, Alexandra; Cullinane, Tiana; Cunningham, Finn; Cunningham, Andrea; Daley, Samantha; De Caires, Leonardo; DeGuzman, Alexandra; DeMedeiros, Isabelle; Dowling, Leo; Dubovsky, Ariana; Dunn, Ryleigh; Dwinell, James; Feeley, Nolan; Flood, Brendan; Flynn, Leah; Ford, Ryan; Fountain, Connor; Francis, Mia; Francis, Adam; Gebhard, Zachary; Giardini, Emma; Goldman, Savannah; Gordillo, Mariana; Graham, Bayley; Gresham, Jack; Haltom, Jack; Harmon, Lusia; Herlin, Brady; Hitchen, Brian; Holland, Courtney; Izzo, Mia; James, Beckett; Joseph, Keith; Kananowicz, Miller; Kinahan, Jacob; King, Liam; LeBlanc, Halle; LeBlanc, Thomas; Lehan-Allen, Grace; Lopes, Peter; Love, Ryan; Manley, Gregory; Marrone, Matthew; Mastroianni, Dominic; Maw, Dylan; McCormick, Mya; McCormick, Logan; McCreedy, Griffin; McDonald, Brendan; McDonald, Connor; McDonald, Eric; McGowan, Mara; McGowan, Abigail; McNeil, Andrew; Medina, Joseph; Mick, Celia; Mischley, Greta; Mohamed, Sophia; Monti, Matthew; Mooney, Maura; Moss, Thomas; Moten, Serenity; Mullen, Cecelia; Munsinger, Camron; Musial, Elizabeth; Noonan, Kendall; O'Brien, Gavin; O'Connell, Mackenzie; Palson, Madelyn; Parkhurst Molina, Grace; Pennini, Nicholas; Perry, Malek; Persky, Jessica; Peterson, Meghan; Petrakos, James; Petrillo, James; Pfeiffer, Alden; Prater, Johnny; Ramirez, Zayjiana; Riley, Logan C.; Robison, Joseph; Rufo, Claudia; Saraf, Michael; Schmier, Jacob; Seropian, Natalie; Silva, Jason; Small, Sophia; Spak, Dylan; Thomas, Kate; Tranquillino, Liliana; Warren, Daniel; Whitbread, Ashleigh.

HONORS

Barker, Ryan; Bresson, Rory; Brundrett, Loren; Daley, Sean; Daley, Dylan; DiMartino, Mender; Dugas, William; Feyler, Gavin; Finnegan, Tatum; Ghostlaw, Madelyn; Kilroy, Cecelia; Linehan, Meghan; Lovell, Zoe; Lyons, Aidan; Murphy, Anthony; Noll, Cayden; O'Hara, Kaitlyn; Putney, Ava; Regan, Evan; Santiago, Lily; Sestito, Dylan; Sylven, Cameron; Traficante, Tatum.

8TH GRADE

HIGHEST HONORS

Anderson, Jack; Arce, Jolie; Asprelli, Madison; Astorino, Aiden; Barletta, Sam; Barrett, Kendra; Baskar, Varsha; Boie, Megan; Bouffard, Skyler; Burke, Megan; Burns, Keegan; Calderone, Dante; Canavan, Dylan; Cannon, Austin; Cloutier, Samantha; Cohn, Julia; Collins, Sophia; Corcoran, Danielle; Crivello, Lucas; Dang, Jaelyn; Dickinson, Kyle; Doggett, Ava; Duggan, James; Epuri, Ashrith; Epuri, Snigdha; Evans, Keira; Evans, Sophia; Fenoff, Cole; Feuer, Samantha; Foley, Michael; Gable, Noah; Gill, Ian; Gogineni, Veda; Hall, Rory; Harrison, Noah; Hatami, Annie; Hedberg, Sarah; Herlin, Drew; Hickey, Gavin; Hill, Madeline; Hix, Isabella; Ibrahim, Nicole; James, Lillian; Jones, Makenna; Jones, Sydney; Joy, Sarah; Keays, Landon; Kelley, Cheyanne; Kennedy, Brooke; King, Sierra; Kissell, Ciara; Kollu, Arjun; Konosky, Shelby; Labell, Ryan; Lamothe-Vaughn, Addisyn; LeBlanc, Morgan; Lenox, Michael; Lerner, Noah; Lewis, Addison; Lolos, Isabella; Lomuscio, Danielle; MacDonald, Abigail; MacEachen, Mary; Mandel, Nicholas; Mason, Rhianna; McCally, Fiona; McCarthy, Aidan; McDevitt, Makenzie; McDonagh, Aidan; McDonnell, Meghan; McGourthy, Grace; Meier, Emma; Miller, Halle; Morris, Charles; Moynihan, Lindsey; Mullen, Jacqueline; Newcom, Claire; O'Brien, Caitlin; Pacheco, Cole; Panda, Sayan; Pauline, Alexandria; Peck, Sophie; Pennini, Nathaniel; Petrillo, Olivia; Pochay, Allyson; Poggi, Anna; Reda, Avery; Sansoucy, Ava; Siedel, Catherine; Skulte, Charlotte; Soares, Andrew; Sperling, Shea; St Clair, Sophia; Sullivan, Serenity; Sullivan, Samantha; Sweeney, Margaret; Thoren, Sydney; Vinson, Anna; Wallrapp, Graham; Weineck, Lucy.

