ANSYS, Inc. has participated every year since 1999. Host Chris Wolf says, “I like having kids here to learn about engineering, and I take every chance I have to get them excited about a future in technology… It’s fun to host young people and to educate them about all the things engineers can do.”

What do you want to be when you grow up?“ How would you have answered that question when you were 6 years old? Or 13 years old? Or 26? Are you still looking for the answer? Most elementary students will reply with roles they have seen in their community: teacher, doctor, truck driver. Or, they will think of professions they have seen glamorized on television: athlete, detective, performer. The US Department of Labor classifies workers into 840 detailed occupations! (www.bls.gov/soc/) Our youth need exposure to possibilities in order to understand the importance of school subjects and how they relate to the world of work. By the time students are finishing middle school and selecting courses for high school and beyond, this exposure is critical to making informed decisions about the huge array of career opportunities that await. A recent report from the Bureau of Labor Statistics revealed that on average Americans change jobs over 11 times between ages 18 to 48. (www.bls.gov/news.release/pdf/nlsoy.pdf)

Career planning is a life-long endeavor and the first step is to research options. That’s where the Upper Valley Business and Education Partnership (UVBEP) has been playing a role for Lebanon students for over 15 years.

wo aspiring chefs had an opportunity to shadow Chef Eli at The Co-op Food Stores Culinary Learning Center. They helped prep the teaching kitchen for a demonstration, attended the demonstration, learned about various culinary programs, helped clean-up after class, and toured the store.

Each Spring, 8th graders go out into the community for Job Shadow Day (JSD). Workplace hosts plan hands-on activities, facility tours and demonstrations to show students what it takes to be successful in their career field. UVBEP provides supporting information, such as job shadowing guidelines, suggested activities, agendas, ice breakers and conversation starters as well as follow up reflection and evaluation forms.
Over the years, sixteen classes of Lebanon 8th graders totaling more than 2,450 students have shadowed at 240+ Upper Valley businesses. The process begins with students completing a Job Shadow survey, which helps them think about what kinds of activities they enjoy and are good at. In addition to asking students what careers they might be considering, the survey encourages students to reflect on:

• WHAT do you like to work with (e.g., tools, textiles, electronics, machines, information)
• WHO do you like to work with (e.g., children, adults, people in need, people who challenge you)
• HOW do you like to work (e.g., alone, in groups, leading people, following directions, sitting, moving)
• WHERE do you like to work (e.g., indoors, outdoors, in a quiet space, surrounded by activity).

Students also have the opportunity to share what skills and strengths they have to offer that will help them succeed in the workplace. Our young people are confident and understand themselves well as these sample responses show:

• I’m a decent manga/anime artist, designing clothing and characters, writing short stories. Hard worker when determined and concentrated, creative doodling, creative thinker.
• I’m very good in math and science, good commitment, understand tech
• I’m a hard worker, good with children, good at following directions, I can think outside the box

At Systems Plus Computers, students learned to identify components in a dismantled laptop, and learned about the requirements for various certifications in technician repair.

UVBEP staff spend the early winter months recruiting employers who can introduce students to a career that uses some of the interest areas they indicated. Communicating with school staff, matching students with available hosts, and working within transportation parameters, UVBEP taps into the generous Upper Valley community.

Finally in March, students receive placement information, and this year over 420 students from 11 middle schools ventured out on April 2, 2015. Shadowing students spend the better part of the day in the workplace, arriving around 8:30 am and staying through the early afternoon. Prior to JSD they receive information about the day, expected attire, and an “interview your workplace host” worksheet to complete and bring back to school. Employers are creative about the ways they welcome the visitors: a sandwich board at the entrance to Lake Sunapee Bank reads “Welcome Job Shadow Students;” Upper Valley Veterinary Services posted a welcome message on their Facebook page; and at Great Eastern Radio, students introduce themselves on air. Students tour workplaces, sit in on meetings, and experiment with tools of the trade—as safety allows. Upon return to school, they participate in a reflection activity, complete an evaluation and write thank-you notes to their hosts. Here’s what some students had to say:

What surprised me most was…
• how much (goes) into bookkeeping and finance
• how much work it takes to manage
• the artificial joints and big words
Most interesting to me was…
• getting to make bone cement
• the costume room
• learning to use math skills
• crime scene analysis

Here’s a Job Shadow Day story with a throwback twist: This year, two 8th grade students from Hartland Elementary School spent the day exploring careers in motorcycle service at Mason Racing in Lebanon. Their hosts, Alex and Dan, are Lebanon Junior High School alumni who also participated in UVBEP’s Job Shadow Day over a decade ago!

