"Yesterday's Graduates Helping Today's
Students"
The Blue Hills Regional
Technical School
Adopt-a-Shop
BLUE HILLS REGIONAL’S ADOPT-A-SHOP HAS SMASH SUCCESS
WITH COMEDY NIGHT FUNDRAISER
By Judy Bass
Back L-R: State Rep Bruce Ayers, BHR
Foundation President Ed Tamulionis,
AAS Volunteers Sarah Titus, Diane Williams,
Gary Titus, State Rep. Walter F. Timilty.
Front L-R:
AAS VolunteersMarybeth Nearen,
Linda Federico Sartori
Ask Blue Hills Regional Technical School alumnus Gary Titus of Canton
how the recent Comedy Night fundraiser for his brainchild, Adopt-a-Shop,
went and he will gleefully quip, “It was a good piece of change [raised]
for a great night of fun.”
Launched in 2003 and still going strong in its sixth school year,
Adopt-a-Shop was conceived by Titus, who graduated from Blue Hills in
1975, as a way for any individual or company to make tax-deductible
contributions of money or materials to the school’s technical or
academic programs.
This year, Adopt-A-Shop also gave two $750 scholarships to deserving
Blue Hills Regional seniors.
To date, its success has been extremely impressive, particularly because
it is run exclusively by a handful of dedicated volunteers who
generously donate their time and expertise. Titus, a well-known local
DJ, estimates that Adopt-A-Shop has raised over $100,000 in cash and
$500,000 in materials thus far, with the Comedy Night held at the
Randolph Elks Club responsible for $3500 more.
State Rep Bruce Ayers, Marybeth Nearen, Gary
Titus, Sarah Titus, State Rep. Walter F. Timilty
A surprise highlight of the
occasion was the presentation of honorary proclamations to Titus for
founding Adopt-A-Shop from the Massachusetts House of Representatives
and Senate, courtesy of State Reps. Bruce Ayers, Walter Timilty [both
Ayers and Timilty were at the Comedy Night], and Joseph Driscoll, and
State Sen. Brian Joyce.
Titus gratefully thanked the many Blue Hills Regional staff and
administrators who attended the event, and he gives Adopt-A-Shop
volunteer Marybeth Nearen of Randolph a big share of the credit for the
evening’s triumph. “She did a fantastic job from start to finish,” he
said admiringly.
In fact, the Comedy Night was such a hit that another one is already on
tap for next year.
Nearen, who came up with the idea for a fundraising comedy night back in
July 2008, wedged making the preparations for it into her already
crammed schedule. She is vice chairman of the Randolph School Committee,
a board member of the Blue Hills Foundation, and a wife and mother of
two girls with ties to Blue Hills Regional – daughter Melissa graduated
from the school in 2007 and is now at the Wentworth Institute of
Technology, and another Nearen daughter, Kathleen, is a junior studying
HVAC&R.
Nearen’s first priority was to create an unforgettable evening of pure
hilarity and fun. “Everybody loves to laugh,” she explained, “so what
better way to raise money than by [giving people] comedy and a dinner?”
She secured the services of four comedians – Robbie Printz, Artie
Januario, Tyler Boeh, and Mike Smith - through a company called Laugh
Riot, then Nearen approached local establishments asking them to donate
food from pasta to dessert for the dinner. Four eateries in Randolph (A
Taste of Italy, Bertucci’s, Not Your Average Joe’s, and Randolph Famous
Pizza), plus one in Stoughton (Olive Garden) gladly supplied a feast
when Nearen told them about Adopt-A-Shop and the worthiness of the cause
they would be supporting. “They didn’t even hesitate, they all said
okay, we’ll help out. They were very generous in doing so with the
economy the way it is,” Nearen acknowledged.
Her next goal was obtaining some great raffle prizes. She produced
fabulous ones like an edible bouquet of chocolate-covered strawberries
from Edible Arrangements in Brockton (it was Mother’s Day weekend) and
candy bouquets from Candy Bouquets in Randolph, as well as auto
detailing from Ace Auto Body in Braintree and a $45 gift certificate
from the Outback Restaurant in Randolph, along with gift certificates to
some of the Blue Hills Regional technical programs that provide services
to the public – Cosmetology, Culinary Arts, Automotive Technology and
Automotive Collision Repair and Refinishing..
But the most symbolic items were the ones made by Blue Hills Regional
students themselves, namely two bookcases, a nightstand and a toolbox.
“They were gorgeous,” Nearen enthused. “People could see what the
technical part of the school is all about [by viewing these well-crafted
objects].”
Titus’s wife, Sarah, a guidance counselor at Blue Hills Regional, is now
on the Adopt-A-Shop bandwagon, too. “I’m very proud to have Sarah as the
sixth volunteer,” Titus said. “She’s been a real cheerleader for
Adopt-A-Shop ever since I came up with the idea.”
