Karen McAlpine, a teacher at Mount Prospect Academy couldn’t contain her excitement when she heard the news. Just days after returning from the SeaPerch Robotics Competition in Durham, New Hampshire, she learned her students had earned top 10 honors.

McAlpine, along with fellow instructor, Connor Sullivan assembled their team of 2 middle and 4 high schoolers back in January as part of their Adventure Science class. Their goal was to participate in the competition while incorporating the rigorous process of preparation into their curriculum.

“It starts with a kit,” she explained. “The kit contains everything you need to assemble a remote operated vehicle (ROV), designed to not only follow the commands of its human operators but to endure the challenges of functioning underwater. We actually ordered 3 with the intention of putting the best performing ROV into the competition.”

Assembling the robots was no easy task. The accompanying instructions were limited and the whole process required lots of problem solving and ingenuity. McAlpine’s students proved up to the task. The whole MPA campus was abuzz with how quickly they took to designing and creating their vehicles. By the end of February they were ready to test them. The challenge was, they didn’t have a facility on campus in which to do so.

“That’s where Alex Ray stepped in,” McAlpine said. “You can’t just wait until the day of competition, throw them in the water and cross your fingers. Alex gave us access to the pool at the Common Man Spa so we could see first hand how each ROV was responding and practice maneuvering and working as a team.”

The competition itself consisted of 3 separate judging categories. The first was a technical design report, where students include data analysis to describe the process of their engineering design. The remaining two involved actual operation, which included maneuvering the ROV underwater through a series of hoops, around obstacles and in patterns that simulate ocean mapping techniques. One task even included pushing and picking up odd shaped objects on a steep ramp. At no point were adults permitted to assist. 2 students were in charge of operating the vehicle; 2 guiding the tether, while the others provided technical support and helped document their experience.

“We placed 10th out of 26 high school teams. Pretty good considering our team included middle schoolers and we were competing against some formidable opponents like Phillips Exeter Academy.”

For now, McAlpine plans to keep the ROV and other competition mementos on display at the school so others can share in their accomplishment. But there’s no resting on laurels, as she and the students are already preparing for an even better showing at next year’s competition.

“I think what Karen, Connor and the rest of our team here at Mount Prospect Academy does is incredible,” says John Fulp,” Superintendent and Director of Operations at MPA. “Remember, we’re a placement school, committed to taking in kids who are having difficulties being successful anywhere else. It just goes to show that everybody has the potential to achieve great things. Sometimes we just need to teach differently; get kids excited about something and let their natural curiosity take over. I couldn’t be more proud of our team here and what they accomplish, every day, with our amazing students.”

At a luncheon ceremony in their Career Development Center in Plymouth, Mount Prospect Academy presented the Plymouth Police Department with a check for $10,000. The donation stems from a phone call Plymouth Police Chief Alex Hutchins had with MPA’s President, Jeffrey Caron.

“I recently assisted Mount Prospect Academy staff here in Plymouth in a high-stress situation involving one of their students,” explained Hutchins. “I was impressed with how the staff conducted themselves in a professional manner while de-escalating the situation. It was obvious to me that these staff members had been well trained for these types of situations. I really felt that they needed to be recognized, so I contacted Jeff to offer my commendation to his team. Jeff was very appreciative and asked if they could assist us in any way.”

The result was two financial donations, totaling $10,000 to be used towards active threat resources for the town of Plymouth and surrounding communities. “MPA never overlooks the fact that we are more than just a school for at-risk kids,” said Jeffrey Caron at the presentation ceremony. “We’re a part of several communities, including Plymouth, Campton, Rumney, Warren and Pike. As such, we’re not only here to help our kids, but our communities. When Alex mentioned initiatives that would benefit from community support, I saw an opportunity for us at Mount Prospect Academy to help out.”

On-hand was the MPA Plymouth team recognized by Chief Hutchins. They included Nayou Shar, Devin Michalewicz, Clayton Scala-Habert, Andrew Fosher, Adelaide Schumaker and Hilel Gubenko. The funds will be used to purchase equipment, tools and supplies to better prepare the department in case of an active threat situation in Plymouth or area towns. In keeping with MPA’s mission, a portion of the money will also be used to purchase supplies for community events to continue to connect the police department and the community.

It’s not often you meet a teenager with the skills to change the oil in an automobile, repair its brakes, exhaust or suspension, let alone swapping out its engine. At MPA’s Career Development Center, it’s not such a rare sight after all. 

Meet the kids of MPA’s Livermore Automotive Center, an approved classroom that is a full service, auto repair shop located in MPA’s Rumney Career Development Center campus. The program was started back in 1993 as part of the school’s experiential learning program. Jeff Caron, MPA President, brought his vision of “vocational learning” to then part-time instructor at Laconia Community College, Dave Morrill, offering him a job imparting his mechanics skills to at-risk kids at MPA.

“Jeff had incredible enthusiasm and this idea that, if kids split their school time between the classroom and real, hands-on work, it would boost their self esteem and confidence, ultimately improving their behavior.”

And he was right. Since those early years of working out of a 1-stall garage in an abandoned wood shop to the now, state of the art automotive center, complete with 2 lifts and superior air and electrical systems, the program has thrived. Hundreds of students have benefited from Dave’s expertise, taking their skills outside the school and applying them in everyday life, some even pursuing careers in the automotive field.

“We typically have 6-15 kids each week in the shop performing work on company vehicles and those belonging to employees,” Dave explains. “We run the classroom just like any other business out there in the community. We make appointments, troubleshoot, diagnose, repair and invoice. And the kids help from start to finish.”

