Colleagues,
We are most pleased to share this terrific grant award news from Pathfinder Regional School District! The beneficiaries will be the Chapter 74 vocational technical students enrolled at Pathfinder.
Superintendent Eric Duda is stated “Investing in career and technical education is crucial for preparing our students for successful futures. This grant will enhance two programs and ease financial burdens on local taxpayers, ensuring our students receive exceptional training and resources.”
David
Pathfinder Tech Secures Historic $1.25 Million Grant Award
PALMER, MA – Superintendent Eric Duda is excited to announce that Pathfinder Tech has secured a historic $1.25 million grant from the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, the largest in the school’s history. This unprecedented funding not only exceeds previous awards but also underscores a strong commitment to enhancing career and technical education for the nine towns—Belchertown, Monson, New Braintree, Palmer, Ware, Granby, Hardwick, Warren, and Oakham—that make up the Pathfinder Regional School District. Duda emphasized, “Investing in career and technical education is crucial for preparing our students for successful futures. This grant will enhance two programs and ease financial burdens on local taxpayers, ensuring our students receive exceptional training and resources.”
In addition to enhancements in the Electrical program, the grant will also support significant improvements to the Horticulture program. Upgrades will include revitalized greenhouses, new equipment, and investments in modern technology—essential components for the continued success of this program, which has long needed substantial and expensive upgrades. This grant award is more than double the district’s previous largest awards, which were allocated for the establishment of the Plumbing program and a comprehensive overhaul of the HVAC program, each valued at just under $500,000. This funding will enable a complete renovation of the Electrical program, including brand-new floors, walls, mock house, tools, and equipment. These upgrades will allow them to expand the program, meeting the vital need for increased capacity, as the Electrical program has been the top choice for freshman exploratory studies for three consecutive years.
The journey to securing this competitive grant was collaborative, involving the dedicated efforts of administrators, teachers, and business partners. "We extend our gratitude to Governor Healey and her administration, Secretary of Education Patrick Tutwiler, and Assistant Secretary for Career Education Bob LePage for their support of career and technical education, as well as to all legislators who played a role in making this funding possible," said Duda.
This significant investment in career technical education is a testament to a shared commitment to training career-ready students, whether it’s directly into the workforce upon graduation from high school or if they decide to pursue post-secondary education to ultimately enter the career of their choosing. Duda emphasized, “With this grant, we aim to increase capacity, allowing us to offer more seats to students seeking training in these critical fields while providing them a well-equipped and appropriate space for training.” As demand continues to grow for career and technical education, specifically at Pathfinder Tech from the nine towns that make up the district, this funding represents a small step toward addressing the larger capacity challenges.
Pathfinder Tech aspires to eventually open its doors wider by expanding its capacity to accommodate the growing number of eighth-grade students who apply each year to Pathfinder Tech in pursuit of career and technical education. The number of applicants each year continues to far exceed the available seats. In addition to upgrading tools and equipment, they are committed to exploring ways to expand their square footage and make Pathfinder Tech more accessible to those who desire this model of education for their high school experience.
David J. Ferreira
MAVA Communications Coordinator
DavidFerreira
