2 Top Nashoba Tech Students From Westford Up For State Awards

WESTFORD— Each year students at Nashoba Valley Technical High School are nominated for state awards. Here are two students from Westford described as exceptional by their teachers and nominated for top students. The following was submitted by Nashoba Tech's Dan Phelps.

Massachusetts Vocational Association’s Top Non-Traditional Vocational Student

Amani Downs of Westford, daughter of Paul and Diane Graczyk, is Nashoba Valley Technical High School’s nominee for the Massachusetts Vocational Association’s Non-Traditional Vocational Student Award.

Amani is a senior in the Plumbing & Heating program, one of only four girls — and the only senior girl — in the program. She is an honor-roll student and a freshman mentor, helping incoming students acclimate to high school. She competes for the cheerleading and softball teams at Nashoba Tech.

Amani said she was a bit intimidated at first, being the only girl in her grade in the Plumbing & Heating program, but she is glad she saw it through and also proud to be Nashoba Tech’s nominee for the MVA Non-Traditional award.

“It makes me very happy,” she said. “There are definitely a lot of awesome people who go to this school, so I’m proud they chose me.”

Amani qualified for the John & Abigail Adams Scholarship, which provides free tuition for four years to any Massachusetts public college or university. She plans to attend college to study Business “and see what opportunities arise from that.”

She has been accepted to Bridgewater State University, Dean College and Anna Maria College, and is also interested in the University of Massachusetts Lowell.

Massachusetts Vocational Association’s Top Postsecondary Student

Emily Brobst of Westford, daughter of Matthew Brobst and Misty Manibusan, is Nashoba Valley Technical High School’s nominee for the Massachusetts Vocational Association’s Postsecondary Student Award.

Emily is a 2018 graduate of Westford Academy who began her postgraduate career at Nashoba Tech to in Fall 2019 to study Veterinary Assisting. She spends some of her time learning theory in the Veterinary Assisting classroom and some working in the Angell at Nashoba Clinic, a partnership between Nashoba Tech and Angell Animal Medical Center that operates on the Nashoba Tech campus.

“I wanted to work with animals, so I came to Nashoba Tech to get that hands-on experience,” Emily said, noting that she helps with pets before surgical procedures as well as with post-surgery and front-office jobs.

She plans to continue her education in veterinary science after her postgraduate stint is done in Spring 2020, and would like to work in an animal hospital.