Hundreds of local workplaces are proud to be a part of this community-building program, and this is played out in the number of hosts who give up their time willingly year after year. Ken Davis at the Co-op Food Stores has hosted for 8 consecutive years, allowing students to experiment with website design (coopnews.coop/invasion-of-the-eighth-graders/). Ken says, “Want to regain your faith in humanity? Your hope for the future? Spend your day with a bright, creative young person on Job Shadow Day. I never let them shadow me. I shadow them. I turn them loose then watch in wonder. Thanks to our amazing pals at UVBEP for pulling it off.”

UVBEP is a nonprofit organization serving 20 schools in the greater Upper Valley region of New Hampshire and Vermont. The Partnership facilitates programs that link schools with local employers, including experiential learning and career planning projects for students and professional development activities for educators. To learn more visit www.uvbep.org or www.facebook.com/uvbep.

The Lebanon Police Department had to say farewell to a pair of dedicated servants who have opted for retirement after a combined 54 years serving and protecting the residents in the City of Lebanon.

Lebanon Police Chief Gary J. Smith officially retired May 1st of this year following 28 years on the force, while Lieutenant Scott M. Rathburn completed his last day on April 17th leaving behind 26 years of service. Both look back proudly at their accomplishments while looking forward to whatever lies ahead.

Chief Smith originally hails from Boston, MA and moved to the Upper Valley back in 1985 when he accepted an open position as a Lebanon Patrolman, but the move had a tentative start.

“I had been working in the Post Office in Boston and oddly enough, a friend of mine was moving to this area to take a job in the Post Office system. I had always been interested in doing police work and he told me about an opening in Lebanon so I applied. However, my wife is a city girl who was not happy with the move so we moved right back. She then realized how much I wanted to do that work and we returned in 1986. That turned out to be the best thing in my life. Living here with the Upper Valley lifestyle was the best thing for my family.” Chief Smith explained.

He leaves with a sense of pride and accomplishment and credits his predecessor, Chief James Alexander, with making his transition to the “top cop” position a smooth one where difficult changes had to be made.

“Jimmy Alexander was my mentor,” Chief Smith noted. “With his help, we were able to turn things around in several areas, especially with turnover problems. The changes in community relations was a huge factor. I feel we really turned things around in those areas.”

Lieutenant Rathburn started his service April 16, 1989 and worked his way through the system. He started as a Patrol Officer, was promoted to Sergeant and Patrol Supervisor before acquiring his Lieutenant’s position. He also served the Detective Division and the Prosecution Division and oversaw The Rape Aggression Defense Program (RAD).

After 26 years wearing the Lebanon logo on his uniform, Lieutenant Rathburn looks back fondly on his service with both pride and emotion in his voice.

“Chief Smith and I are the last ones from the ’80s era. When we started, the Police Department was in the basement of City Hall. There were some good times and I got to work with a lot of wonderful people. That included five different Chiefs and a lot of Town Managers. I am proud to have been a member of this department.”

Both men will remain in the Upper Valley and, while Chief Smith will opt to take some time to relax, Lieutenant Rathburn will be searching for a new career.

“I have taken a lot of courses over the years and would like to acquire a position in the Information Technology (IT) field.”

Both dedicated individuals will be sorely missed, not only by their fellow officers, but also by the Lebanon community as well.

Jason Ouelette from Mason Racing at the Nature Walk trailhead with some of the mountain bikers participating in the Thursday night group ride in the Boston Lot

Few things are as rewarding as a good mountain bike ride. The only thing that could possibly make the experience even better is sharing it with someone else. It’s in that spirit of the shared adventure that local mountain bikers come together a couple of times a week from May through early November as conditions allow.

The rides are low key affairs, organized by local bike shops to spread the joy of riding and give recreational riders a good reason to get in the saddle for a couple of hours. Neither races nor fundraisers, there’s no sign up or fee required and everyone is invited and encouraged to join in.

