ORANGE — Roughly 400 people convened at Ralph C. Mahar Regional School last week for the first Senator’s Showcase, a chance for students to highlight their interests and the skills learned in the classroom.
Billed as an evening of talent, competition and community pride, the event was the brainchild of technology education teacher Chris Stark, who said there were 11 booths highlighting local businesses and organizations, and at least 500 art, science, makerspace and woodworking projects on display.
“I started working here three years ago and I wanted to create something that was going to showcase how capable the students are in this area, because I feel like a lot of times, they get forgotten,” he said on Thursday, adding that youth in the low-income community often carry an unfair stigma. “And I hated that thought.
“I wanted to have a way to show that there’s a lot of good things going on in this school, especially with the budget issues [and] some of the issues in town,” he continued. “I want people to say, ‘Holy crap, these kids have prospects.’ And I keep telling [the students], ‘The doors here are not where your limits reside.'”
The U.S. Army Reserve set up an obstacle course and gaming trailer run by retired Col. Glenn Scott, one of the instructors of Mahar’s Army Junior Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (ROTC), and the Key Club established games and fair challenges. There were also three food trucks — Brynne’s Bread, Off the Hook and Pop’s Sweet-Harts.
Additionally, there were 14 employees from North Quabbin area businesses serving as judges. Joshua Spagnola, welding supervisor at Whipps Inc., judged the woodworking competition and chose MacKenzie Matthews as the winner. Elysabeth Marsh took second place and Jon Maillet finished third. The runner-up was Jacob Vieu.
“You don’t see this, usually, out of a regular high schooler. Some of these projects are just absolutely beautiful,” Spagnola said. “I’m very impressed.”
Stark said businesses donated student prizes, with at least $1,200 doled out to students who placed in the showcase. The event also raised $330 by raffling off a chair, which Starks expects to be an annual tradition.
Stark mentioned he spent 300 hours organizing the first Senator’s Showcase.
“I’ve been going at it kind of crazy,” he said with a laugh.
Stark said he hopes to double the size of the event next year, with more vendors and projects from additional categories, such as civics and language arts.
Finalists of the showcase’s other competitions are as follows: Science Fair — Solomon Burke, Hayden Comeau and Ishan Coburn (runner-up: Katy McGinnis); Art — Cora Mehr, Ash Shipley-Aja and Samantha Costello (runner-up: Brennan Hammer); Makerspace — Madilyn Moore, Clayde Thompson and Max Parsons (runner-up: Hunter Stevens); People’s Choice — Pacey Jensen, Anthony Marigliano and Cameron LaBarre (first-place team), and MacKenzie Matthews and Riley Murphy.