HIGH HONORS

Archambault, Erik; Arsenault, Samantha; Bailey, Fiona; Ballantyne, Paige; Baskar, Pranav; Blakesley, Caroline; Blanchette, Matthew; Bourque, Nichole; Bowen, Andrew; Bright, Cameron; Brundrett, Olivia; Bubluski, William; Carreiro, Jayden; Caruso, Neela; Cecere, Allison; Clarke, Tamanda; Coffin, Mikayla; Collins, Brady; Collins, Eric; Compagnone, Kevin; Conniff, Mary; Cook, Allison; Cornell, Kayleigh; Cotter, Talia; Daley, Thomas; DeBaggis, Jacob; Deveney, Caitlyn; Dolan, Edward; Donahue, Owen; Doyle, Shannon; Epstein, Isabella; Evans, Bethany; Evans, Ryan; Federico, Christopher; Ford, Brady; Fornash, Jackson; Foster, Benjamin; Gallagher, Nicholas; Giesler, Jillian; Gillis, Kevin; Hagerty, Camryn; Hall, Quentin; Hamilton, Amelia; Hanewich, Kylie; Hansen, Jessica; Harlow, Alexis; Hart, Catherine; Heine, Kevin; Hill, Nathan; Hogan, Alexandra; Host, Jordan; Hughey, Samantha; Janssen, Cormac; Jordan, Gianna; Kanabay, Austin; Keighley, Neva; Khuc, Jordan; Kinahan, Aidan; Knust Graichen, Hannah; Kougias, Anna; LaBerge, Alexandra; Laplante, Andrew; Leclair, Henry; Legge, Kayla; LePain, Andrew; Leveroni, Jackson; Liousfi, Nadine; Marchette, Olivia; Masterson, Aeryn; McCrave, Martin; Menendez, Vincent; Mollica, Adrian; Moore, Christopher; Moore, Gavin; Mui, Brianne; Murli, Aarshe; Murphy, Samuel; Murphy, Gavin; Murray, Callie; Neipris, Dillon; Nicastro, Brandon; Norgren, Emme; Oliveira, Leonardo; Pacitto, Boston; Patterson, Spencer; Powers, Michael; Quinn, David; Rivera, Angely; Robinson, Zakk; Russell, Caroline; Scarsciotti, Ethan; Schmitz, Hayden; Sheeran, Sean; St. George, Aiden; St. Laurent, Joshua; Sullivan, Sophia; Sullivan, Patrick; Taylor, Isabelle; Thurston, Sawyer; Weiblen, Patrick; Weir, Grady; Werling, Chad; Wilson, Denzyl; Woodward, Kaylee.

HONORS

Dangelo, Averi; Maw, Owen; O'Donnell, Erin; Schey, Keira; Wells, Loden.

Wrentham Resident Wants to Help you "Get Your Ship Together"

Wrentham resident Kristin Pitman has launched a new business to help locals with their packages and returns. Called Get Your Ship Together, the service makes the return and shipping process pain free. She says the company offers anybody help with returns, donations, and offers curbside pickups. "We help people shorten their to do lists and check off tedious outstanding chores," Pitman says.

 

Get Your Ship Together provides four main services:

1. Return packages to UPS (including Amazon returns), FedEx, and the USPS.
2. In-store returns 
3. Curbside Store Pickup
4. Donations Pickup 

Get Your Ship Together services Wrentham, Norfolk and Plainville. Pitman adds, "This is a contactless service, so you no longer need to go to the store, stand in lines, or deal with crowds."

The best way to Get Your Ship Together is to visit us at www.yourshiptogether.com and book an appointment today. 

Saturday is KP Senior Parade - Come Out and Celebrate the Class of 2020

Saturday, June 6, please line the streets of all three towns to celebrate King Philips graduating seniors in the first KP Senior Parade. Parade routes are mapped out below. 

