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The Winchendon School

The best college prep school for students with significant unrealized potential

Alumni

From The Winchendon School to Becoming Miss Vermont

Adding to the list of notable alumni of The Winchendon School, Yamuna Turco graduated only a few short years ago and has since become crowned Miss Vermont of 2023. Her remarkable journey to where she is today was shaped by her experiences here at The Winchendon School, and her determination to follow her passions. Being crowned the title of Miss Vermont is no easy feat, and her road to success was a difficult one. The pageant process requires many interviews, showcases of talent, exceptional eligibility requirements, and not to mention lots of competition. Turco’s hard work and outstanding dedication have paid off, and she more than deserves the title of Miss Vermont. 

Her time at The Winchendon School shaped and inspired her to become who she is today, helping to further her education while giving her an immersive experience and uplifting and supportive community. While at Winchendon, Turco said she discovered new ways of thinking, learning to question the “why” in everything. This experience she gained helped form who she was as a person, and opened her up to even more new opportunities. Regarding how she felt Winchendon impacted her as an individual, Turco stated “Being an outgoing individual, Winchendon allowed me to develop that further and encouraged the connections that I formed. I was more able to put myself out there, and I am willing to try new things for the sake of experience and growth.” The environment Turco was offered at Winchendon helped form fundamental pillars of who she was as an individual, and she additionally gained valuable traits that stuck with her. Having this new attitude towards experiences helped her ultimately decide to run for Miss Vermont.

When learning that the Miss America organization emphasized community service and scholarship, she decided to pursue her dream. The Winchendon School helped her prepare for this vital part of her role, and she recognized this as she said “Knowing how to foster community connections is the most important thing I do as Miss Vermont, and that was taught to me at Winch. Another important skill that was further developed at Winch was respect in disagreement. In my role as Miss Vermont, I meet and encounter people who may be vastly different from me, who have differing lives and differing opinions. I make a point to enter every conversation with respect, and the knowledge that I can learn something.” These skills that she was encouraged to develop at Winchendon truly helped her to become successful, especially in terms of being crowned Miss Vermont or even possibly competing for Miss America.

The process of being crowned Miss Vermont (or any state) involves eligibility checks, local competitions leading to the state level, application and registration, interviews, talent showcases, and much more. Being crowned Miss Vermont is much more than a title, as it also represents her impact on her community and the effort put into helping those around her. Service projects, which are required for the eligibility of becoming Miss Vermont, are one of the most important aspects of retaining the title. Turco, when talking about her project, stated: “My service initiative is One Book, One Child, which focuses on increasing access to diverse books and stories and fostering a love of reading that lasts a lifetime. I go to events and talk about reading, literacy, and how we can encourage students to find the books they love. I have open conversations with people about how we can engage students in literacy and learning, and how we can increase access to reading materials. I then make a donation to the school, library, or community center.” This impact she has on her community is truly remarkable, and it shows through her passion for helping others.

In her exceptional journey from The Winchendon School to Miss Vermont, Yamuna Turco’s achievements show the true impact of The Winchendon School on aspiring students. Turco was able to excel and reach all of her goals with the skills she further developed during her time at Winchendon. Her title of Miss Vermont is a reflection of not only her talents but also her commitment to her community and scholarship, which were values instilled in her high school years.

Written by Eliza Hackler ’25

Winch Alumni Hockey Game

On February 3, The Winchendon School held a very fun and exciting alumni hockey game. For those who could attend, it seemed to be nothing shy of a fun time. Laughs were had, conversations went on, and pain after the game was felt. Around fifteen alumni, and a few extras had a wonderful time skating and laughing during this exciting get-together hockey game. 

The actual game was a twenty-five-minute first half with a twenty-minute second half. To say the least, everyone was tired and sore at the halfway point. Some notable alumni we saw at the game included Boys Varsity head coaches, Mike Busconi and Mike Thiesing. Coach Busconi stated, “It was a very fun time, getting to see some of my old teammates and classmates. The turnout was great and looking forward to building it next year!” 

Photos by Allegra Leavenworth (@Winchtagram)

There was an impressive amount of fans who showed up to the alumni game. Many included friends and family of those who were out on the ice, and also some Winchendon students came out to show their support as well. 

After a fun and exciting, but also tiring game of hockey, there was a get-together at the Homewood. A large showing of alumni and current staff attended. Coach Busconi was asked, “Do you think the get-together afterward at the Homewood was a good reconnecting point?”. He stated, “Yes for sure, getting to spend time with old buddies I have not seen in a few years was awesome. We got to catch up on life and all of the good stuff!” 

