![Adding a tray of canned corn to the pile, junior Michael Collop assists in transporting donations for the Holiday Food Drive. The event, hosted schoolwide from Dec. 10-17, raised over 5,000 food items to deliver to the Parkway Food Pantry, helping several families in need. [The drive] is a great thing for us to do because you're giving to those who are less fortunate, and it helps provide for people who can't provide for themselves. [The] competition is always fun, too. It was fun to be in [social studies teacher Jess] Chazen’s class, because he always gets worked up over [the competition]. He made it exciting, and was always convincing us to turn in cans for the drive,” Collop said.](https://bestofsno.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/feature-photo-unsung-2.png)
![NEW CHALLENGE, NEW TEAM MEMBERS: Every season, VEX creates a new game that robotics team members are faced with and have to build a robot to compete in. This year’s game forces students to create a robot that is able to stack rings onto mobile goals in order to score points. The change in games each season is something that robotics teacher Audrea Moyers appreciates.
“One of the things that I like about VEX is that they have a new problem to solve every year,” she said. ¨Even though the equipment’s the same, they have to analyze the game, and they have to come up with solutions that are unique that year. They are using their knowledge from prior years, but they have to kind of redesign a problem.”
As returning teams were faced a new game, some new teams and members had to adapt to a uncommon playing field and game.
“Three of our four teams were competing for the first time this year, and they had very different experiences match to match, so I think they learned a lot,¨ she said. ¨It’s hard just watching a video online to know how it’s actually going to be in person, so they all learned a lot about what gameplay is like, how to work with an alliance partner [and] how to adapt during the day to changes.”](https://bestofsno.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/IMG_9283-1-1200x800.jpg)
Postgraduate Daniel Mondarres received his diploma from the Community Access Program (CAP) on Oct. 11 with loved ones gathered to show support.
Mondarres has been a part of the Algonquin community since the fall of 2021 and has been a resident of Southborough after graduating from Shrewsbury High School in 2021. In his free time, he enjoys going to the playground, analyzing traffic signs and cooking. Unified Track & Field and Basketball enhanced his time within the school district due to the community it provided.
Principal Sean Bevan kicked the ceremony off by presenting Mondarres with his diploma followed by a heartwarming slideshow of pictures showcasing his time spent at Algonquin. The photos ranged from Mondarres helping prepare school lunches to wearing shirts with various traffic signals. One thing remains constant throughout the images: a smile stretching eye to eye on his face.
“It’s always bittersweet when we do an event for the CAP program because we have grown to know these students really well; we have known them longer than most other students,” Bevan said. “It’s bittersweet to see them go, but it is also exciting to see them transition into a new chapter of their lives.”
As Mondarres’ slideshow flashed on the projector, so did the emotions his loved ones experienced. Teary eyes flooded the room along with contagious laughter and smiles sparked by Mondarres’ infectious positivity.
Special education teacher Lisa Pagan has noticed Mondarres’ growth in his willingness to greet people and break out of his shell. Special education teacher Caitlin Hynes has also been a part of Mondarres’ CAP journey throughout his four years at Algonquin.
“He is very social,” Hynes said. “He wants to communicate with you and engage with you and tell you what he is watching.”
Mondarres’ mother Carla Carten and his close friend Isabel Murphy were by his side with tears in their eyes.
“He has turned the corner from being more of a child to being more of a young man,” Carten said. “It was definitely through the support of the people at Algonquin High School.”
Norah Shaikh, a peer of Mondarres, describes him as “a very good friend” and is emotional to see him graduate from CAP.
Mondarres plans to continue his love for cooking and being outside and expressed how he feels “good” regarding his accomplishments as well as his bright future. He is moving to Vermont for new opportunities and involvement in dairy farms along with a community-based day program.
Despite the traffic sign “STOP” being Mondarres’ favorite, he continues to indulge in new adventures.
This story was originally published on The Harbinger on October 21, 2024.