Every Tuesday at 5PM, a dozen riders carpool from Omer & Bob’s shop in downtown Lebanon to trails in Lebanon, Cornish, Claremont, Newport, or beyond. One of the shop’s team of accomplished riders always leads the ride, and Jonathan Wilmot, who organizes the rides, says they’re intended to encourage people to get out on their bikes and to help riders discover and explore the trails of the Upper Valley with a knowledgeable guide.

Many of the participants are regulars, says Jonathan, others may be visitors from out of town or curious newcomers looking for something new to try. The two-hour ride is at a fairly mellow pace, and nobody will be dropped from the group – but trails are trails, notes Jonathan, and some level of fitness and comfort with riding will be required.

Tuesdays and Thursdays at 6pm, Mason Racing (located on Mechanic Street just west of the Green), hosts group rides in the Boston Lot, starting from the Nature Walk trailhead off Pine Tree Cemetery Road. The 1500+ acres between Rt. 120, Rt. 10 and the interstate comprises land owned by the town of Lebanon and Dartmouth College. After turbulent years with the trails in limbo, the Upper Valley Mountain Bike Association (UVMBA) is now the designated steward of miles of “official” multi-use trails in the B-Lot, as it’s also known.

One beautiful spring evening the trailhead is a buzz of activity with riders busy pulling bikes off racks and donning helmets. Some have come with regular mountain bikes, others with the newer breed of “fat bikes” with massive 4” wide tires. The riders themselves come in all shapes, sizes and abilities, and as one early arrival waits for the rest of the group to get organized, he explains that these group rides are great opportunities to meet other riders of different abilities and to challenge oneself in good company.

John, from Enfield, has stopped by on his way home from work, as he has done consistently since he first discovered the group through a friend a couple of years ago. “The first time, I showed up on an old clunker, and there were all these guys on their fancy bikes. I made it three miles before I had to bail. I went out and got myself a new bike, and I’ve been riding with the group ever since.”

Jason Ouelette from Mason Racing, who organizes the rides and is an avid participant, says that a typical summer ride may have a turnout of 25 riders or more. They’ll usually split into a handful of self-selected groups of riders of similar abilities or ambition, who will then stick together for the evening on the trails. Some may do a leisurely 5-6 miles on the easier stuff, others 15 miles or more on all of the varied terrain that Boston Lot has to offer.

Most groups will ride for a couple of hours, finishing around dark. While some riders have made it a tradition to head to Salt hill Pub to celebrate their accomplishments and the afterglow of a good ride, others are content with the ride itself.

You can certainly ride trails on your own, and many appreciate the solitude. But there’s much to be said for the support and encouragement from a friendly group of peers, and they may show you trails you didn’t know existed, or motivate you to ride more often than you otherwise would.

Students at work building the robot, “Ada,” in the shop at the Hartford Area Career and Technology Center in White River Junction

Assemble a group of high school students in a room with pieces of aluminum, wheels, motors, nuts and bolts, give them strict guidelines and a goal, time constraints, rules and regulations, and stand back! With the help of adult mentors and teachers, after about six weeks, what appears out of a pile of inanimate objects, arises a seemingly “animate” entity – a robot that obeys commands, moves around the room, and completes tasks. But, why? Glad you asked!

There exists a worldwide high-school-age robotics competition called “FIRST Robotics Competition” (FRC). FRC teams compete on local, regional and international levels to see who has the fastest, most robust robot with the most cunning strategies that enable it to accomplish the goals for which it was designed.

Nashua High School’s Gymnasium filled with enthusiastic people for the FRC event.

On the first Saturday in January each year, FIRST releases the rules of the all-new game via a video sent around the world to the nearly 3,000 teams involved in this program. The video reveals how the new playing field is to be set up, what tasks a robot will be performing in order to win the most points, and any other rules. Everyone watches it at the same time (all local times), then, starting all at the same time, and for six weeks and two days following, they build their robots. The students define a problem, choose a design, brainstorm prototypes, and then develop, review, and improve upon their design.

During this six-week process, students learn to safely handle tools, design parts, form sub-teams, solve problems, communicate efficiently and effectively, work with people who might have different views and methods, and figure out how to best build a robot that will work under pressure.

