CRIMSON CREATIONS SALON

Our Future Professionals would like to invite you to an evening of pampering and glamour on:

Tuesday

April 12th

from

4:30 PM – 6:30 PM

at the Crimson Creations Salon

located in the Student Center

at Concord High School

Enjoy one of our many services such as a manicure, haircut,

scalp massage, facials, waxing or

a paraffin hand dip.  

There will be a $7 charge for each salon service.

Cuccio (Gel Nails)

$10

We look forward to seeing you!

Ms. Kimberly & the Cosmetology Class

Interviewing Skills

Interviewing Skills

InterviewStream and HR Volunteer Partners

from CRTC Director Steve Rothenberg

Last week, all CRTC students engaged in a center-wide unit on interviewing skills.  The week kicked off on Tuesday with an assembly led by a career consultant.  The assembly was followed up in each individual classroom with a question and answer session with a human resource specialist from the HR Professional Association of Greater Concord.  We thank the following organizations for participating: Ballentine Partners, Concord Hospital, CoWorx Staffing Service, EFI, Grappone Automotive Group, McLane Middleton, New Hampshire Distributors, State of NH Insurance Department, Talent Advisory, and Yankee Publishing.

On the second day, students began to formalize their understanding of basic criteria, including adopting a basic rubric.  The classes worked to calibrate themselves by collaboratively reviewing a mix of online interviews to define what makes a good (and bad) interview.  Our rubric was used as a foundation.  A number of great discussions resulted.  Students also worked on documenting a basic version of “their story” to prepare for their own interview.

To finish up, students are now completing an online practice interview using a product called InterviewStream.  This company facilitates actual online interviews, but also has an educational arm to allow students to practice on their software.  Students are given the opportunity to answer custom (by program) interview-style questions (many of which came from our business partners) in a professional online format and watch their responses. We were pleased that most of our students took advantage of the software and did a “number” of takes.  It is not easy looking at yourself on video.

Interviewing is an universal and necessary skill.  We are proud of both our students and teachers for making this first-ever unit a success.  We particularly want to thank CRTC volunteer David Moore  for heading up this entire effort, including coordinating with all partners and creating our online presence with every possible resource listed.

CRTC Enrollment Status for Newly Applied Students

CRTC Enrollment Status for Newly Applied Students

Defining Conditional

from CRTC Director Steve Rothenberg

We will be sending out letters to new CRTC applicants with their enrollment status in the coming stretch.  The vast majority of students will be given one of the following ratings:

· Accepted

· Wait List

· Wait List Conditional

· Not Accepted

Only a handful will get a conditional offer.  “Conditional” means we have concerns that prevent us from accepting or wait listing a student outright.  Therefore, a meeting is immediately necessary with a member of the CRTC staff to review the application and ask additional questions.  At that meeting, a basic contract is completed and put in place for the next two months.  In most cases, two current teachers must sign off on it.  Realistic and attainable goals are used as a measure of a student’s willingness to change his/her habits. The CRTC represent an “approach” change for many students where the word, professionalism is introduced.  This system reflects that vision.

Retired Carpenter Brings a Lifetime of Experience to CRTC Construction Tech Students

Retired Carpenter Brings a Lifetime of Experience to CRTC Construction Tech Students

Patrick Foster looks like a man who’s spent much of the last sixty years working construction. At age 71, his rugged features, broad shoulders, and calloused hands reflect a lifetime of hard work, his easy smile a natural reflection of his enthusiasm for working with the Construction Technology students at the Concord Regional Technical Center.

“I tell everybody what a fantastic program this is,” he said. “I don’t know why more students don’t take advantage of this kind of opportunity.”

Patrick (whom the students call “Rick”) started working with the Construction Technology program in January after being referred by the Foster Grandparents Program, a non-profit agency that recruits, trains, and manages volunteers to meet community needs.

“The Foster Grandparents Program contacted me, explained the program, and said that they had an older guy with a lot of experience who would like to work with the kids,” said John Hubbard, who directs the Construction Technology program. “He’s never worked in a school setting before, but he’s a natural.”

Patrick started working in the family construction business when he was 12 years old. He began by sweeping up construction sites and soon moved on to more interesting work. By the time he was 14, he was working as an apprentice carpenter, and eventually he became a construction foreman, overseeing a crew of 102 workers.

