by Ayla Yersel
Alayna Westcom wears many hats. The 23-year-old Bakersfield, Vermont native is a full-time autopsy technician, performing autopsies with the medical examiner for the state of Vermont. She has degrees in Forensic Science and Medical Laboratory Science from Bay State College and the University of Vermont. She even knows how to give a cow an IV.
And recently, she was crowned Miss Vermont, 2015.
At the age of 39, Dan Smith has already run for mayor of Burlington as an independent, skied competitively in Colorado, worked at law offices in Montpelier and Burlington, and been board chair of Mobius, the Mentoring Movement. On top of that, today he is the president of Vermont Technical College.
After finishing school in Virginia in 2002, Smith returned to his home state with degrees in both law and history, and a defining career objective: to be useful to his community.
When Alex MacLean was in high school, she never thought she’d come back to Vermont after college. But after gaining her Master’s Degree in History from the University of Edinburgh in Scotland in 2005, MacLean decided to return to her home state. Once back in Vermont, MacLean served as Shumlin’s Deputy Chief of Staff, as well as his Secretary of Civil and Military Affairs for several years before stepping down in 2012.
by Becky Hayes
While his peers were playing ball or hitting the books in high school, 18-year-old Neel Desai of South Burlington found ways to better his community.
Desai won the 2013 Vermont Volunteer of the Year award for his non-profit organization that offered classes on basic internet skills for members of his community.
But why did Desai work so hard on a service project that doesn’t involve a pay check? What’s in it for him?
by Becky Hayes
With 57 percent of Vermont students attending college out of their home state, it’s no surprise state officials are working hard to change Vermont’s image.
But why are so many young people leaving the state and not returning?
The unemployment rate in Vermont is under 5 percent, well below the national average of over 7 percent. Yet, the total number of 20- to 34-year-olds in Vermont has shrunk to just 18 percent of the total population.
by Becky Hayes
High school. College. Job.
These three words are the expectation many parents and educators drill into students throughout their educational journey. Yet some believe there are benefits to breaking this cycle for one year, between graduating high school and entering the junior year of college.
Have you ever found yourself wishing you were a little bit quicker upstairs?
A little bit more “mentally sharp”, that is? Regardless of how brilliant you are, or how much you think you know, you can always afford to expand and improve your mind.
Boosting brain power can be fun and easy, not just more and studying. We found some tricks, techniques, and overall good habits to learn, as well as some suggestions for changing lifestyle, diet and behaviors that can get a person maximum output from their grey matter.
Food for Thought
Athletics: Go ahead and pack your old baseball mitt and pigskin, but make a few additions, they can come in really handy in college.
Frisbee: ultimate Frisbee/Frisbee golf)
Gym clothes: Hit the gym great scenery and a good way to avoid the Frosh 15
Skis/snowboard: Shred the slopes, its VT
Meet a Vermonter who made the choice to serve her country in the Army National Guard
Where are you from?
I was brought up in the East Montpelier area, and I now live in Barre, Vermont.
How old are you?
28 years old.
What is your rank?
Staff Sergeant.
What type of work do you do in the Vermont Army National Guard?
A lot of people think staying in state to go to college means they will be practically living at home. Nothing could be further from the truth. Vermont has a ton of sweet schools from a huge state university, to one of America’s most respected military schools, to non-traditional colleges.
Vermont has a ton to offer by way of outdoor activities and cultural events. From the Tunbridge fair, to huge concerts like Coventry, to a lazy long weeakend spent canoeing down Otter Creek, Vermont has fun stuff to do for anyone.
