North Attleboro High School Alumni Association

April 2008

Association News

The 3 A's at NAHS

Personal Profiles

Alumni News and Announcements

North Attleboro High School
Alumni Association
April 2008 Newsletter

From the President:

I hope this fourth edition of our E-Newsletter finds you doing well and enjoying the longer days of spring. The NAHS Alumni Association continues to strive to deliver on its mission to enhance the educational experience of current NAHS students and build the community of NAHS Alumni. In that light, this issue brings you details of our recent donation of new computers to the High School's Media Center and our second annual NAHS Distinguished Alumni Awards recipients. You can also read new features about a current student, faculty member, association member and a very special alumni profile.

The 2008 Distinguished Alumni Awards Banquet will be held June 20th at Leona's in North Attleboro. Details about the banquet and a list of this year's award winners appears in the Association News section below. I think you'll agree it's another impressive group. Consider getting some of your classmates together and buying a table of 8 tickets. It will be a fun evening of socializing with people who shared your high school experience. I hope to see you there.

On a personal note, we are proud to announce the birth of Brayden Patrick Nassaney (Class of 2026) on March 21, 2008. Brayden is the third son of Alumni Association Vice President Stacey Nassaney and her husband Ryan. The newborn weighed in at 10 lbs., 4 oz. and stretched to 23" long. He joins brothers Owen (age 6) and Shawn (age 3) as proud members of the Nassaney family. Congratulations to all from the entire NAHS Alumni Association!

Finally, we recognize that you, the alumni of NAHS, are the key to the Alumni Association. Please be sure to keep us posted about what is going on in your life so we can share it with your fellow alumni. Also, if you valued the time you spent at the North Attleboro High School, please consider joining me in making a donation to help improve technology at the High School. The need is great; we can make a difference.

Warm wishes,
Keith Lapointe '93

Association News

2008 Alumni Association Award Recipients

Excellence in Education Award: Mr. Rus Benson, Mrs. Martha Frutchey, Mr. Peter Johnson, Mr. William Kelly and Mr. Paul Sullivan.

Honorary Alumni Award: Mrs. Janet Barber and Dr. Dan DeYoung.

Joseph W. Martin, Jr. Distinguished Alumni Award: Dr. Tom Grant '87 and Mr. Dennis Redding '58.

Young Alumni Award: Mr. Aaron Ryder '89.

Visit www.NAHSAlumni.org soon to view a short bio of each award recipient.

The 2nd Annual Alumni Association Awards Banquet will be held on Friday, June 20, 2008 at Leona's Restaurant in North Attleboro. Cocktail hour begins at 6:00 PM followed by dinner and an awards presentation at 7:00 PM. Tickets cost $40 and can be purchased online via our website (www.nahsalumni.org) or at the High School main office. Contact Jack Johnson, Association Secretary, at 508-643-2115, ext. 235, for further information.
NAHS AA Donates $5,000--The NAHS AA donated $5,000 toward the cost of replacing the HS Media Center computers. The Class of 2007 matched this donation, allowing for the purchase of 22 computers and flat screen monitors as well as Office 2007 and additional educational software. Click here to view photos of the presentation ceremony and learn more about the software.
Winter Social--The Alumni Association Winter Social was held at Leona's Restaurant in North Attleboro on Thursday, January 17th. Click here to view a list of attendees as well as photos provided by Max Sarazin '51.
Alumni Directory Update--The Harris Publishing Compan's update of the NAHS Alumni Directory is nearly complete. Although our Association did not fund their efforts, we do benefit from their research. Thanks to all who contributed updated information.
Class of 1934 Photo-- Bill Milnor and his wife, Lenore, have donated a photo of the NAHS Class of 1934 that we plan to display at the High School for all to see. Many thanks to the Milnors for this generous gift.

The 3 A's at NAHS

Academics:
NAHS seniors are in the midst of the annual college acceptance period. Several of our students have received acceptances from a variety of prestigious colleges and universities. Watch for a detailed list of these scholars and their college choices in our June/July E-Newsletter.

