Education

Whittier Tech Seeks Land Option at Northern Essex Community College

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The Whittier Regional Vocational Technical High School Committee will formally ask the state for an option on about 13.5 acres on the Northern Essex Community College campus in Haverhill as part of the process of potentially siting a new school building there. Angus G. Jennings, new Whittier Tech business manager, recommended Wednesday that Whittier Tech School Committee members take out an exclusive right to the land before any money is spent on hiring a project manager or architects. “You know we would hate to see the School Committee spend quite a bit of public money only to find this site is not going to happen,” Jennings explained. Jennings noted that while the trustees and administration at Northern Essex have been on board with a shared campus idea from the start, college trustees do not have the authority to commit the land. “As much as Northern Essex has been a great partner and very fully engaged and fully supportive, and on the front end of this idea, with all due respect, it’s not their land.

Community Spotlight

Trails and Sails Brings Free Tours, Trips and Activities Starting Sept. 12

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Area museums, historic sites and other attractions are taking part in Essex National Heritage Area’s Trails & Sails over the next two weeks. Trails & Sails kicks off its 16-day, 25th anniversary celebration Saturday, Sept. 12. Starting this opening weekend, Sept. 12-13, the public can find events highlighting four themes: Essex County Revolution 250, Outdoor Explorations, Life by the Water and Stories We Share.

Business Bulletin

Haverhill’s NETTTS Plans Events, Open House for Workforce Development Month

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Haverhill’s New England Tractor Trailer Training School plans to host and take part in a variety of career-building events, workshops and networking opportunities as part of Massachusetts Workforce Development Month. The company, which played a role in developing the state’s September proclamation, says “the month serves as a statewide call to action for citizens, prospective students and employers to engage in collaborative efforts that empower the next generation of workers.”

“Our goal is to bridge the gap between aspirations and opportunity,” says NETTTS Haverhill Campus Director Dean Graziano. “By focusing on critical industries—including transportation and HVACR, we are helping individuals identify clear career training pathways that can lead to personal growth and long-term community prosperity.”

The company will provide information about its commercial driver’s licenses and Heating, Ventilation, Air-Conditioning and Refrigeration training during Team Haverhill’s River Ruckus Saturday, between noon and 8:30 p.m. It will display one of its trucks and explain how its career training programs work. NETTS also plans a Career Fair, bringing together students and employers, Wednesday, Sept. 16, 5-7 p.m., at its Haverhill campus, 1429 Hilldale Ave., and a “Live Skills Demonstrations: See-a-Trade Open House,” Wednesday, Sept.

Education

Haverhill High Interns Spend Summer Working on Clean Energy Solutions

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As students returned to the classroom in recent days, one group could claim bragging rights about what they did this summer. Fourteen Haverhill High School students worked on paid Lemelson-MIT Program internships, identifying and ranking problems in the clean energy sector with the aim of finding solutions. As WHAV reported last spring, the program is backed by a $400,000 grant from the Massachusetts Clean Energy Center. Lemelson-MIT Program Invention Education Manager Edwin Marrero told WHAV what students were asked to do. “We said, ‘If you were to create a solution for this problem, how impactful do you think it would be?’ So, they sorted the problems first by impact and do they require urgent or not urgent solution?”

Among problems they found are supply and demand on the electrical grid and lack of trust around recycling information.

Haverhill

Merrimack Valley Project Details $1M Investment in Health Programs

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The Merrimack Valley Project is detailing how it plans to spend $1 million over five years to build an intergenerational organizing movement for health equity. As WHAV reported Monday, the nonprofit will share in $17.9 million in Massachusetts Community Health and Healthy Aging Funds distributed statewide. Merrimack Valley Project Executive Director Julio Mejia outlined his background and how it helps shape the organization’s goals. “I was raised in Lawrence in a working-class immigrant family and I have seen firsthand how housing costs, access to healthcare and immigration policies affect our neighbors. For decades, the Merrimack Valley Project has worked alongside residents, especially people with lived experience, to organize for safer housing, better community health outcomes and protections for immigrant families,” he said.

Community Spotlight

Boys & Girls Club of Greater Haverhill Plan Second Alumni Weekend

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The Boys & Girls Club of Greater Haverhill hosts its second annual Alumni Weekend later this month, inviting former “Club kids” of all ages to reconnect with old friends and reminisce about their time at the Club. To help former members engage and remember, the club says, a trio of activities are planned Saturday, Sept. 26, at the familiar clubhouse, 55 Emerson St., Haverhill. It begins with a networking breakfast at 9 a.m., followed by a 100s and 21 Basketball Tournament at 11 and alumni basketball game at 1 p.m.

The Boys & Girls Club says alumni are welcome to attend one, some or all of the activities and may sign up to either play or be a spectator in the basketball events. It’s all free to attend, but pre-registration is required by signing up online at haverhillbgc.org/alumni or by calling 978-374-6171.

Community Spotlight

Trails & Sails: Open House This Weekend in Rocks Village

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As part of Essex National Heritage Area’s Trails & Sails, nonprofit Rocks Village Memorial Association is hosting an open house this Saturday and Sunday at the Hand Tub House and Toll House Museum in Rocks Village. Organizers say visitors may enjoy a picnic lunch overlooking the Merrimack River and then visit the Hand Tub House and museum for informal tours. The museum is open Saturday and Sunday, Sept. 12 and 13, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., at 1 River Road in the Rocks Village Historic District in Haverhill. There’s more information at rocksvillage.org.

Haverhill

Public Meetings This Week: Board Reviews Downtown Haverhill Day Care Center Plans

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The public has opportunities to shape policy this week as various Haverhill boards meet. In the interest of transparency in government, WHAV provides this list of upcoming meetings every week on air and online. Plans for a downtown day care center for 56 children and a dozen one- and two-bedroom apartments is among two projects under review by the Haverhill Planning Board when it meets Wednesday night. As WHAV reported last March, Davinci Mini Apartments seeks to convert a former, four-story dental office building at 119-125 Merrimack St. into a day care center with 18-20 full-time staff on the first floor and add a dozen one- and two-bedroom apartments on the three upper floors.