Valley Tech Unites to Help Former Students

Students at Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical High School in Upton will be putting their career skills to good use as they open the Three Seasons Restaurant to serve all-you-can-eat chicken dinners on Thursday evenings, Oct. 13 and 27, in a Rachel’s Challenge-inspired fund-raising effort to assist the Murray family of Northbridge.

Amy and Christopher Murray are Valley Tech graduates whose twin sons, Michael and Eric, were born with spastic quadriplegia, a severe form of cerebral palsy which causes them to require round-the-clock care.

As the now nine-year-old boys have grown and the challenges of caring for them at home have increased, the family came to the realization that they needed to move from their split-level home into a more handicapped accessible single-story residence. The problem was how to pay for the many expensive modifications that their new home would require to adequately accommodate the boys’ special needs.

Amy, a nurse who cares for the boys at home, has kept in contact with her former teachers in the Valley Tech Health Services program. When Valley Tech students were inspired by a Rachel’s Challenge program to practice random acts of kindness, it seemed a natural fit for them to serve one of Valley Tech’s own families by helping the Murrays design and equip a handicapped accessible home.

Valley Tech has promoted the project as a school-wide integration effort which reinforces academic and career technical learning across a variety of career pathways.

Students from virtually all departments of the schools are lending their skills to assist.

The program also blends well with Rachel’s Challenge, a powerful and inspirational school program which uses audio and video footage of the life of Rachel Scott, the first student to be killed at Columbine High School in 1999, to motivate students to be a force for positive change.

“Valley Tech students and teachers have embraced the challenge to promote positive words, attitudes, and actions since the program was presented at the school last February,” said principal Christopher Cummings, who includes a Rachel’s Challenge reminder in the school-wide announcements each day. “The Murray Integration Project is just one example.’’

The principal's words were echoed by Rachel Casey-Chase of Grafton, vice president of the senior class and one of the business technology students involved in fund-raising sales through the school store.

"Rachel's Challenge has inspired Valley Tech to use our vocational technical advantage to help change the lives of the Murray family. It's a good feeling to be able to do something nice for someone who is having difficulties."

The Three Seasons Restaurant, located in the school at 65 Pleasant St., Upton, is now accepting reservations for 5 p.m. Oct. 13 and for 5 and 6:30 p.m. seatings on Oct. 27.

The menu, to be prepared and served by volunteer culinary arts students and staff, will include all-you-can-eat roasted chicken, fries, pasta, salad, and lemonade or iced tea, with an assortment of brownies and cookies for dessert.

Tickets are $12 for adults and $8 for children. Reservations are required and may be made by calling Chef Dubois at 508-529-7758, ext. 2143.