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Mural
Students from Spanish VI and Art Remix show of their collaborative artwork hanging in the Center for the Arts. Courtesy photo.



Students
collaborate
on mural
WOODSTOCK — Woodstock Academy students from Annmarie Thibodeau’s Spanish VI and Justin Dupuis’s Art Remix class collaborated to create a large Mexico-themed mural that combines culture and language with art.
Students from Spanish VI, an honors level course, began the project by researching Mexico and collecting images that represent the country’s culture. Students paired each image with vocabulary words from Spanish, English, or an indigenous language of Mexico.
Art Remix teacher Justin Dupuis transformed the images into a mural design.
Then Dupuis and Thibodeau matched students from Art Remix and Spanish VI to work in pairs on a section of the mural. “They had to collaborate throughout the whole process,” said Thibodeau.
The result is a striking, large mural that now hangs in the lobby of the Center for the Arts on South Campus. “It looks great, and the students are so proud of their work,” said Thibodeau.
Spanish VI is a new course and is the highest level of Spanish offered at The Academy.
The course focuses on careers, cultures, and language and is taught exclusively in Spanish.
Art Remix is a studio based exploration of image-capture devices and traditional art media in art and society. The course encourages art innovation and readily lends itself to collaborative art projects. “We encourage our students to make interdisciplinary connections all the time- the results are usually fascinating,” said Christopher Sandford, head of school at The Woodstock Academy.
“The product of this collaboration is not only the mural we now have hanging in the Center for the Arts, but also the lessons our students learn about working together on a common goal.”
 

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PUTNAM — Question: What community event recently celebrated its five-year anniversary by raising a record amount of funds?
Answer: The Rotaract Club’s Trivia Night!
Held on Nov. 3 the 5th annual Quinebaug Valley Regional Rotaract Club’s Trivia Night raised a total of $7,000 to benefit the Club’s scholarship program, which awards financial aid to students focused on serving their community.
With more than 150 players and spectators, the 2017 Trivia Night featured spirited competition among 14 teams comprised of eight players. The event’s sponsors included bankHometown, Archambault Insurance, Putnam Bank, and Wheelabrator Technologies.
The Woodstock Academy also made a significant contribution in the form of 200 cupcakes prepared by its Pastry & Baking students. Paul Pikora of Archambault Insurance and Gary and Karen Osbrey of WINY Radio also reprised their volunteer roles as scorekeeper, trivia jockey, and trivia master, respectively.
For the first time in the event’s history the reigning champions, Archambault Insurance, captured the Trivia Night trophy for a second consecutive year. Second place was captured by the Killingly-Brooklyn Rotary Club, while TEEG took home the third-place prize.
Cash prizes for first and second place were generously donated back to the Rotaract Club’s scholarship program. Rachel Johnston of Johnston and Associates Real Estate also donated back her winnings from the event’s 50/50 raffle. Additionally, the Byrnes Insurance Agency took home the team spirit award for their commitment to their team name “The Pink Ladies.” Not only did they all come in costume, they went as far as bringing their own decorations for their table!
Other participating local businesses and groups included Jewett City Savings Bank, Biomass Controls,  Kaplan & Brennan LLP, the Putnam Fire Department, and Savage Systems, Putnam Rotary Club, as well as several teams comprised of friends and family.
“Trivia Night could not have reached the five-year milestone without the support of the businesses that sponsor the event and organize teams, as well as the community members who donate their time, talent, and treasure,” said Rotaract Club President Andrew Morrison. “We appreciate everyone’s help, and we know we’ll be thanking them at the 10th, 15th, and 20th anniversary Trivia Nights, too.”
The Trivia Night competition was established in 2013 as a fund-raising event to benefit the Rotaract Club’s scholarship foundation. Since the first competition, the club has awarded approximately $14,000 in college scholarships to local students in recognition of their community involvement, academic achievements and extracurricular activities.
The Rotaract Club is a community service and professional networking organization for young professionals (ages 18 to 35) co-sponsored by the Putnam and Danielson Rotary Clubs and committed to the Rotary model of “Service Above Self.”
New members interested in community service and professional networking are encouraged to join. For more information, visit www.facebook.com/putnamrotaractclub or our website at www.qvrrotaractclub.com.

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Scholarship Winner
American Legion Post #13 Commander Ronald P. Coderre discusses Post activities with Quinebaug Valley Community College student Zulma Montalvo, who is a U.S. Army veteran.  Montalvo, who is a member of Post #13, is the recipient of the Post #13 annual scholarship to a QVCC veteran/student.  Post #13 also gives out an annual scholarship to a Putnam High School student. Courtesy photo.

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Plays flute
LOWELL, Mass. — The UMASS Lowell Department of Music University Wind Ensemble performed their Autumn Concert Nov. 16 and Mixed Chamber Concert on Nov. 29.
Lindsay Roberts 21' of Putnam played flute in both performances. Roberts majors in sound recording technology.