My husband, Jim, and I had seen on WMUR that there was to be a FIRST Robotics Competition at Nashua High School on February 28. We had an inkling of what FIRST was, but seeing that a team of students from Lebanon, Hartford and Hanover High Schools was going to compete, had us in the car heading south to learn first-hand what it was all about.

Grayson Daly working on “Ada, Duchess of Lovelace.” Grayson is wearing a Tiara, typical of what a Duchess would wear.

Our local team, The Grasshoppers (#95), first competed in 1997, and is now sponsored by CRREL, HACTC IMW, BAE Systems, The Byrne Foundation, and Lebanon High School, among many others. Their robot is named “Ada Lovelace” (Google the name to discover the connection), and was designed specifically to play in the 2015 FIRST Robotics Competition (FRC) game, “Recycle Rush.”

We found it to be a lot like a high school athletic event where teams compete in games of skill – except in robotics where the game changes every year. This was a competition of the “minds”, but we soon found that hearts and technical skills were also involved.

In Nashua, a huge room just off of the gym, nicknamed “The Pits,” was divided into spaces in which each competing team could work on its robot if needed. This area was abuzz with hyperactivity before the competition, as each team made sure its robot was functioning well.

The large gym was filled to overflowing with high-spirited teams, their support people, and spectators, all sitting together in blocks on the bleachers, cheering loudly and supportively for all of the competing teams. The floor of the gym was set up as a large space surrounded by clear polycarbonate walls containing the area in which the competition was held, and behind which the students were actively controlling their robots.

The three teams making up the winning alliance from Nashua. Teams 1519 and 1307 were The Grasshoppers partners. The Drive Team for Team 95 consisted of the four in the middle and are Grayson Daly, Max Porter, Sawyer Blais, and James Cole-Henry, the coach.

There were team costumes and colors, team shirts and logos, team banners and flags, and music, to which everyone sang loudly and with feeling! But what was truly eye-opening was the spirit! When various teams marched into the gym and made their way around the floor to their assigned areas – six teams at a time – everyone cheered loudly for each other.

They cheered for a team when something good happened and groaned aloud when something went wrong. There was absolute lack of aggression or poor attitudes, and an abundance of kindness and politeness. We met some of them first-hand, and were over-the-top impressed with their sincere desire to work together in support and friendship.

One of kids wore a tee-shirt proclaiming “We, not me!”

Each robot is skillfully manipulated by two team members using joysticks connected to a laptop that communicates with the robot through WiFi – during the times when the robot is not driving “on its own!” The robot is on wheels, has arms, a compartment that stores gathered items, and can wheel and spin and dodge and go slow or fast. The goal was to pick up and stack four plastic totes, put a green plastic trash can on top of those, and feed a “noodle” into the hole on top of the trash can, all done by the robots. Repeat this process as many times as you can within a time limit.

Coach Cole-Henry explains what is about to happen when Ada is unveiled and work is to begin to get her ready for the next competition.

After watching for just a while, these “bots” seemed to take on their own personalities: stubborn, contemplative, ferocious, fearless, precise, etc. We found ourselves soon becoming very involved in the process and were screaming along with everyone else with joy and excitement at these amazingly skilled kids and precisely built and guided robots.

Team 95 competed, kept winning each round, and came in first at this competition. At the end of their regular season they ranked 14th out of 175 teams in all of New England as winners of one event, semi-finalists in another, and winners of an Engineering Excellence award, sponsored by Delphi.

FIRST and FRC came about because of the foresight, generosity and belief of one unique man – Dean Kamen – an inventor, entrepreneur, and New Hampshire man. FIRST means: For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology. Its mission is “to inspire young people to be science and technology leaders by engaging them in exciting mentor-based programs that build science, engineering and technology skills, that inspire innovation and that foster well-rounded life capabilities including self-confidence, communication, and leadership (from the FIRST website).

“FIRST is more than robots. The robots are a vehicle for students to learn important life skills,” said Dean Kamen, president of DEKA Research & Development and FIRST Founder in 1989. “Kids often come in not knowing what to expect – of the program or of themselves. They leave, even after the first season, with a vision, with confidence, and with a sense that they can create their own future.”

