"IT'S NICE TO SEE ONE OF OUR YOUNGER MEMBERS GIVING BACK TO THE CLUB."

The Grafton County Fish and Game Association now has six newly-renovated "popper" pistol targets thanks to HHS freshman welder Dashiell Andrews. Dashiell, an associate member of the group for two years, heard that they were looking for a volunteer to make metal repairs on the old targets.He used his cutting and welding skills to make new steel bases, and developed a threaded bolt adjustment system that allows for a wide range of target-setting in normal and windy conditions. Shop teacher Dave Holloway and club member Glyn Reinders advised Dashiell, who will earn community-service credits as well as credit for the welding class.

"It's nice to see one of our younger members giving back to the club," says the association's newsletter.

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YALE ACAPPELLA SINGERS MEET HHS CHORUS

Music teacher Jane Woods writes: Yale University's acappella group, Mixed Company, presented a morning concert for the school on May 18. The group of 13 excellent singers performed a mix of contemporary rock and jazz tunes in the auditorium and was enthusiastically received.

Mixed Company then did workshops with three sections of the HHS chorus. The visitors answered questions about singing and college life, performed additional songs, and taught HHSers an acappella tune (which was learned in 20 minutes!) Members of Mixed Company divided into their four vocal parts and worked with the respective sections from the HHS Chorus. Once the basic parts were learned everyone joined together in a rendition of the complete song (MacDonald Girl and Seasons of Love). HHS's chorus learned a lot from working closely and singing together with the Yale students.

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STUDENT OF THE MONTH FOR MAY: SENIOR NICK O'LEARY

Nick O'Leary from Hanover, NH is our Student of the Month for May. Nick has been part of every HHS show in his four years here. He sings, acts, directs, and does stage design, and also acts in the North Country Community Theater teen show. Nick sings in HHS's chorus and is on the board of Footlighters and is Captain of the Quiz Bowl which won the New Hampshire Quiz Bowl League state championship this year. Nick is an accomplished, likable and relaxed student who takes life in stride.

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NEW LINK: CHEMISTRY and PHYSICS PROJECTS for SENIORS (CAPPS)

Click the new link at the top of the right-hand column to see HHS's prize-winning robots, Sumo robots and more. It's the Lego Collective, the blog for the HHS class Chemistry and Physics Projects for Seniors.

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ALUMNI NOTES: BLAIR SHEDD, CLASS OF 1996, NOW "DOCTOR WHO" ILLUSTRATOR, VISITS ART CLASS

Blair talked to students about the arc of his career, starting with high school, moving on to his post-high-school art education and then to his work as a graphic designer, illustrator and comic book artist. He has done work for Dr. Pepper, Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center and many other clients. He demonstrated how he uses PhotoShop to create drawings and construct his work flow. Recently-published issues of "Dr. Who" comics were illustrated by Blair with colorist Charlie Kirchoff. Today Blair lives in Fairlee, VT with his wife and children. A portfolio of his work appears at www.oneGemini.com.

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"WICKED," LINCOLN CENTER AND CARNEGIE HALL: CHORUS VOLUNTEERS' TRIP TO NEW YORK

After many rehearsals at school, forty volunteers from the HHS chorus traveled to New York over April vacation to work with cast members from Broadway's "Wicked," rehearse in Lincoln Center, and perform in the Stern Auditorium at Carnegie Hall with a guest conductor. To hear students describe the trip, scroll down to the April 28 blog post.

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MARCH INTENSIVE CLASS: HOW THE TOWN OF HANOVER IS MANAGED

Physics teacher Carl Mehrbach writes: During the week of March Intensive courses this group of students learned about the geographic, ecological and environmental complexity of their town of Hanover.

On Day One members of the Planning and Zoning offices walked us through the reasons all buildings in Hanover must be planned carefully, from pre-construction through finish. One continuous problem struck the students: Hanover’s land is amazing in its variety. We discovered how complex it is to run a town which covers 50 square miles with 200 miles of roads. Controlling water and sewage were the two most important topics, but we also touched upon all other services which make up a town, from internet service to electricity supply.

We surveyed the building of a new hotel in downtown Hanover and spoke of its construction problems, including dealing with various soil types, e.g., an underground stream runs right through the middle of downtown Hanover.

On Day Two we rode town dump-trucks to and from a sand pit, then delivered the sand to a storage pile in the Hanover Public Works Department facilities. This natural sand will be mixed with manufactured sand and used to sand winter roads after the snow storms of next winter.

We watched the 5000-gallon tanks at Hanover's waste plant “in action.” The waste water facility handles approximately 1 million gallons of waste water per day, cleaning the water mostly by natural bacterial action, then delivering it into the Connecticut river. The most starling fact: The treated water delivered to the Connecticut River is cleaner than the drinking water delivered to Hanover homes!

Day Three: Students took a course in the use of a defibrillator, and received certification in CPR. We learned search-and-rescue techniques in a simulated building engulfed by fire. Students learned how to stay low because of heat-rarefied air; how to search in visually impaired situations; how to find people requiring assistance despite limited visibility; and carrying unconscious and/or impaired people to safety.

We rode in and helped to operate fire trucks, including a hook and ladder. Students were lifted over five stories about street level by an automated ladder on a fire truck.

Every worker we met in Hanover’s Public Works Department was incredibly skilled and knowledgeable. Each employee had a different set of skills, from water chemistry to carpentry to mechanics to electrician. These many skills fit together to make the town work seamlessly, and without worry, for all residents of Hanover. And here is the rest of it.

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GOLD MEDAL FOR PAUL SULLIVAN, A JUNIOR AT HHS AND HARTFORD TECH

To win his national gold medal in Collision Repair from SkillsUSA, HHS junior Paul Sullivan had to estimate his fender job, fix the fender dent (metal fender with a plastic attachment), weld, repaint the fender and take two written tests, all between 8AM and 3PM, and all against 15 other contestants. After that victory in Burlington, Paul will head for the 46th annual National Leadership and Skills Conference sponsored by SkillsUSA in Kansas City in June.

Paul has raced stock cars in Canaan, NH since he was eleven. Today he splits his time between attending HHS, attending the Hartford Area Career and Technology Center, and maintaining the cars he drives.
According to its web site, SkillsUSA is a partnership of students, teachers and industry working together to ensure that America has a skilled work force. Its mission is to help its members become world-class workers, leaders and responsible American citizens. The organization serves more than 300,000 students and instructors annually, and has 13,000 school chapters. More than 14,500 instructors and administrators are professional members of SkillsUSA.

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STUDENTS' 90-MILE HIKE THROUGH SPAIN

Spanish teacher Eric Picconi writes: Eight HHS students hiked in Spain over April break, led by me and Math teacher Eve Ermer. The first five days were spent hiking part of the the famous pilgrimage route El Camino de Santiago, beginning in Puente la Reina and ending in Belorado. During the march of 145 kilometers (91 miles) the group saw Roman roads, ancient bridges, enormous and ornate cathedrals and churches, and pastoral views with blooming flowers.

In the days that followed, we visited the cities of Burgos, Segovia and Madrid. In Burgos we marveled at the city's cathedral and museum. In Segovia, we saw the breathtaking ancient aqueduct and the fortress of Queen Isabel. The students roamed the narrowing, winding streets of the walled city of Ávila before heading to the capital. In Madrid the group visited the Prado museum, the Reina Sofía modern art museum, and the Royal Palace. We also strolled through the gigantic city park, El Parque de Buen Retiro, and finished by doing plenty of sightseeing, people watching, and shopping near the Plaza Mayor. Everyone returned home exhausted, but with plenty of memories to share with friends and family.

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