Student Feature Friday: Ryan Taylor

This week’s Student Feature Friday is senior Ryan Taylor, who is passionate about Robotics, Music, and the Vermont Adaptive Ski program. Giving back to others and mentoring younger students is what unites all three passions. Ryan is an active participant in band, playing Alto Saxophone, an instrument that his older brother introduced him to when he was a student in Holliston. Ryan is taking on the role of Vice-President Student Conductor this year and sees it as an opportunity to display his talents while supporting others in the band. In addition to HHS, he plays in the Blackstone Valley Community Concert band and the Lions All-State band.

When Ryan isn’t playing music he is heavily engaged in Robotics. As a Captain of the Robotics Team this year, he will be responsible for planning, scheduling and building a competition-ready robot with his team. The build season is intense and once they receive the parts to build the frame/chassis,  the team spends nights and weekends over a 6-week period to pull it all together. The team must follow strict guidelines with restrictions on the timeline, size, weight and even locations where they are approved to purchase additional parts for their design. This 6-week race to the finish leads them to competition and the excitement of seeing all their hard work come to fruition. Although Ryan will be graduating this year and pursuing engineering in the future, he hopes to come back and mentor a Robotics team one day and I have no doubt that he will make a significant difference to future generations. To learn more about Ryan visit the Student Feature Friday section of the Principal's Blog.

Student Feature Friday: Nico Doyle

This week’s Student Feature Friday is Nico Doyle, a fantastic senior who is involved in many facets of HHS. Not only is he an integral part of the morning Jam Band at HHS, but he is using his musical talent to bring joy to others. When we sat down to chat about his interests, I asked him why he was involved in music and part of the band. He responded, “ Watching other people do what they love is contagious.” This humble attitude to supporting others and respecting the unique talents that each individual contributes to the world is a direct reflection of the character that Nico exhibits on a daily basis.

Nico is the type of person who is curious about life, seeks solutions for problems to improve the environment for all and isn’t afraid to step out of his comfort zone. He is a founding member of the Rowdy Repair Shop, a student-led (with the assistance of Mr. Calais) group who honed their skills in construction technology and are now fixing broken or rundown furniture for teachers throughout the building. After presenting this group to the entire Faculty, he is hard at work fielding requests. Nico stated that, “There is no reward better than doing something for someone else and seeing that smile.” Although helping others provides a sense of reward, it is his love of rock climbing, hiking and guitar that keeps him motivated and happy on a daily basis. His future goals include finding a career that can combine these three passions while continuing to help others and I have no doubt that he will have a big impact on his community. To learn more about Nico visit the Student Feature Friday section of the Principal's Blog.

Winter Sports Registration

Registration for 2019-2020 Winter Sports is now open!

Registration for HHS sports has three required pieces:

1. Filling out the registration form at http://hhsathletics.holliston.k12.ma.us/registration
2. Submitting an up-to date physical exam (requirements)
3. Paying the athletics fee. You may pay on the Town of Holliston website or by check dropped off at/or mailed to HHS Main Office Checks must be made out to "Town of Holliston- Athletics" for $225.00.

The due date for all forms, physical exams, and payment is November 22, 2019.

HMAPA Kicks Off Citrus Fundraiser

It’s fresh citrus time! The Holliston Music and Arts Parents Association (HMAPA) is kicking off its annual Fall Citrus Fundraiser on October 15th with orders due by November 4th. Brochures will be distributed to all high school and middle school band, chorus, theatre, and art club students and Miller band students beginning on Tuesday, 10/15, so parents, please ask your art student about the sale! This year’s fruit selection includes navel oranges, juicing oranges, pink grapefruit, mandarin oranges, and Washington apples, plus mixed cartons.

If you don’t know a selling student, or if you prefer, you may order online by going to http://www.floridaindianrivergroves.com/ and using Organization ID #155966. All orders will be delivered to the Holliston High School Cafeteria. Online customers must pick up their order from the HHS Cafeteria on the delivery date. Don’t eat fruit? You can also donate fruit to the food pantry and have it delivered by us - see the fundraiser instruction sheet or, if ordering online choose “donate item.”

The fruit will be delivered by truck directly to the Holliston High School cafeteria on an evening between Tuesday, 12/3 and Thursday, 12/5. We will notify all sellers and online customers when we have a definite date from shipper - about one week in advance.

If you have any questions about this fundraiser, please contact Alison Quinan at quinans@yahoo.com or (508) 429-2347.

Thank you for supporting the fine and performing arts in our schools by supporting HMAPA!

School Start Times Public Forum

The Holliston School Committee voted to hold a public forum on the new school start times for the 2020-21 academic year. The forum will be held Thursday, October 10, 2019, in the Holliston High School auditorium, at 7:00 p.m. It is open to the public.

Judith Owens, MD, MPH, Director of the Center for Pediatric Sleep Disorders at Boston Children's Hospital and Professor of Neurology at Harvard Medical School, will present on the science of pediatric sleep. There will be a Q+A so that members of the public may ask questions of Dr. Owens, the School Committee, and Dr. Brad Jackson, superintendent of schools.
For more information on the issue of School Start Times in Holliston, please review the information on the School Start Times website.

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