Arts:

The NAHS Fine Arts Festival will occur on Wednesday, May 22nd, at 7:00 PM in the Cobb Theater. This annual spring event features contributions from the Music, Theatre, and Art Departments
The NAHS Theater Company will present "The Wiz" on Friday, May 16th and Saturday, May 17th at 7:00 PM in the Cobb Theater. Tickets cost $12.00 for adults and $10.00 for senior citizens, high school & younger students.
The NAHS Music Department plans to offer a full slate of activities this spring. All performances begin at 7:00 PM in the Cobb Theater unless otherwise noted.
- April 10-14 Music Department trip to Orlando, FL to participate in "Festival Disney"
- May 2 NAHS "A Cappella Festival" featuring NAHS Music Dept. alumni performing with groups from UMASS Amherst, Keene State College and Westfield State College.
- May 9 North Attleboro All-Town Concert featuring grades 5-12 in the NAHS Gymnasium
The NAHS Fine Arts Department plans to host the second annual Junior / Senior Art Show from 6:00 – 10:00 PM on Friday, May 16th, at Grace Episcopal Church in downtown North Attleboro. The show includes a display of our most impressive Junior and Senior art work, live music by up-and-coming high school musicians, a sale of scrumptious baked goods and NAHS Art Club t-shirts, and possibly a live art auction. The event is free and open to the public.

In addition, two NAHS juniors were award winners in this year's prestigious Boston Globe Scholastic Art Awards Competition. Jacob Hoerr received a Gold Key for his collection of portfolio pieces, while Maria Caudle received an Honorable Mention for her photography piece. Both students were honored in Boston during a ceremony for all award winners.

Athletics:
The Winter Athletic season witnessed the return of varsity hockey to NAHS as well as several post-season accomplishments. Here are the records and noteworthy accomplishments of our varsity teams: Boys Hockey (4-16), Boys Basketball (4-16) and Girls Basketball (12-10). Boys Indoor Track (7-1) featured senior Nick Wade as Hockomock Lg. MVP. Girls Indoor Track finished 5-3, led by the State Champion 4X200m team of Katie Flannery, Lauren Goldberg, Julianne Cappadona and Kristen McLoughlin. Wrestling enjoyed an undefeated regular season, losing only in the State Championship match to finish at 19-1. Finally, the Competition Cheerleading squad earned a second place finish at the State Division II Championships and another 2nd place finish at the New England Division II Championships. Congratulations to all NAHS competitors and their coaches.

Personal Profiles

NAHS Student Profile -- Meet Greg Payne, NAHS Class of 2008
By Donald Johnson '79

National Honor Society member, aspiring journalist, accomplished athlete, DAR Good Citizen Award winner, Kodak Young Leaders Award winner, and lifelong Celtics fan … Greg Payne has made a name for himself at North Attleboro High School.

The consummate gentleman and true good citizen has distinguished himself over the last four years by taking full advantage of everything that NAHS has to offer. He is a standout in the classroom who will be taking his talents to Endicott College this fall to pursue his passion for writing as a Journalism major. He has been a standout long-distance runner and captain of both the Indoor and Spring Track teams. A two-time Hockomock League All Star, Greg stamped his name in the record books this past winter by setting a new school record in the 2-mile run. Greg's time of 9:57 broke the 33-year-old record of Jay Wood '75 (10:04), and most notably broke the previous record of 10:07 that was set by none other than his father, Jeffrey Payne '72!

Greg has also found time to get a jump-start on his career by writing frequently for the NA Free Press and by contributing to the student journalism page of The Sun Chronicle. He has long held an interest in sports writing, but it was through his Journalism course at NAHS that he honed his skill and begun to focus on journalism as a career choice. While at Endicott, Greg also plans to continue his running for their Cross Country team. Greg is the brother of Eric Payne, class of 2005.

