A: I selected GNB Voc-Tech as my high school for its trade options, diversity and its architecture was unbelievably beautiful inside! I was looking forward to a change in scenery, classes, and new peers as I
had been going to Dartmouth public schools since kindergarten. I liked the idea of the split between shop and academics classes – I thought it could give me a chance to catch my breath between cycles and time to refocus during the switch-off. I knew that Voc-Tech offered many trade choices, with multiple ones being art related. I had my heart set on Media Technology from the start. I remember reading through the shop pamphlets and being like “That’s the one! It couldn’t be more perfect for me.” (and it was!) I was still so excited to go through Exploratory and experience trades I’d never considered before, and I genuinely surprised myself at how much I enjoyed contrasting trades from my interest in media work to such experiences as welding in Metal Fabrication and wiring in Engineering! I have even used some of those Exploratory skills throughout different points in my life and wouldn’t have traded that knowledge for anything.

A: I participated in GNBVT’s after-school music club. I met so many wonderful people there (including my current boyfriend of 7 years now) who had varying interests and talents, but we all shared a devotion to music. I sang and played piano and guitar, but never dared to perform in front of anyone, but these people gave me that courage. I will never forget the time I played and sang Ed Sheeran’s “Thinking Out Loud,” accompanied by harmonies, piano, and drums – it was so surreal for me to play alongside others like that! Listening back to the recording I took that day still fills my heart with so much joy. We also performed as the house band at one of our talent shows and called ourselves “The Shrubbery” as a reference to Jimmy Fallon’s house band “The Roots”…We thought we were so funny! I enjoyed doing after-school media volunteer work as well, whether that was taking photos for sports events or attending rehearsals and filming Mr. Voc-Tech. It was especially cool to be behind the scenes, working film from the lighting booth in the auditorium. I had a blast doing that alongside my friends and have lots of funny memories with the entire Mr. Voc-Tech crew.

A: The family that we built in Media Technology was inseparable. Every one of our shop teachers quickly became our moms and dads away from home. They were extremely passionate about what they were teaching us, always pushed us to strive for more, laughed with us, and most of all, supported us unconditionally throughout our four years. The bond between my classmates and I became so close through the work we did together, the times we wanted to give up on that work, and all of our after-school hangouts. I never really had a friend group like that: we laughed, cried, listened, and we sure as heck knew how to talk! I have countless memories with all of them, from planning Secret Santas, big sleepovers, or just spending time together. Every club and activity I participated in, every teacher I had in academics and shop, and every friend that I gained on my Voc-Tech journey shaped me into the person I am today and I am incredibly thankful for that.

A: During high school and unfortunately worsening for many years afterward, chronic illness and pain had taken over most of my life. I struggled tirelessly through debilitating symptoms, persistent doctor appointments, physical therapies, and procedures hoping to find answers through trial-and-error treatments. During this period, I tried to keep my brain and body moving no matter what – whether that was getting myself out of the house to volunteer at Gifts to Give, hanging with friends and family, or making and accomplishing my own little projects and goals. I stayed as resilient as I could, also encouraged by my amazing support system, and eventually dug a pathway through it. Although the battle is not over, I feel like I’ve taken my life back and I don’t plan on letting anything else stop me!

A: Like many people, my first job was in retail. I worked at Walgreens – customer service, registering, answering phones, stocking shelves – the whole shebang. This was a huge step for me, but as I mentioned above, long stressful hours of constant movement proved to be quite impossible with my illness. I gained some great experience, especially socially, and was proud of the months I was able to push through, but I definitely lost some hope of working any job successfully. Then I stumbled upon The Shepherd Center for the Performing Arts. A close friend of mine introduced me to the owner of a local guitar shop who was starting up this non-profit in Fairhaven and was looking for someone younger to build up and manage their website. This was a huge opportunity for me to get my foot in the door and gain more knowledge of my trade along the way, while also being able to work mostly from home. I am hoping for this to pave my creative path for even more job opportunities in the future.

A: This starting business quickly grew and my position branched off into much more. I was ready to put all of my abilities into real-world practice and prove to myself that I could do it! As their Multimedia Specialist and an active events committee member, I currently manage our website, Facebook and Instagram content and scheduling, design most graphics, attend and photograph every event, design and manage blast emails and mailing lists, create online ticketing pages, and am the primary advertising contact for all performers. If you couldn’t tell, I fell madly in love with this place and all of the incredible people involved. I suddenly found myself putting most of my energy and time into this whole thing – which is exactly what I had been looking for! While working at all of these shows, socializing, and becoming such a big part of our art-thriving community, I have been able to experience and pursue almost every single skill I learned and loved in Media Technology at GNB Voc-Tech. And for that, I don’t think I’ll ever have enough thanks to go around.