Mrs. Titus is glad to pitch in. “Seeing that a technical program needs
updated equipment or knowing that an academic program wants to expand
and being able to help provide those resources for teachers is very
rewarding.”
Everyone involved is optimistic about Adopt-A-Shop’s future. “It’s all
about education and students and giving them the tools to succeed,” said
Nearen. “I have high goals for Adopt-A-Shop,” added Titus. “It’s good to
see it evolve, and I hope it continues through the years.”
For more information about Adopt-A-Shop, visit www.adopt-a-shop.com or
call Gary Titus at 781-828-0106.
Adopt-A-Shop is a volunteer fundraising organization of the Blue Hills
Foundation.
Help us reach our 2008-2009 Goal
This is Gary Titus from BHR class of 1975. I just donated
$34.00 to "Adopt-a-Shop" via Pay Pal. Please match my donation of a
dollar for every year that you've been out of Blue Hills. (A suggested
minimum $25.00 donation would help us reach our goal). Adopt-a-Shop is a
fundraising program of The Blue Hills Foundation. Every bit of your tax
deductable donation goes to the school to buy tools and equipment.
Please follow the two easy steps at the top left of this page. Which class will raise the
most money?
Adopt-a-Shop 2008-2009 Fundraising
Dear Alumni, family, and
friends of the Blue Hills Regional School,
Adopt-A-Shop (AAS) is beginning its 5th year of fundraising
for the students, vocational areas and academic programs at Blue Hills
Regional Technical School. With four very successful years behind us, we
look forward to our fifth. In 2008, Adopt-a-Shop donations of nearly
$20,000 funded scholarships and school projects including The following:
1) Culinary Arts (New Menu
Covers) $1,165
2) Graphics (New Mac Pro
Computer and 20” Flat Panel Display) $3,488.00
3) Computer Tech (Three HP
Scanjet G4010 Photo Scanners) $478.43
4) Business Ed
(Entrepreneurship Simulation Software) $1299.00
5) Construction Tech (5 HP
Powermatic Shaper) $2899.99
6) Engineering (Jet Stream
500 Wind Tunnel) $5177.
7) Auto Body (Various Hand
Tools) $5,155
As you
know, schools today are faced with tough budget guidelines and Blue
Hills is no exception. With your tax deductible* donations, Adopt-A-Shop
is able to help with the purchase of tools and equipment necessary to
provide it's students with a state-of-the-art technical education. We
gratefully accept donations of cash, new equipment and supplies for any
of the vocational areas at Blue Hills. You may consider a donation
directly to an academicor vocational program, or to the general fund.
Additionally, as AAS is run on a volunteer basis by BHR alumni, parents,
and a few members of the faculty, and staff, we encourage you to
consider becoming part of the AAS team.
Parents, I want to thank you for choosing Blue Hills for your student’s
high school education. As a 1975 graduate of the Blue Hills Regional
Technical School, I have watched the school grow in technology and
academic rigor as one thing remains the same--your student will still
get a progressive academic and technical education.
Alumni
and local business people, we truly appreciate your past support, and
thank you in advance for any help that you give in the future.
The
Adopt-a-Shop Team is proud to support Blue Hills Regional and its
students as they prepare to become industry leaders. Please
click here to print a donation form
and mail it in today.
Sincerely,
Gary Titus
Executive Director /
Adopt-a-Shop
BHR Class of 1975
Phone 781.828.0106
*EIN 04-3022592, 501(c) (3).
Thank You NESCO!
NESCO-Needham Electric Supply 40 Hudson Road Canton, MA
02021
Needham Electrical Supply - NESCO made their
2nd yearly stock donation to the Electrical Program at Blue Hills
through Adopt-a-Shop. This years donation will be used to buy
½ & ¾” galvanized
conduit. Click on their logo to
visit their website.
Sheet Metal Workers Donate
$5000.00 to Adopt-a-Shop
Please
accept a BIG Thank You from the Future Sheet Metal and HVAC&R Workers
at Blue Hills.
We
invite your trade organization, or company to match this very generous donation to
Adopt-a-Shop
TERADYNE
INC. DONATES $2,000
TO BLUE HILLS REGIONAL
Manny Cerqueira, Joanne D’Agostino, and John Boughner in 1983, formerly lived in Holbrook, and is
now an engineering lab manager at Teradyne.
The donation was made through the
school’s Adopt-a-Shop program, which was begun in 2004 to attract
tax-deductible donations of money, equipment and materials to the
vocational programs at Blue Hills. To date, Adopt-a-Shop has
collected thousands of dollars in cash and new equipment. Adopt-a-Shop
founder Gary Titus of Canton,
a Class of 1975 Blue Hills graduate, was instrumental in making the
donation possible.
Teradyne
is a leading supplier of Automatic Test Equipment used to test complex
electronics used in the consumer electronics, automotive, computing,
telecommunications, and aerospace and defense industries. In 2005,
Teradyne had sales of $1.08 billion, and currently employs about 4,000
people worldwide. The company is listed on the New York Stock
Exchange under the symbol TER.