Winchendon hopes to keep such an amazing event like this going for years to come. Winchendon athletics will plan the event out even more in advance for future alumni games, in hopes of getting an even bigger showing with more alumni and providing those alumni with a chance to reconnect with old friends. The Winchendon Boys Varsity ice hockey team followed the alumni game with a game of their own against Albany Academy at The Ritchie at 2 pm that same evening. They, unfortunately, lost the game 6-3, it was a hard-fought battle, just with Albany coming out on top this time. 

Photos by Allegra Leavenworth (@Winchtagram)

Written by Abby Stone ’24

Bianca Ortiz ’20 Diggin’ It At Wesleyan University!

Wesleyan U. announced earlier this week that Bianca Ortiz ’20 has been named NESCAC Player of the week for her outstanding play in recent Cardinal victories. Ortiz was both an academic and athletic star at Winchendon before graduating in 2020.

The press release from Wesleyan noted “Ortiz leads all NESCAC players in digs with 100 and a 6.67 digs per set average after helping Wesleyan start the 2023 season with a 4-0 record. After matching a career-high with 22 digs in a season-opening road sweep of Hartford, Ortiz tallied 15 digs in a 3-0 home win over Baruch. Over the weekend, Ortiz reset her career-high with 36 digs in a five-set victory over Emerson, handing the Lions their first loss of the season in the process. The libero added a 27-dig effort in Wesleyan’s 3-1 triumph over Johnson & Wales. Ortiz finished the week with a .948 serve/receive percentage while she ranks fourth in the nation in the digs per set average. “

Bianca’s team is off to a very strong 4-0 start to the new season. Bianca, now a senior at Wesleyan, is studying Molecular Biology and Bio Chemistry – and is still focused on attending med school.

(Photo from the Wesleyan University website)

Anyone else curious about what the “libero” is? The libero is a defensive specialist, and generally the best defensive person on the team. (Thanks Google!) For any of those that have ever seen or tried to return Bianca’s serve, it wouldn’t have surprised if she was being heralded as an offensive hero as well!

Make Your Mark: Wireless Routers and Summer Interns

By Sydney Brown ‘23

Hands-on electrical projects using power tools, digital media, analytics, and writing are just some of the elements Winch interns have immersed themselves in lately.

Gabe Dion drills into the surface board
Gabe Dion drills into surface board
Ava Newton works on the electrical
Ava Newton works on the electrical

Winchendon has established an exceptional program called Winch Works that provides valuable internship opportunities for students, allowing them to showcase their abilities while gaining exposure to various departments. The program offers paid internships for individuals to take on roles in athletic, maintenance, marketing, and business departments.

Under the guidance of Pete Blais, Director of IT, a team of three student interns, Ava Newton, Gabe Dion, and Willie Torres, were hard at work supporting the community, “replac[ing] old and underpowered wireless access points (WAPs/radios) in the dining hall, virtually quadrupling our wireless capacity in that space. All three are learning new skills…and honing the application of hand and power tools in various situations,” says Blais. 

Willie Torres inspects the ceiling
Willie Torres inspects the ceiling
Interns inspect the ceiling

In addition to gaining valuable work experience, interns can also earn extra cash, allowing them to continue their studies with considerable attention. Sydney Brown, a Winch alumna, contacted the CEO, John Kerney, and secured herself a Data Analytics and Marketing position with the Director of Marketing, Deb Schultz. “I believe my nine-month experience has opened up other opportunities and networking connections with experience using HubSpot, AI, PicMonkey, Excel, Canva, and Google Forms that are beneficial to the work I’ve performed,” says Syd. She recently had a conversation with the CMO of Orlando City SC, Pedro Franklin de Araujo, to ask questions in the hopeful pursuit of an internship.

Interns: Seek Purpose. Pursue Passion. Chase Opportunity.

As technology continues to grow, college and job placements become more competitive, and students are immersed in these experiences much earlier on. As a result, students are getting a head start that will set them apart from other students. This program provides an opportunity to explore interests, gain exposure to specific avenues, and establish valuable connections with faculty who can align with the student’s interests. 

Winchendon encourages students to seek internship opportunities in high school, as it is not only purposeful for their passions but also a valuable element of their career path moving forward. It’s a space to showcase their capabilities, the effort they’re willing to put in to achieve so young, and a reflection of their leadership to attain a deeper meaning of their mark. With the help of this program, students can gain the necessary experience to succeed in college and beyond.

TWS Student Featured as Senior of Excellence by Local Newspaper

FROM THE GARDER NEWS Copyrighted.

LIFESTYLE

From social butterfly to social justice – Winchendon School grad to continue family mission

Emilia Cardona

Gardner News

Scott Ansin-Blanchard, a recent Winchendon School graduate, plans to continue the advocacy work that his grandfather Ronald Ansin started for the LGBTQ+ community by pursuing a career in human rights law.

