Mt. Blue High School graduating-senior Haley Walsh was chosen to be Foster Career and Technical Education Center’s “Student of the Year” for being a good role-model and her ability to meet and exceed standards. Photo courtesy of Amber Davis
FARMINGTON — Foster Career and Technical Education Center has named Mt. Blue High School’s Haley Walsh their 2021 “Student of the Year.” Walsh, 18, is a graduating senior.
“It feels like my hard work finally paid off. Everything I did finally was awarded,” Walsh said of the honor. “I have worked very hard and teachers have seen that.”
During her high school career, Walsh was a member of the Certified Nursing Assistant program and the biotechnology program. In that time, Walsh accumulated 37 college credits from dual-enrollment courses with University of Maine at Farmington and Central Maine Community College.
Walsh took on such a rigorous course load because “I wanted to make sure I got ahead,” she said.
In those programs, Walsh bonded with teachers Lorna Collins and David Nordstrom. Walsh said that Nordstrom, who taught her biotechnology program this year, had a hand in helping her get to this point.
“Haley is a testament that hard work can lead to academic success,” they wrote. “Haley is one of the sweetest, kindest students I have had the privilege to work with.”
Mary Redmond-Luce, Foster Tech’s Student Services Coordinator, said that along with working hard and getting good grades, Walsh was chosen because she is a “good role model.” Walsh was always punctual, prepared for class, a team-player and treated school like it was her job, she said.
“Haley not only met the standards, but she excelled at those standards,” Redmond-Luce said.
Walsh looks to her time on various sports teams as the highlights of her time in high school. She was captain of the football cheerleading, competition cheerleading and tennis teams. Walsh is also a member of the National Honor Society and the National Technical Honor Society and a Biotechnology Student Ambassador.
Walsh said that any students looking to become their CTE’s “Student of the Year” need to “work hard and do your best.”
“If you need help, get it,” Walsh advised. “If you need to ask a teacher a question, make sure you ask it and you understand what you’re doing.”
Walsh will be attending the University of Maine at Augusta at the Bangor campus to study dental hygiene in the fall.
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