To the editor:
I am the proud parent of two Minuteman Vocational High School graduates. Both of my children were and are extremely well prepared for the workforce and for admission to any competitive college.
I am a long-term Lincoln resident (I grew up there and attended Lincoln schools from the Lincoln Nursery School through Lincoln-Sudbury Regional High School), raised my children in Lincoln, and just relocated to Arlington.
Minuteman is an extremely valuable and often overlooked and underutilized treasure. This school is an asset in many ways to the surrounding towns and fills an essential need in our educational system.
The students at Minuteman spend one week in their shop learning the trade and following strict work ethics and trade rules. The other week is spent in academics with a strong preparation for competitive college admissions and practical life skills. If you visit the school you will notice that the students at Minuteman have clear common purpose and exude confidence. There is structure to the day, no tolerance for bullying, no cliques like at the public school.
We will always need skilled welders, electricians, plumbers, carpenters, automobile mechanics, well prepared childcare providers, hairdressers, medical assistants, robotics and biotechnology experts, and so many more kinds of skilled workers that the technical-vocational high schools train. We need the alternative educational venue that Minuteman provides for those many many individuals who are hands-on learners. Many highly intelligent and talented students are not “typical learners” and do not thrive in the rigid, sedentary academic environments that the current traditional and regional high schools require.
At Minuteman, many a parent is grateful for their child’s happiness, productivity and bright future that Minuteman provides. My family well knows the positive difference this kind of education provides, as both of my children transferred to Minuteman as sophomores; my son spent his freshman year at a traditional private school and my daughter went to L-S her freshman year.
My son graduated in 2012 in electrical wiring. He has been working full time since graduation as an apprentice for a small electrical wiring company in Arlington. During the three years at Minuteman, my son played three seasons on the high-quality varsity sports teams. He was captain of the lacrosse, football and wrestling teams. He was able to develop his leadership skills and was a highly respected member and leader of the student body in addition to his achievements and leadership in the Lincoln Boy Scouts.
My daughter graduated in 2013 with not one but two welding certifications. She has been working since graduation as a welder through the Carpenters and Pipe Fitters Unions. At age 20 she makes $35 per hour, has full benefits and confidence. She can attend Wentworth Institute of Technology to become a mechanical engineer or building construction manager at half tuition. She was recently working on the MBTA Green Line extension in Cambridge and has worked on other high-profile job sites. During her three years at Minuteman, she played on the basketball and lacrosse teams and was a manager for the football team in addition to her outside involvement in dance troupes.
My daughter believes some of her friends who were not allowed to attend Minuteman “would be confident young ladies now if they had gone to Minuteman.” I know several parents of recent high school graduates whom have openly expressed regret that they did not allow their kids to attend Minuteman.
I urge Lincoln and all towns to fully support the new Minuteman High School building project. The current building is outdated and is desperately in need of a complete renovation. Among many items, Minuteman needs a large multipurpose assembly hall large enough to hold school graduations. This would also benefit the communities and promote school pride. For my children’s graduations we had to drive all the way up to a venue in Lowell, as the current Minuteman building has no assembly hall!
We should all be proud of this resource and continue our investment in this critical educational system.
Sincerely,
Deborah Page
10 West St., Arlington
Letters to the editor must be signed with the writer’s name and street address and sent via email to lincolnsquirrelnews@gmail.com. Letters must be about a Lincoln-specific topic, will be edited for punctuation, spelling, style, etc., and will be published at the discretion of the editor. Letters containing personal attacks, errors of fact or other inappropriate material will not be published.
