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School Events |
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Educational Services, Motivational Clinics, Workshops, and Public Speaking Events |
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WINS 4 Life |
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First Day of School America |
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Mistakes, unexpected situations, and adversity confront us on a daily basis. “How do you respond?” Today’s students often lack what they need: the tools, skills and intelligent responses to manage difficult experiences and those inevitable life challenges. This one hour assembly focuses on making good decisions, mental strength, changing your thought routine, emergency response, and solutions for adversity. |
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Mr. Vasquenza has served as guest speaker for school events sponsored by the nationally acclaimed First Day of School America. This program celebrates education by bringing together schools, families, and communities on the first day of school. The objective is to get families and the community more connected with the school system and more involved in the education of each student. Please visit their website at www.firstday.org |
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Self Graduation |
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Your Team 4 Self Esteem |
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These progressive teaching events are for grades 3-9. Students meet as entire grades or in large groups once per week, for one hour classes. The classes can be scheduled as a four or six week program. A blend of important life lessons and current issues are addressed. Students will learn through a variety of presentations and teaching methods. Classes are fun; enhanced by music, skits, writing exercises, homework challenges, and mini-lectures.
The foundation of this educational series is centered on personal development and the working relationships between self, family, community and school. Objectives are to enhance skills and awareness, while inspiring proactive changes within character development, self esteem, academic performance, school spirit, and self sufficiency. The core topics are values, balance, mental strength, adversity, communication, and team work. |
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This event is offered as a single class or as a series of classes. The objective is to serve as a “change agent” in leading students towards improvements in academic and personal achievement. “Self Graduation” is a no nonsense approach to help students get focused, become more productive, exceed their personal expectations, and graduate to better habits. Key topics include: accountability, respect, time management, and self discipline. |
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What’s Next?! |
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Ware High School (MA.) hosts the WINS For Life school event: “Your Team for Self Esteem”
During the 2004 school year approximately 120 eighth grade students attended Ware High School, and during the last two months this special group from Massachusetts participated in five sessions of the W4L school workshop entitled Your Team For Self-Esteem. This educational series peaked with the Award’s Ceremony on Monday June 22, 2004. At times, the group was silent with attentiveness as they listened to a summary of the lessons they learned and the achievements they earned. During other times, those in the auditorium would experience surges of positive energy, generated from the students and their pure excitement for the changes on the horizon: the start of the summer and their graduation to the all important ninth grade.
A total of fifty-three students received awards. The team competition concluded as a testament to the power of TEAM (Together Everyone Achieves More) Consistent participation, combined with a balance of strong individual efforts, secured Team Three’s victory as they led from start to finish. On the final day of competition Team Three held a slim 42-point lead over Team Two. Team One was still within striking distance but would require some “last minute” efforts to contend. Instead, as any great team does, Team Three surged towards the finish line. On the final day of competition, ten members of Team Three faxed in assignments to earn a total of 140 points and… the 2004 Championship! Thank you to all those who participated! Congratulations to the 2004 graduates!
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Congratulations to Team Three for winning the “Team Competition Award”! The following students contributed Team Three’s impressive victory: Ryan Banford, Stephanie Doyle, James Dubois, James Hittle, Nolan King, Lisa Brown, Nickalaus Danitis, Danielle Ducey, Ashley Giammarino, Alan Hittle, Jessica Niquette, Shane Paulton, Amber Benoit, Joshua Benoit, Nick Berry, Justin Bessonette, Trisha Desroches, Shawn Dufresne, Cassie Fenwick, Janet Fortini, Timothy Granalese, Kristen Hanley, Aja Harvey, Lindsey Howlett, Tiffany Hurley, Frederick Kotowski, Stephen Krupa, Holly Kusek, Brian Lesperance, Whitney Marsland, Michael, Masztal, Katie Moulton, Kyle Moulton, Davin Peterson, Joshua Rosa, Derek Shumate, Heather Young.
Final Standings and Individual Awards
2004 CHAMPIONS! Team Three: Gold Medals: Whitney Marsland (best individual score: 81), Brian Lesperance, Lindsey Howlett All- Star Honorable Mention: Heather Young , Fred Kotowski Honorable Mention: Michael Masztal, Ashley Giammarino, Jessica Niquette
Team Two: Gold Medals: Michael Dubuque, K.T. Moses, Kiara Perron Honorable Mention (Each tied with 39 points): Heather Lynds, Stephanie Parsons, Laurin Dodge, Courtney St. George, Dylan Courtney, Ryan Woodman
Team One: Gold Medals: Caitlin Versailles, Kendra Wilson, Alysia Morrissette Honorable Mention: Victoria Pearson, Lindsey Vadnais, Lindsey Harder Thinking Outside the Box Award: Seth Greene |
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From the press...
Excerpts from the June 28, 2004 article in the Springfield Republican (Massachusetts newspaper): “Unique program rallies students” WARE- Without a football, basketball or baseball in sight, students at Ware High School have been cheered into action by the guy they call “Coach V”. “You are all one big team”, said David Vasquenza of Manchester, CT., motivating students at a final awards ceremony for 8th graders at the school last week. Students received medals, t-shirts, and awards cups for high scores in Vasquenza’s “WINS For Life” program, which taught life skills and underscored self-esteem.
With an increasing pressure to meet more rigorous academic standards, officials at Ware High School had growing concerns that they were leaving student’s growth as people out of the mix, said assistant Principal Michael E. Kynbel. “Early in the fall we realized we had some challenges to overcome”, he said. With all the concentration on preparing students for the Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System test, “It was hard to put in character development and self-esteem”, he said.
So Vasquenza, a former high school and college athletic coach with experience in the mental health field, was brought in to pump up students’ esteem and skills for coping with what can be a challenging time. Vasquenza, who more usually visits schools on a one-shot basis as a motivational speaker, was brought in for a series of five visits where he got to work with the students more closely.
Students said they left the sessions motivated to face challenges such as peer pressure. The program underscores having values and keeping to them, while maintaining balance and mental strength in facing adversity. “You don’t get mad, you think about the consequences,” said Lindsey Howlett, 14. “You solve it in a peaceful manner,” said Ryan Vallee, 14. |
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Meet one of the many participants from the World's Greatest Hat skit. |
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Job well done |