In retirement, he was not content puttering around the house and, with his wife’s prodding, started volunteering his time in various programs working with the elderly. When his wife of 29 years died in 2015, Patrick admits he didn’t quite know what to do with himself. That’s when somebody suggested he get in touch with the Foster Grandparents Program, which eventually lead him to the CRTC’s Construction Tech program.

“The kids make me feel right at home,” he said. “You give them respect and they’ll do anything for you.”

“Patrick works five days a week, three hours a day, but he’s always here an hour early,” said Hubbard. “The kids just love him … he’s a soft-spoken, easygoing guy, and he’s a wealth of information for them.”

Patrick said he hopes to continue helping out in the Construction Tech program beyond the end of this school year. “This relationship is helping me, it’s helping John, and it’s helping the kids,” he said. “For me it’s a challenge and a pleasure … and that’s what makes me feel good when I go home at night.”

CRTC Culinary Team Wins State Competition, Will Compete in National Event

CRTC Culinary Team Wins State Competition, Will Compete in National Event

Five-Student Team Travels to Texas for National ProStart Competition

CONCORD, NH - After winning the state ProStart cooking competition at the UNH Stillings Dining Hall in Durham, a team of five Concord Regional Technical Center Culinary Arts students will compete against the very best high school culinary teams from across the country in the National ProStart Invitational culinary competition in Dallas, Texas, from April 29 - May 1.

The CRTC team won the statewide ProStart competition at UNH on March 5. The competition pitted eight teams from across the state against one another as they had one hour to prepare a three-course, restaurant grade meal using just two stovetop style burners. Timing was crucial, as the meal must be plated within the last three minutes. Each student team had to develop a unique recipe prior to the event, testing both their culinary skills and creativity.  

Area chefs and culinary instructors served as judges for the New Hampshire competition and representatives from the Culinary Institute of America, Johnson & Wales University and the New England Culinary Institute presented scholarships to the winning team members. As the winning team, Concord Regional Technical Center will go on to compete against the best teams from other states at the National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation's National ProStart Invitational, April 29 - May 1 in Grapevine, Texas.

The winning CRTC team includes:

• Anthony Costello of Pembroke Academy
• Brandon Diaz of John Stark Regional High School
• Megan Fraser of Hillsboro-Deering High School
• Chase Haines  of Concord High School
• Katherine Killam of Hopkinton High School

“It was a great experience,” said Chase Haines, a senior at Concord High School, adding that the CRTC team spent three months developing and refining their winning recipe. “We started out as a team and now we are like family … it’s great to share this experience with them.”

ProStart is a nationwide, two-year high school program that unites the classroom and industry to develop the best and brightest talent so that students can achieve long term, successful careers in the restaurant and food service industry.

The national culinary competition highlights each team’s creative abilities through the preparation of a three-course meal in 60 minutes, using only two butane burners, and without access to running water or electricity. There is no room for error as teams are evaluated on taste, skill, teamwork, safety and sanitation. The top five teams will receive scholarships to some of the country’s top culinary arts programs.

Concord Regional Technical Center

The CRTC is one of New Hampshire’s most advanced high school career and technical education facilities. Opened in 1980, the CRTC serves more than 530 students from nine regional school districts. The eleven targeted Career Technical Education programs use state-of-the-art equipment and are guided by the latest industry standards that provide students with hands-on experience in a realistic environment designed to prepare them for both college and the workplace. 

More Information: For more information contact us at: thecrtc.net

CRTC Auto Tech Students Tops in State, Will Compete in National Competition

CRTC Auto Tech Students Tops in State, Will Compete in National Competition

CONCORD, NH - Two Concord Regional Technical Center students will be representing New Hampshire in the National Automotive Technology Competition in New York City on March 29 and 30, where they will compete for a share of more than $3 million in prizes and scholarships and the title of The Nation’s Best Automotive Technician.

Seniors Jacob Killam, of Hopkinton High School, and Travis Stacy, of John Stark Regional High School, scored the highest marks on a statewide test of high school CTC Automotive Technology programs administered by the New Hampshire Automobile Dealers Association (NHADA) in February.