NAHS Faculty Spotlight -- Meet Mr. Ted Duluk, Science Department Head
By Jack Johnson '80

Ted Duluk joined the NAHS faculty in 1986 and now serves as Science Department Head. He remains one of the most respected members of the entire NAHS community. Mr. Duluk agreed to share information with us about his personal background, his teaching career and his philosophy of teaching science at North High. Here's what the avid New York Football Giants fan had to say:

Tell us about your college experience. I attended Providence College, where I earned my BS in Biology, Pre-Med. I earned my MS in Biology from Rhode Island College.

Where have you taught besides NAHS? I worked for 11 years at Saint Rapheal Academy (Pawtucket, RI) as a Science teacher and Department Head. In addition, I have taught at the college level in a variety of roles, including Part-time Biology Instructor - Rhode Island College, Bryant University and Bristol Community College. During the summer, I have served as Environmental Science Instructor - Providence College.

What courses have you taught? I have taught several courses, including Biology, AP Biology, Physical Science, Human Anatomy and Physiology, Microbiology, Chemistry, Human Reproduction, and Algebra.

How would you characterize NAHS students? Wonderful children from caring families - very reminiscent of my own community.

What are your guiding principles of teaching? I treat all of my students as I would like my son's teachers to treat him. Carefully prepare a target for students, put it in plain view within their reach, hold it steady and students will learn to hit it with regularity.

What comments can you offer about science education at NAHS? Decades of evidence have shown that students graduating from NAHS and going on to study science in college have been very well prepared. I am extremely proud of this department, and I commend our science teachers for the fine work they do, day in and day out.

Tell us about your family. I am married (33 years) to a wonderful woman, Francesca, who was born in Vieste Foggia, Italy. We have one son, Christopher, who is an engineering student at the University of Rhode Island.

NAHS Alumni Association Member Profile -- Meet Sean Fisher '93, Webmaster
By Mitch MacDonald '79

Education After NAHS: BS in Computer Science from Middlebury College (Class of 1997)

Current Career: IT Manager

Role with NAHS AA: Maintain, enhance, and upgrade the Association's website and manage the group's e-mail communications with graduates.

Family (Spouse, kids): Wife – Katie; Daughter – Natalee (b. 7/28/2007)

Current Residence: North Attleboro

What does being an NAHS graduate mean to you?
It means I was lucky - I graduated from a school where the faculty and staff have an uncommon commitment and dedication to the students they see every day. It didn't take me too long after high school to figure out that it's not like that everywhere.

Why do you find it important to volunteer your time to the NAHS Alumni Association?
My children are going to go to NAHS and a lot of my friends’ children are going to go to NAHS. You hear stories about how the high school still uses a lot of the same equipment that was used when we were there and for a long time before that. I'd hate to see them in the same situation 10 years from now. If there's something that I can do to improve the educational experience that my children and friends' children will have at the high school – I think that's pretty important.

What do you find most satisfying and rewarding about your volunteer efforts?
Two things – 1) Making donations back to the high school – it's a tangible result of the hard work that a lot of people have put forth over the past couple of years. It also shows how generous the NAHS Alumni can be. 2) The Alumni Awards – having the chance to recognize some of the truly outstanding people that have gone through NAHS is something that was long overdue.

NAHS Alumni Profile -- Meet Suzanne Elizabeth (Pariseau) Turcotte '69
By Jack Johnson '80

"Every day I wake up, I know that day is a gift." So says Suzie Turcotte '69 on the 10th Anniversary of her heart transplant.

Her dramatic journey began in 1998 when a simple lunch with a friend at the Hard Rock Café in Boston was cut short because she began feeling ill. A quick trip to Boston City Hospital led to a traditional bypass operation that failed to improve her badly damaged heart. When a team from a nearby hospital identified her as a good candidate for a transplant, Suzie was unaware because doctors had proceeded with a drug-induced coma, and she was rushed to Brigham and Women's Hospital. She would not regain consciousness until a week after the transplant.