So, what kinds of kids are attracted to the “FIRST” programs? They are a variety of ages (starting at age 6 through 18), both boys and girls, who have an interest in science and technology and who benefit from working with other students in their own schools and other schools in their area. They soon find their own talents and make friends with those having similar interest. They also find that they fit in well and have success where they are allowed to be themselves and have the support of their peers as well as mentors and teachers.

Now, take a big step back to 2004, when Rotary District 7850 held its Annual Conference at Lake Morey Resort, and I was there. One of the most interesting events of the weekend was the demonstration of a robot by members of The Grasshoppers. This robot could pick up a large beach ball and toss it with accuracy into the box on the floor. In the “small world department,” during the writing of this article, I learned that one of the two students demonstrating the robot at that Lake Morey event was James Cole-Henry, now the head coach of The Grasshoppers! He graduated from Hartford High in 2005. Another student was Andrew Alvarenga of Hanover High School. James and Andy are presently coaches of The Grasshoppers. James and his wife Ashley are mentors who work many hours with the team.

To learn more about this exciting, unique and important program, please visit www.usfirst.org. To see what the local team, The Grashoppers, is doing, visit www.frcteam95.org. I assure you, it will be the beginning of an amazing experience. They are always looking for more students and mentors, technical and non-technical, to join them. If you are at all interested, please inquire!

To transform our culture by creating a world where science and technology are celebrated and where young people dream of becoming science and technology leaders.

Braxton Freeman has been keeping a trained eye on the Lebanon Airport from his lofty perch in the FAA Contact Control Tower since his arrival in 2006. As the Air Traffic Manager employed by Midwest Air Traffic Control Service, he has not only diligently handled the pressure-packed profession of assuring air traffic safety, Braxton has witnessed first hand the up and down financial battle to maintain the facility.

With the recent loss of some valuable federal funding for the Lebanon Municipal Airport, some area residents are questioning just how essential is the service provided by the airport that covers 563 acres. Does a city with a population of just over 13,000 need to have and maintain an airport?

Braxton is an expert on that subject and air traffic safety is his passion. He is 58 years old and was born in Berkeley, California and currently resides in Quechee, VT. He received the majority of his training in air traffic control in the United States Air Force before completing the rigid certification process required by the FAA. Does Lebanon need this scenic airport?

“Absolutely!” Braxton stated with emphasis. “There is a tendency for people not to look at the entire picture when it comes to the Lebanon Airport. There is a lot that is overlooked and not visible. True, it has just lost some federal funding based on FAA standards. True, there is just one airline, Cape Air, that offers connecting flights to other major airports. However, the private air traffic at this location is essential in attracting and maintaining private business. One key factor for prospective businesses locating here is the close proximity of an airport. Lebanon offers that.”

Currently the Lebanon Airport handles close to 38,000 aircraft operations per year for an average of 106 per day. That includes the commercial airplanes from Cape Air, private corporate jets, military aircraft, air taxis, the Dartmouth Hitchcock Memorial Hospital helicopter rescue unit (DART) along with a private helicopter training center.

Braxton Freeman, Air Traffic Manager

Also located on the grounds, one may find the Granite Air Center, a locally owned fixed base operator providing refueling, hangar storage along with parking for aircraft and a complete maintenance center that is state-of-the-art. The Granite Air Center also houses one of the plushest and most relaxing reception centers in the Upper Valley.

“The corporate aircraft traffic here is critical. Both Dartmouth College and the Dartmouth Hitchcock Hospital utilize this airport along with many of the corporations in the Upper Valley. The celebrity list that has gone through here ranges from President Obama to Paul McCartney of the Beatles. Graduation time at Dartmouth College is a busy time for us.” Braxton explained.

The business of assuring air safety bears a heavy responsibility and Braxton and his staff of air controllers are up to the task. They constantly keep an eye on the sky.

“Weather is the key issue for safety,” Braxton said. “Our training and updating revolves around the latest techniques in forecasting weather conditions. Here in Lebanon, weather can change in an instant. The wind direction at this high location can change in a heartbeat. From the first time a pilot calls in his approach to the runway, the wind can shift drastically. Winter offers the worst conditions.”