Several connections exist between
Teradyne and Blue Hills. Some of the school’s alumni have been or
currently are employees there; a new teacher in the Blue Hills
Electronics department, Joanne D’Agostino, worked
at Teradyne; and of course, Boughner himself is
a successful part of the Teradyne workforce. In fact, retired Blue
Hills Electronics department head George Driscoll helped Boughner get his job at Teradyne back in 1982.
Blue Hills Superintendent-Director Joseph
A. Ciccolo said, “Graduate John Boughner never forgot the institution that gave him a
start with his career. His first co-op job brought him to Teradyne,
where he has been for 23 years. He came back as a coach when that
was all he had to offer and give back to future BHR grads. Today he
came with money to help the program of electronics that trained him so
well. I know it is not the last time we will benefit from the
efforts of this outstanding graduate.”
Blue Hills Electronics Lead Teacher
Manuel Cerqueira said the Teradyne donation
will likely be used for three purposes – the school’s electronic race
car; robotics; and test equipment. Cerqueira
expressed his gratitude to Boughner and
Teradyne for the generous donation, saying, “Thank you greatly for
supporting our program and our school. It’s sponsors like you that
really help us make our program come alive.”
Boughner hopes that other
companies will follow Teradyne’s example and support Blue Hills and
vocational education. “These students will be out in the workforce
and be major contributors to the success of the corporate world,” he
explained. “We’re happy to support vocational technical education,
and we encourage other companies to follow suit.”
L to R: Michelle Roach BHR Vocational Coordinator,
Gary Titus, John Boughner, Manny Cerqueira - BHR Electronics Lead, Joanne D’Agostino - BHR Electronics, and Jim Quaglia BHR Assistant Superintendent
We
invite your company to match Teradyne's very generous donation to
Adopt-a-Shop
24
Hour Emergency Service: 781-344-5553, Ext: 213
204 Tosca Drive Stoughton, MA 02072
Phone: 781-344-5553 Fax: 781-344-1101
Another
Great Blue Hills Family Gives Back To Their School
(L to R) Blue Hills graduates Rick & Jacqueline Piazza,
along with Construction Tech's Mike Harkin
The
Piazza Family of Canton knows the value of
technical education at The Blue
Hills Regional
School. Brother and
sister Rick and Jacqueline Piazza recently made a very generous donation
of labor and materials to the schools Construction Tech and Electrical
Departments. Rick and Jackie's dad, Ramon Piazza started Suburban
Electric in his Canton garage back in 1958, and sent many of his children
to Blue Hills. They include: Theresa Piazza Russo (Class of 1978),
Deanna Piazza Belek (Class of 1980),
Christine Piazza (Class of 1981), Chris Piazza (Class of 1983),
Joanne Piazza Capece (Class of 1985),
Patrick Piazza and Jacqueline Piazza Gorman (Class of 1986), and
Rick Piazza (Class of 1988).
Thank you
to Blue Hills Graduate Tim Riordan For his generous donation to
Adopt-a-Shop
Thanks to the Nearen family of Randolph
for donating a $3000 hospital bed.
A huge thanks to Marybeth Nearen and family for the recent donation of a new
hospital bed to the health occupation shop. Please take a look at the
students sitting on their new bed.
"Our Family
hopes that there will be many years of training practiced on this bed. My
father is 83 years old and set in his ways, there was no way he was going
to sleep in “that” bed, even though it was for the better.
We are happy it is being put to good use. I will show him this photo. I
know he will be happier that it is at Blue Hills and not at his house any
longer.
Thanks for helping me make him pleased because you know that makes me
happy!"
Marybeth Nearen And Sigmund (Ziggy) Ostrowski
“The International Brotherhood of
Electrical Workers Local 103 and the National Electrical Contractors
Association are proud to sponsor the Adopt-A-Shop program.
It is with great hope that our
donation will help to further the education of tomorrow’s electricians
with materials today. It is with this hope and your dedication to
learn that we can assure a brighter future for our industry and
trade. And always remember to never stop reaching for excellence.”
Thank you to the IBEW Local 103, NECA, and Yale
Electric for their recent donation to the Electrical department of $5,000
in tools and supplies.
Newman Associates of Canton Donates
$12,000 in tools to Blue Hills through Adopt-a-Shop
BHR Department Heads gather
to receive a very generous donation from Newman Associates of Canton
L to R Butch Tamulionis -
Executive Director of Adopt-a-Shop Jack Hayes BHR Class of 1978 of
Newman Associates , Rich Tamulionis of
Newman Associates, Hank Newman of Newman Associates, Mike
Harkin BHR Construction Tech, Brian Gearty BHR Metal Fab,
Jim Aldoupolis BHR Auto Repair, Joe Nardone BHR Electrical, John Dorney
BHR HVAC&R, Ken Rocke BHR Superintendent
Director, and Richard Brennen BHR Vocational
Coordinator (Photo by Judy Bass)
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