Plainville will begin at 10:00

Plainville Parade Route

Norfolk will begin at 10:45

Norfolk Parade Route

Wrentham will begin at 11:30

Wrentham Parade Route

Wrentham portion of the parade starts at 11:30 in Delaney and follows the following route to King Philip High School. 

Plainville parade starts at 10 a.m. at the  Wood School and follows the following route.

Norfolk will begin at 10:45.

 

Saturday is KP Senior Parade - Come Out and Celebrate the Class of 2020

Saturday, June 6, please line the streets of all three towns to celebrate King Philips graduating seniors in the first KP Senior Parade. Parade routes are mapped out below. 

Plainville will begin at 10:00

Plainville Parade Route

Norfolk will begin at 10:45

Norfolk Parade Route

Wrentham will begin at 11:30

Wrentham Parade Route

Wrentham portion of the parade starts at 11:30 in Delaney and follows the following route to King Philip High School. 

Plainville parade starts at 10 a.m. at the  Wood School and follows the following route.

Norfolk will begin at 10:45.

 

King Philip High School Students Recognized for their Service Helping to Launch “Video Visits” program for Older Adults

SOCIALIZATION THROUGH VIDEO VISITS

Caroline Aaron, a junior at King Philip High School, is on the Generus Students to Seniors Leadership Team distributing pre-recorded “Video Visits” to older adults in the Wrentham community.

As May is National Older American month, Generus, a company that works with organizations to engage their employees in social impact opportunities – has been working with student volunteers to take steps to help combat the urgent issues of social isolation and loneliness among older adults through its Video Visits initiative. "King Philip High School (KPHS) students were among the first in the state to volunteer to create and donate videos as well as start spreading the word to nursing homes and senior care facilities, even if it meant they had a make old fashioned phone calls,” said Jamie Larsen, CEO of Generus.

Video Visits bring together community members who care (plus a few stars!) from towns and cities across the country to create short videos introducing themselves and sharing a message of hope, a story, show and tell and more with older adults. A full library of Video Visits is accessible on Generus’ YouTube channel, which you can explore here.

Caroline Aaron, a student volunteer and junior at KPHS said, "I heard about this group through our principal, Dr. Mobley and it seemed like a great opportunity for kids who are home and have more time on their hands to share talents and stories with people who might be isolated or alone and missing connections during this time. I have been working to call and email senior centers, nursing homes, and assisted living facilities to get the word out about this program and it has been very successful so far!"

Principal Mobley said, "When I was asked if I would send a message to our KP students seeking participation in this worthwhile project I was very excited! I had been planning on assigning a senior choice project to our seniors to end their senior year as it had become clear to me that providing our students with the opportunity to engage in a project that would give back to a larger community would be more meaningful than the typical remote learning opportunities. We have amazing students who take pride in giving back! I believe this is why they readily engaged in this project!"

Thanks in part to the generous efforts of KPHS students, Video Visits programming has now been received in hundreds of care facilities for older adults and now Meals on Wheels America and The National Council on Aging are distributing information about these Video Visits to older adults across the country through their networks of volunteers and by email, newsletters, and flyers taped to the meal delivery.

"These are difficult times for older adults in Boston and beyond," said Valerie Frias, CEO of Ethos, a 47 year-old, Boston-based, elder services organization that provides Meals on Wheels to more than 8,000 seniors every day, as well as other home and community-based services. “Social isolation and loneliness have been linked to many physical and mental health problems including heart disease, diabetes, anxiety, and depression."

With the health and social distancing measures in place possibly longer for older adults than other Americans, older adults may be in greater need of socialization than before, Generus along with students like those at KPHS, are encouraging people to create and donate Video Visits to provide older adults with an opportunity for valuable human connection. Video Visits now has videos from the Celtics General Manager, New York Times best-selling author and former Boston Channel 5 Sportscaster.

Whether it is a song, some poetry, your art or maybe you can solve a Rubik’s cube in record-breaking speed, together we can provide older adults with something special in the form of a video visit.

For each 1-3-minute video, Submitters are asked to:

• Introduce yourself and share your story
• Share something you enjoy (a memory with a grandparent, music, how-to, etc.)
• If filming on your phone, film in horizontal position. Artists retain all rights to their artistic property. Go to Generus’s COVID-19 volunteering page to learn more and sign up to participate.

About Generus

The Generus team has more than 40 years of experience combining corporate volunteerism, communications, and Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) with a positive psychology approach. Generus programs focus on creating and supporting human happiness. Learn more about how companies engage Generus to identify the causes employees care most about and execute custom volunteer projects that form a work culture built on human connection and meaning. Visit Generus.net.