Now they are off to New York City to compete with hundreds of the nation's best high school automotive education students from across the country. The competition will be held at the annual New York International Automobile Show, and is sponsored by the Greater New York Automobile Dealers Association.

“Jacob and Travis are great kids who have worked hard to develop their skills and techniques over the past two years in the Automobile Technology class here at the CRTC,” said Craig Emerson, who teaches in the program and will accompany the students to NYC for the event. “They are training hard for this event, and they should do pretty well.”

Each two-person student team must diagnose and repair a number of pre-assigned problems under a car's hood within an allotted amount of time. Each "bug" correctly repaired is worth a number of points, depending on the level of difficulty. In addition, the student's overall knowledge is tested through a series of written tests prepared by the National Institute for Automotive Service Excellence (ASE).

To prepare for the competition, students train with their high school instructors as well as with certified technicians at local franchised automobile dealerships.  Grappone Toyota of Concord is working with the CRTC team, making available a 2016 Toyota Camry for the students to practice on, and their shop foreman to mentor the students through the preparation phase.

The NHADA conducted the statewide selection test, and is sponsoring the CRTC team in the national competition.

Concord Regional Technical Center

The CRTC is one of New Hampshire’s most advanced high school career and technical education facilities. Opened in 1980, the CRTC serves more than 530 students from nine regional school districts. The eleven targeted Career Technical Education programs use state-of-the-art equipment and are guided by the latest industry standards that provide students with hands-on experience in a realistic environment designed to prepare them for both college and the workplace.

More Information:

For more information Kaleena Guzman at: kguzman@concordnhschools.net

Student-Run Help Desk at Concord Public Library

Student-Run Help Desk at Concord Public Library 

Having trouble figuring out those fancy features on your new cell phone or tablet? Laptop running slow, freezing up, or bombarding you with error messages? Problems with software, malware, or spyware? 

The Concord Regional Technical Center can help. Since the beginning of February, students from the CRTC Information Technology class have been manning a student-run help desk at the Concord Public Library two days a week. The Student Help Desk is open Tuesdays and Thursdays from 3-5 PM, and is free and available to the public.

Students work on laptops, desktop towers, tablets, cell phones, pretty much anything electronic. The service is provided while you wait, drop offs will not be accepted. 

“It’s a great program that both helps people out with their computer problems and gives us an opportunity to get some practical experience,” said Sean Cook, a CHS junior in his first year in the CRTC IT program. “I’m building up a skill that I will need in the future when I’m working as a technician.” 

The Information Technology program at the CRTC covers four distinct areas of information technology. The two-year program prepares high school students for careers as PC support specialists/computer technicians, network administrators, software engineers, and system analysts. The program spans four semesters that in turn focus on computer repair, networking, robotics, and object oriented C# programming. Successful students can earn up to nine college credits and professional certifications such as CompTIA A+ and Cisco CCENT. 

So why point and click your way to frustration, let the Student Help Desk at the Concord Public Library help you get the most out of your cell phone, computer, tablet, or laptop.

CRTC Culinary Team Off to Dallas, Texas for Nationals

CRTC Culinary Team Off to Dallas, Texas for Nationals

Winners of Statewide ProStart Competition

A team of five CRTC culinary students, four seniors and one junior, from Chef Bob McIntosh's and April Hall’s class won the statewide ProStart competition at UNH on March 5, 2016. The team goes on to the national ProStart competition in Dallas, Texas on April 23 representing the state of New Hampshire. The student team included:

Anthony Costello proudly wearing his medal. 

· Anthony Costello of Pembroke Academy

· Brandon Diaz of John Stark Regional

· Megan Fraser of Hillsboro-Deering

· Chase Haines of Concord High School

· Katherine Killam of Hopkinton

The competition is completely team based. Students were given a defined window of time to prepare a three course gourmet restaurant-grade meal. Students must prepare and plan all elements of the competition including costing and menus. The meal must be plated in the last three minutes. This informal album tells the story.

Students competed against nine other technical centers. Professional chefs from throughout the region were the judges. Critiques were hard and intense.

The winning students won scholarships to Culinary Institute of America, Johnson and Wales, and New England Culinary Institute.

ProStart® is a nationwide, two-year high school program that unites the classroom and industry to develop the best and brightest talent into tomorrow’s restaurant and food service leaders.