This development laid the burden of managing Suzie's medical care squarely at the feet of her two children, Shelley and Richard, with help from other close family members. Fearing that their mother would not survive, they consented to all recommended surgeries. "Someone was watching over me," says Suzie, because eight hours later her children learned that a donor heart had been found.

The combination of good fortune, medical expertise and strong faith produced a successful transplant. Good friend Karen Bergevine '69 recalls, "That is when I started praying like I never did before. Like I tell Suzie, God thought she had to be important if he was hearing from me!"

Suzie's recovery was a long and difficult battle, and she has not wasted a day of living since. "You come out trying to appreciate everything a little more," she says. The list of reasons to be appreciative includes the joy of seeing both children married, the opportunity to spend five days in Ireland with Karen and Vivian Demers, time spent gardening, and the special joy of babysitting her grandson, Jack, every Wednesday.

What advice does Suzie offer to all? Simple: "Appreciate what we have and don't always say maybe next year." And one more thing, "Sign that donor card on the back of the license. There's such a shortage." Good advice from someone who knows.

Happy anniversary, Suzie. We're proud of you.

Alumni News and Announcements

           Jo (Sias) Daniels '90, husband Bob, and big sister Elina Meredith (3 ½ yrs.) welcomed a new baby girl, Kelli Ruth Daniel, on November 7, 2007. In addition, Jo was promoted to associate professor with tenure in the Civil Engineering department at the University of New Hampshire in August of 2007.

           Ed Knight '90 has been enjoying life in Florida since 2003. Ed is recently engaged and has a 12-year-old future stepson with whom he enjoys visiting the Disney theme parks and Busch Gardens. Unfortunately, due to Cystic Fibrosis, Ed is disabled permanently. However, he did get to enjoy 10 years as an EMT and six as a call firefighter in Rehoboth, MA. He gave up his motorcycle but now owns a 20 ft. sport fishing boat.

           Will Morrow '91 reports that he was promoted last fall to city editor at the newspaper where he works in Peninsula Clarion in Kenai, AK. Will also notes that his sister Colleen (Morrow) Robertia '94 won the Two Rivers Chatanika Challenge sled dog race in March. The 200-mile race is staged north of Fairbanks. It's the first mid-distance race win for her kennel, which she and her husband, Joseph, named Rogues' Gallery Kennel, because they have a mix of rescued and cast-off dogs along with their racing dogs. Visit their website at www.rogueskennel.com.

           Jenifer (Chapman) Carline '92 notes that she and her husband Bill had a baby girl, Brooke Addison Carline, on November 17, 2007. Brooke joins older sister Jill Katri Carline (age 4) as proud members of the Carline family. Jenifer has been teaching 5th grade in Norton, MA for the past 12 years.

           Patrick Burke '98 is a 1st Year Resident at the University of Chicago Hospital. Patrick graduated from Mt. Sinai Medical School in New York City in May 2007. Patrick's mother, Maureen, was recently named Head of the Mathematics Department at NAHS. Maureen takes over for Mrs. Earlene Robert, mother of Kerry '95 and Kristen '98, who plans to retire in June.

           Kelly Burke '01 is a PhD. Candidate at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, OH. Kelly is a recent recipient of the ICI Award from the American Chemical Institute at their National Convention last August. She was recognized for producing the best graduate research paper.

Many thanks to all who contributed to this newsletter!

To share news about your accomplishments, births, marriages, promotions, or anything else you feel is newsworthy, send your notes to jjohnson@naschools.net and we will publish them in our next e-newsletter.

IMPORTANT Privacy Information: E-mail communication from the North Attleboro High School Alumni Association will ALWAYS include links to www.nahsalumni.org. There are many "for-profit" web-based firms that may attempt to create the impression they are affiliated with North Attleboro High School Alumni Association. We are not. They may send you e-mails with links to their sites. Visiting their sites and providing them contact information could compromise your privacy.

Finally, please remember to log on to www.NAHSAlumni.org to update your personal information!