Jeff Caron notes that behaviors improve when students participate in hands-on, academic learning. “Statistically, we have very few behavior issues when students have hands-on learning opportunities. They gain confidence and realize they can succeed in a field of their choice.”

These days, Dave and fellow mechanic, Ray Whitcher can be seen under the hood of numerous projects with eagerly listening students. Just recently, Ray supervised a student changing out the engine of a Kia Sorento. “Well, I was more of a bystander,” Ray admits. “That kid knew what he was doing – even figured out the wiring harness was faulty and swapped it out before I noticed it was a problem. It kind of made me proud. You don’t see many 14-16 year olds with those skills.”

The Livermore Auto Center services over 60 of MPA’s own vehicles and gives precedent to MPA team members, alumnae and their families. Dave is quick to point out that the school isn’t looking to compete with local businesses. “Our main purpose is, and will always be, to teach kids to be successful. We just so happen to do it with a wrench, not a pencil.”

On the first of June, Mount Prospect Academy held an awards night for the staff who have been a part of MPA for 5 years, 10 years, 15, 20 and 25 years. The faculty of MPA were invited to the Common Man’s “The Barn on the Pemi” from 5-8pm for an awards ceremony, accompanied by dinner and drinks. To kick off the ceremony, MPA’s Director of Operations, John Fulp, said a few words. Fulp talked about the obstacles that MPA has faced through the duration of COVID-19 and how Mount Prospect Academy has continued to work as a team to overcome the hardships the company and the schools face. He explained that Mount Prospect Academy continues to grow stronger with the people and strategies they continue to use. Fulp closed by saying,“we just keep getting better and better and that’s because of all you folks and all of us working together. So thank you everyone; thank you to those who have stuck with it year after year, we are able to honor you tonight.” The microphone was handed to Mount Prospect Academy President, Jeffrey Caron, where he also showed appreciation to the staff within the room. Jeff spoke of their longevity at Mount Prospect, whether it was 5 years at the company, or 25 years. There were different gifts presented to the staff depending on how long they have been with MPA. Jeff pointed out that not only is MPA creating careers to help kids, but it’s also a fortunate place that allows staff to change lives, for as long as 25 years. He spoke highly of the mini biking trip (National Youth Project Using Minibikes; ie NYPUM) that he and Jay Marshall, Head of Schools, went on earlier with 6 students. He explained how smooth, civilized, and pleasant the trip had been, showing that having great trips with the students of MPA is due to the amazing faculty and staff who work with the kids. “Treating students with compassion and leadership allows these children to respect themselves, their environments, and others around them. Working for MPA is beneficial not only to the students, but also to outsiders and our surrounding communities. The attraction Mount Prospect Academy creates, encourages other companies and corporations to want to be a part of something so influential and impactful.” As Jeff Caron, John Fulp and Jeff Park hand out awards to MPA staff recipients, there is a light and grateful atmosphere; as everyone acknowledges their roles within a business that has one main goal: to better the education and environment of our youth.

 

Recognized were:

5 Years Award:

– Don Jones

– Rebecca Moulton

– Megan Smith

– Paul Thomas

– Corey Tower

– Dori Craigie

– Rob Alvey Sr.

– Harry Bearden

– Josh Colle

– Mike Burnham

– Becky Drapeau

– Jessie Gaudioso

– LeRoy Hollis

– Tyree Jones

– Derek Pitcha

Recipients for the 10 Years Award:

– Karen McAlpine

– Mark Labonte

– Richard Moulton

– Bill Greene

– Joe Cristiano

– Tom Corbin

– Lacy Hunt

– Mike Adamkowski

Recipients for the 15 Years Award:

– Chris Boyd

 

March is Maple Month in New Hampshire and students at MPA in Pike are in the thick of it – literally! Just ask Mark Labonte, faculty member at MPA, who, along with Eric Underhill and Zach Cousino, has led a maple sugaring program for the school in Pike for the past 9 years. Venture past the cattle barn, just up the hill into a small clearing called the Sugarbush and you’ll find MPA’s very own sugar shack, complete with all the buckets, tubes, gadgets and tools necessary to turn tree sap into liquid gold.

The current sugar shack was built over 10 years ago as part of a student project led by faculty member Hugh Underhill. Today it attracts as many as 20 – 30 kids, itching to learn and lend a helping hand to the very hands-on process of producing maple syrup. Visiting MPA’s sugar shack this time of year is an experience for the senses. One can’t help but getting wrapped up in the sounds, sights and smells of a sugar house in full operation. It takes cords of wood and a network of hundreds of trees to feed the operation. Thankfully, there’s no shortage of helping hands as dozens of MPA students can be seen hard at work splitting wood, emptying sap buckets, feeding the stove and monitoring the constant drip being fed to the collection bin outside.

“We have over 200 trees tapped in our network here,” explains Labonte, who, with the help of Zack and Eric keep the operation rolling. “It’s the warm days and cool nights that produce the most sap. Once things get rolling we’ll produce about 20 gallons of Grade A maple syrup. We love watching the kids participate in the process. There’s a certain pride they take when sitting down for breakfast and pouring a generous amount of syrup on their pancakes, saying ‘I made that!’”

Of course, there’s more than enough product to share. MPA traditionally gives away their syrup to local communities. It’s a fittingly sweet end to a rewarding experience.

“Honestly,” adds, Labonte, “that’s what keeps me coming back each spring. The curiosity and excitement you see in these kids when they’re listening, working together and learning.”