MAVA Members,
We are pleased to share this fabulous idea from the students and staff in Assabet Valley’s Regional Vocational Technical High School’s design and visual communications program. We are pleased to extend this good news and congratulations on a wonderful and very useful effort.
The series can be viewed at www.youtube.com/@NailingItClassroomCareers!
David
Assabet students produce TV series on classroom careers
Community Advocate November 4, 2024
Student producers interview electrical instructor Al Maino for the Nailing It! Classroom Careers series while electrical, carpentry, plumbing, painting and design and HVAC students work on a project in the community.
MARLBOROUGH – Students in Assabet Valley Regional Vocational Technical High School’s design and visual communications program have been collaborating with their peers to produce a television series in line with the spirit of HGTV showcasing students’ work in the community.
The “Nailing It! Classroom Careers” series is meant to be similar to a show airing on the Magnolia Network or HGTV that highlights the community work of Assabet’s teachers and students.
“This project is wonderful because it provides our design and visual communications students with practical experience while highlighting the excellence of all of our programs here at Assabet,” said Superintendent Ernest Houle. “I cannot wait to see the series air.”
The series — which has three completed episodes so far — will be aired on social media and local cable access stations.
Design and visual communications students are in charge of writing the scripts and recording and editing the videos. So far, segments highlight the work of students in the carpentry, plumbing, HVAC, electrical, business technology, advanced manufacturing, and auto collision programs.
Students describe working on the project as a fun way to learn while also developing real-world experience that will help them in their future careers.
“It felt like stepping into the real world — going out of school, managing equipment, and working together to create something meaningful,” said junior design and visual communications student Larissa Dos Santos. “We learned not only the technical skills of filming and editing, but also the importance of responsibility, teamwork, organization, and attention to detail. We were all very productive and it was a super fun project to be part of; it gave me a sense of what it’s really like to be out on a job site, turning our trade skills into something impactful, and that would show the community what our school does.”
“While working on this project, I learned how to work with friends and be a producer, recorder and camera person,” said student Ava Nair. “Overall, it was a great and positive learning experience working with our teachers, the students, and instructors, and I’m very proud of how the episodes turned out.”
Last school year, 24 design and visual communications students took part in the creation of the series. The program is hoping to recruit a similar number of students to continue the work this year.
“I am very thankful to Mr. Bill May and his outstanding design and visual students for their production of this series,” said Wayne Coulson, Assabet’s off-campus construction coordinator and house carpentry instructor. “Collectively, the design and visual students were able to film, interview, edit and produce what I would consider an HGTV or Magnolia Network-quality show. It documents our yearlong off-campus construction project for the town of Southborough and focuses on our vocational education system and the valuable training that all of our students receive to prepare them for their respective trade careers. I am most proud of our Assabet Valley students for their professionalism, sense of pride in their work and united teamwork.”
The series can be viewed at www.youtube.com/@NailingItClassroomCareers
David J. Ferreira
MAVA Communications Coordinator
DavidFerreira