SHS Challenge Accepted
STAFFORD — Principal Marco Pelliccia challenged the students in the class of 2018 at Stafford High School to beat the class of 2009 on their Connecticut Academic Performance Test scores, which previously had held a record for the best scores in school history.
The class accepted his challenge and the result was that Stafford’s scores on the 2015-16 Connecticut Academic Performance Test put Stafford scoring well above the state average, ranking Stafford High School number 1 in its District Reference Group.
In the spring of 2016, Pelliccia met with students prior to the testing and they brainstormed reward ideas for success. One student, Devon LaBua, suggested a waxing of Pelliccia’s legs if the students did well.
Pelliccia agreed to the challenge, as well as a class field trip. During a class assembly on March 30, Pelliccia held true to his word and allowed Karine Wielock, owner of C’est La Vie Day Spa in Glastonbury, to do the honors.
Pelliccia encouraged the class to do well on their SAT testing and challenged them to do better than last year’s class and was open to any suggestions that the class had, if they met his challenge.
Chestnut Seed Planting
STAFFORD — Volunteers are needed to help plant American chestnut seeds at 9 a.m. Saturday, April 29, at the intersection of Leonard and Lamb Roads. There is parking at the orchard and the rain date is the following Saturday.
Volunteers are asked to bring a garden trowel, watering can, garden gloves, wheelbarrow if you have one and if you feel inclined, a baked good to add to the snack table. Water and snacks will be provided. For more information, call 860 899-4795
Crohn’s And Colitis Walk
STAFFORD SPRINGS — Christine Wright, of Stafford Springs, will be walking in the Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation’s Greater Hartford Take Steps walk on Sunday, May 21, at Rentschler Field, 615 Silver Lane, East Hartford.
Wright was diagnosed with Crohn’s disease in 2002. She refers to her Crohn’s-related struggles as gremlins and her team, Wabbit’s Gremlin Slayers, has a goal of raising $1,500 for the Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation to help find cures for inflammatory bowel disease.
Anyone with questions may contact Christine at 860-942-0123, email wrightwabbit@yahoo.com or visit http://online.ccfa.org/goto/cwright.
For more info on the Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation Greater Hartford Take Steps Walk, visit www.cctakesteps.org/greaterhartford2017 or contact Mary Kate Doherty at 203-376-4336 or mkdoherty@crohnscolitisfoundation.org.
Grandparents Raising Grandchildren Support Group
STAFFORD SPRINGS — The Grandparents Raising Grandchildren support group will meet from 6:15 to 7:15 p.m. the third Thursday of the month at First United Methodist Church, 8 Church St.
Child care is offered. For more information, contact Laura at the Stafford Family Resource Center at 860-684-6927 or Connie in the church office at 860-684-2468. The group is open to all grandparents in the surrounding communities.
Tag Sale
WEST STAFFORD — The West Stafford Ladies Auxiliary is sponsoring a rent-a-space/table tag sale from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, May 20. Spaces cost $15 for those who bring their own table and $20 for spaces with a table. Lunch will be available for purchase.
Call Paula to reserve your space/table at 860-684-2438.
Women’s Reading Group
WEST STAFFORD — A women’s reading group is looking for new members. The group meets in West Stafford at 7 p.m., on the last Monday of the month.
Titles for a twelve month period are chosen from books written by women authors and include contemporary fiction and nonfiction covering a wide range of social issues, classic works, historical fiction and biographies.
Upcoming choices for discussion are The Soul of an Octopus, by Sy Montgomery and Every Last One, by Anna Quindlen. For more information, call Jan at 860-851-9370.
Al-Anon Meeting
STAFFORD SPRINGS — Al-Anon meetings will take place at 7 p.m. on Thursdays at the Stafford Senior Center, 3 Buckley Highway, Route 190.
Support Groups Available
STAFFORD SPRINGS — Three support groups, the Alternatives to Suicide Peer Support Group, a Men’s Support Group, and a Women’s Support Group, will take place at the First United Methodist Church, 8 Church St., the big white church next to CVS, unless otherwise noted.
The Men’s Support Group meets at the church in Room 101 on Tuesday evenings at 4 p.m.
The Women’s Support Group meets at 10:30 a.m. Wednesday mornings, upstairs in Room 204. Both these groups are for anyone who’s had a loss in their lives. All are welcome to attend.
The Alternatives to Suicide Peer Support Group meets from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. Thursdays, in Room 204.
The church can be reached at 860-684-2468, on Facebook or at its website, http://fumcstafford.org.
Stafford Early Head Start
STAFFORD — Stafford Early Head Start has openings available for children ages birth to three and pregnant mothers. The Early Head Start program is designed to promote school readiness for children by enhancing their developmental and social competence. Applications are available at the West Stafford School. Call 860-684-3181 to make an appointment to enroll.
Free Video Production Training Program
WINDHAM — Northeastern CT Community Access TV is now taking applications for its Free Public Access Internship program at 207 Tuckie Rd. Interns get hands-on experience in all aspects of video production. They cover community events and public affairs shows for airing on Charter channel 192, Frontier channel 99, and on www.CTV192.com. Interns have the opportunity to use their new skills to produce their own Public Access Television Programs.
Internships are non-paid and are open on a first-come, first-served basis to residents in the studio’s service area. Interns must reside in one of the following towns to be eligible for internship: Ashford, Brooklyn, Chaplin, Coventry, Canterbury, Columbia, Eastford, Hampton, Lebanon, Mansfield, Pomfret, Scotland, Thompson, Windham, Woodstock, and Willington.
Visit www.CTV192.com or call the Community Access TV studio line at 860-456-8500 for an internship application and more information.
Energy Assistance Applications
HARTFORD — Operation Fuel’s statewide winter energy assistance program has begun taking applications. Families and individuals who are struggling financially and need energy assistance should call 211 to find their closest fuel bank. For more information on Operation Fuel or to make a donation, go to operationfuel.org. Donations also can be sent to Operation Fuel, 75 Charter Oak Ave., Suite 2-240, Hartford, CT 06106.
Softball Umpires Sought
STATEWIDE — The North Central Connecticut Board of Softball Umpires is seeking new members for the 2017 season. Our board provides services to schools, youth and adult recreational leagues in the greater Hartford area. No experience necessary. For more information or to join, contact Al at prez798@aol.com or call/text 860-205-1688.
Race For College Scholarships
STATEWIDE — The Connecticut Cycling Advancement Program recently launched the Dr. Marc Eisen Scholarship Award, a statewide indoor cycling competition for high school students that will award the male and female champion a scholarship to college.
The CCAP will be traveling to schools around Connecticut and host indoor school cycling events on stationary trainers. To earn a chance to win the Dr. Marc Eisen Scholarship Award, check with your cycling club to learn the time the CCAP will be holding races in your school. The championship event will take place in May 2017 at Rentschler Field in East Hartford.
The fastest male and female high school student from each indoor school cycling competition throughout the season will earn a spot in the season championship finals at the end of the school year.
The season championship finals will bring together all of the fastest riders from around the state. The male and female winners that record the fastest time that day will be awarded a $500 scholarship for college.
The winner’s school club will also receive a separate $125 award to encourage continued success of the club. All students are eligible for a $250 leadership award, including students who do not reach the season finals. All finalists must submit a one-page essay prior to the season championship finals event describing their participation in their CCAP school club. Essays must describe the student’s regular season participation in club practices and race events, demonstrate a commitment to team success and illustrate an impact cycling has made on the student.
For more information, visit CTCyclingadvancement.org.
