MEXICO – A group of Skills USA vocational students from Region 9 will have a chance to do some community service while having a good time.

The Region 9 School of Applied Technology board on Tuesday gave the go-ahead for about a dozen secondary vocational students to accompany 30 Boy Scouts from Bethel to a Celtics basketball game on Nov. 10. The Scouts are ages 7-12.

Each vocational student will serve as a one-on-one companion to a Boy Scout. The remaining Boy Scouts will be accompanied by a parent or other adult chaperone.

Vocational school metal trades instructor Peter Barlow volunteered to drive the Region 9 bus to Portland where students and chaperones will board a train to Boston.

“This would be good for visibility,” board member Craig Zurhorst said.

The Scouts or a fundraiser will come up with enough money to cover the cost of the gasoline needed for the bus trip.

Board Chairman Norman Clanton said the vocational students will be asked to make a presentation at a later board meeting on the trip. The Scouts will also be asked to tour the vocational school.

In other matters, SAD 44 has requested a presentation by Region 9 on the proposed $4.9 million renovation and expansion project for the River Road school.

The presentation will take place on Nov. 13 during a regular SAD 44 board meeting at 7:30 p.m. at the Telstar Regional High School library in Bethel. A similar presentation has been requested at a special meeting of the SAD 43 board on Oct. 30.

In a related matter, Region 9 board’s Communications Committee will meet at 6 p.m. on Oct. 24 to discuss what other groups should be presented with the proposed renovation and building project.

Plans are to build a 17,000-square-foot addition onto the existing building to accommodate two new vocational programs and to provide sufficient space for the existing programs, as well as to bring the building up to codes from the fire marshal and American with Disabilities Act.

A referendum election on the project will be held in January.

Also on Tuesday, adult education Director Nancy Allen said the credit recovery program for secondary students is being closed, at least for the foreseeable future. The program allows secondary students to complete required credits in the adult education program rather than in the high school classroom.

Allen said the 15 students participating are overwhelming the existing adult education staff.