by Lisa Stinson, Community Journalist
HARDWICK – Hazen Union’s community partners show up for students every day, and on May 16, they showed up to share breakfast, gratitude, hopes, and dreams for the future.
Students had a chance to tell their stories of learning and how they felt respected in the community partners’ workplaces.
Guest speaker Beth White with Big Picture Learning, Harbor Freights Fellowship Program, and Habitat for Aviation shared a personal story and led the group in hands-on exercises to illustrate the three components of powerful learning: joy, meaning, and struggle. White’s advice to everyone was, “do what makes your heart sing!”
When asked what they learned at their work-based or independent learning program, Sawyer Slayton replied, “Resiliency.” Caitlyn Davison learned that she now aspires to be an ER Nurse. Ethan Gann learned confidence in approaching and interviewing adults in the community.
Community partner attendees included community stakeholders, businesses, school board members, Hazen Union faculty and staff, and community mentors.
Students who attended the celebration were Chris Bagley (mentor with The Dream Program at Lakeview Elementary); Caitlyn Davison (Mansfield Orthopedics); Ethan Gann (Worked with Anna Van Dine to produce a podcast which aired on Vermont Public); Chase Newell (Hazen’s Mentoring Program); Sawyer Slayton (Weidmann’s Advanced Manufacturing class and Dona’s Car Store/Wildcat Busing); and Omarion Travis (Weidmann’s Advanced Manufacturing class and LWI Metalworks).
Information about Hazen Union’s Pathways program which offers students flexibility and the opportunity to earn credit through work-based learning and individualized learning opportunities can be found at hazen.ossu.org/en-US/ibl-37a39ba9.
