VAST Graduates Earn Diplomas, College Credits in Same Year

VAST Graduates Earn Diplomas, College Credits in Same Year

The Vermont Academy of Science and Technology in Randolph Center recently honored 36 graduating high school seniors from throughout Vermont with both diplomas and a year’s worth of college credits. The academy, also known as VAST, is a program at Vermont Technical College that allows high school seniors to complete their final year of high school and first year of college—in most cases tuition free—in the same year.

“This group of students is very special and I truly enjoy working with them,” said VAST Program Director Diana Mellar, “and I’m very pleased with the results obtained by this year’s class. Twenty-one out of 36 students are graduating with honors, and 11 are graduating with high honors. Many will be heading out to colleges throughout the United States including Berea, Clarkson, Evergreen State, Lynchburg, Rivier, Oberlin, RPI, WPI, Wentworth and the University of New Hampshire.”

She noted that 16 members of this year’s graduating class will return to Vermont Tech for their sophomore year, while others will attend classes at UVM, Norwich, Green Mountain College and Lyndon State.

Amy Malinowski is this year’s valedictorian and Celeste Beyer is the salutatorian.

Area residents who are members of the Class of 2009 include Eric Allemann of Rochester, Taylor Fuller of Granville, Grace Amber, Jodi Emerson, Rebecca Frye, Robyn Kennedy, and Galen Milchman, all of Chelsea; Elizabeth Brady, Thomas Paquet, and Taylor Scully, all of Randolph; Katie Satre and Caleb Young, both of Randolph Center; Johanna Mahaffy of East Randolph, Amber Patch of Bethel; and Kiley Palin of Williamstown.