Nichols Honors Academy Welcomes Northbridge High School Students to Program

Proud Partnership with Bartlett High School Continues

Local high school students were on The Hill Sept. 11 to get a taste of college life as well as to help kick-off the fifth year of the Nichols Honors Academy (NHA).

Thanks to the generous support of Nichols Trustee Emeritus Gerald Fels and his wife, Marilyn Fels, of Webster, Mass., the NHA encourages high school students to pursue higher education through an introduction to college-level courses, activities, and responsibilities. High school juniors and seniors take college courses on the Nichols campus, while first-year students and sophomores visit Nichols four times during the academic year to get coaching in college readiness as well as simulating a full college day. The students are selected for the program based on their academic achievement and college ambitions.

This year, Bartlett High School students from Webster were joined by students from new NHA member Northbridge High School. Both schools sent a cohort of first-year students (Bartlett, 19; and Northbridge, 10) to be inducted into the NHA, during a ceremony in Daniels Auditorium. Meanwhile, 19 Bartlett seniors were congratulated for beginning their fourth and final year of the program. While Northbridge’s partnership began this academic year, the NHA launched in 2014 with Bartlett. Approximately 100 students participate.

Throughout the day, the students heard remarks from Nichols College President Susan West Engelkemeyer, Ph.D.; Nichols Professor and Academic Affairs Vice President Mauri Pelto, Ph.D., the NHA academic coordinator; Webster School Superintendent RuthAnn Goguen; Bartlett High School Principal Dr. Peter Cushing, guidance counselors Kim Granger and Chris Shen; and Northbridge High School Dean of Students John Susienka, guidance counselor Lauren Hubbell, and teacher Susan Palmer-Howes. Also addressing the students was Katie Moulton, Nichols associate director of enrollment for student success and retention.

 

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