His grandfather, Ronald Ansin, had a great influence on Blanchard’s decision to become a civil rights lawyer, since Ansin and Ansin-Blanchard’s mother would take him to American Civil Liberties Union conferences beginning at age 10, where his interest in advocacy work sparked. He plans to double major in psychology and start a pre-law track at Connecticut College in the fall.

Blanchard said his grandfather is a philanthropist in the town of Athol and has worked closely with the ACLU to push for LGBTQ+ equal rights.

Recently graduated from the Winchendon School, Scott Ansin-Blanchard decided to become a civil rights lawyer and continue his family's legacy of advocating for human rights.

“All through the 1960s, 70s and 80s my grandfather was in the closet so when he finally came out, he started to work with the ACLU with his partner for equal marriage,” he said. “My grandfather speaks at the conferences we go together.”

A passion sparked

When Blanchard was 11 years old, he heard Bryan Stevenson, a social justice lawyer, speak at an ACLU conference and it that pushed Blanchard to educate himself more on racism and discrimination in the United States. He said it was when he heard Stevenson’s speech he knew his passion for social justice grew stronger.

Blanchard said his parents also had a part in his decision, not only they have always supported him with everything he has done but they made sure to have difficult conversations about racism and injustice since he was a kid.

“Seeing a lot of injustices in this country and having the support from my family to make an impact has really set me up to go through with this path,” he said. “I have gone to several marches and protests in support of Black Lives Matter and gun reform in Boston.”

Kindness matters most

During his three years at the Winchendon School, Blanchard got involved with many extracurriculars. He was the parliamentarian of the National Honors Society, a member of the Committee on Mental Health, on the school’s Judicial and Academic review board, he was on the lacrosse and basketball teams, and a co-creator of the esport team.

Blanchard said he was involved with a lot of school activities probably done more than he should have but the most important thing he hopes to leave behind is positivity.

“Besides all of the boards, committees, and leadership positions I had I hope that I left a mark by just being a nice person,” he said. “By doing little things like holding the door open or making people smile, I hope that brings more positivity.”

Aviation Internship Takes Flight for TWS Alumnus Jalen Essick ’19

head and shoulder image of Rhodes College student Jalen Essick

Rhodes College, July 2022

The following article appears on the Rhodes College website.

A successful project completed for a course often can inspire a student to dig deeper into a subject through research, or even apply for an internship to further their knowledge. That’s what happened to TWS alumnus Jalen Essick, a senior at Rhodes College.
 
As part of the Intro to Urban Studies course taught by Prof. Shaolu Yu, Essick prepared a research paper and presentation about the Memphis International Airport’s impact on the city of Memphis’ economic vitality. As a business major with a concentration in marketing, he wanted to expand his knowledge of how airports operate as well as what marketing strategies and tools are used in the aviation industry. So, Essick turned his attention to one of the busiest airports in the world—the Atlanta Hartsfield-Jackson Airport in his hometown of Atlanta, GA.
 
“As an intern, I worked directly with the social and digital media team within the Department of Aviation. I was in charge of capturing content from live events throughout the airport that were later posted to various social media accounts,” says Essick, who helped launch the ATL airport’s new TikTok account. “Occasionally, I would assist in video production setup for live press conferences and events. I had the opportunity to help arrange and attend a press briefing for Mayor Andre Dickens and Senator Jon Ossoff to announce the expansion of gates in Concourse D, which will generate additional jobs at the airport. Afterwards I had the opportunity to meet the mayor and senator.”

Essick himself is no stranger to airports as a traveler, having visited Spain, France, Japan, Belgium, England, and Canada, along with several cities in the United States. “My father was a National Geographic photographer for several years, and occasionally my mother and I would meet him on location after he completed his assignments.”

In addition to the aviation project for his urban studies course, three sociology courses taught by Prof. Evelyn Perry, —Intro to Sociology, The Sociology of Sport, and The City—have had a profound impact on Essick. “These courses have helped me develop a sociological lens when trying to understand various aspects of our world,” he says. “I can’t thank Professor Perry enough for this more holistic outlook and perspective on problem solving, and I know that it will give me an advantage no matter what field of study or future career plans that I may pursue.”

A driven and determined scholar-athlete, Essick is one of the team captains of the men’s basketball team at Rhodes and a member of the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee. “Adjusting to the academic rigor of college was challenging, but balancing those demands while being a student-athlete forced me to develop strong time management skills.”

After graduating from Rhodes, Essick plans to earn an MBA. But, he says, airports will still figure in his future: “I hope to continue to travel, especially out of the country.” 

At The Winchendon School, we’re excited to see where his path takes him.
 

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