May 23, 2013 PDF Edition - The Sentinel

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PAGE 6 Editorial Help wanted Summer is fast approaching, and with it will be teens who are out of school and looking for work. Good luck – the statistics on teen employment in Massachusetts are dismal – only 27 percent of teenagers were employed last year, marking the lowest level in that age group (16-19-year-old) in 45 years, according to a report by the Youth Jobs Coalition. That’s higher than the national teen unemployment average of 24.1 percent, according to the U.S. Bureau of labor Statistics. As the economy recovers, teens have been left behind. Why One answer is that adults are filling jobs once reserved for teens – typically fast food and customer service work – crowding teens out of these jobs. Also, employers are more willing to hire adults who have work experience over teens who do not. But that’s not the only problem. According to a study released last month by Drexel University’s Center for Labor Markets and Policy and the Commonwealth Corporation in Massachusetts, one of the major findings of the study indicates that employers think adults have a better work ethic than teens. “Employers perceive teens’ work behaviors as inferior to work behaviors of adults or college students, in particular attendance, punctuality and quit rates; these work behaviors are one of the most significant barriers to hiring teens,” the study reads. Teen behavioral traits are also a significant barrier to their employment. “Teens do not understand the signals they send to employers during informal interactions such as requesting an application or in formal interactions such as interviews; they are generally not well-coached or prepared for the hiring process,” says the study. But it wasn’t all bad news. Other major findings of the study indicate that employers perceive teens’ technology skills “far superior” to adults, and employers also perceive teens’ math, writing and reading skills as “comparable” to adults in entry-level employment. We wish teens luck as they pound the pavement in search of summer employment. But we also leave them with this from the Commonwealth Corporation, which conducted research with Massachusetts employers in 2012, asking them how teens can stand out in an interview. Here are some of the top interview tips: • Practice answering typical interview questions until you feel comfortable with the interview process. • Maintain eye contact with the interviewer. • Answer the interviewer’s questions in full sentences – not just in one or two words. • Be energetic, confident about yourself and enthusiastic about the job. • Prepare your own list of questions for the interviewer in advance. Having questions shows that you’ve take time to learn about the company or position. • Get a job referral from a friend or family member who works at the company. Employers trust their workers and like to hire within their network. • Dress appropriately! Employers care about how you look. Do not wear t-shirts, old jeans, flip flops, etc. • Turn off your cell phone! • Come to the interview alone. Don’t bring friends or family members. An employer wants to know you are independent. • Take the employer’s point of view. Instead of thinking “what’s in it for me,” discuss what you can do for the employer and the business. FROM OUR FILES by Cliff McCarthy From 70 Years Ago (May 28, 1943): CANNING FOR VICTORY “This is going to be the biggest home canning year in the history of America – there’s no doubt about that. Those who have felt the pinch of rationing and have had to forego many tasty canned goods because the blue stamps played out, are not going to go short next winter if they can buy and can rationed produce during the lush season, whether or not they have time and land for a victory garden. But there are going to be many ladies in the home canning business for the first time, and there will be consequent danger of spoilage and of needless hours of labor caused by lack of proper information and lack of experience. The Extension Service stands ready to prevent heart or stomach aches later on by providing canning demonstrations wherever or whenever they are needed.” From 40 Years Ago (May 24, 1973): TOOTHACHE MYSTERY TAKES CENTER STAGE “On May 4, as part of the school health program, Mrs. See FILES, Page 7 THE SENTINEL • THURSDAY, MAY 23, 2013 OPINION Letters Great coverage To the Editor: Great job covering all high school sports, both boys and girls. I love reading The Sentinel when I know that local people will be included in many of the articles. It’s as if you are giving us back the local newspaper that we all loved. Thank you! A great team for Massachusetts To the Editor: Maureen Madden Belchertown, MA Rear Admiral Susan Blumenthal, MD (Ret.) has been a key player in changing federal government programs, especially for women. The country’s first ever Deputy Assistant Secretary for Women’s Health, she developed innovative national initiatives. She advised the White House on women’s health and worked to advance women’s health globally. Dr. Blumenthal made the fight against cancer in women a top priority. Why am I writing today about this extraordinary woman She is the wife of US Senate candidate Ed Markey. As senator, Ed Markey will not ignore women’s health: he will make it the key issue it should be for ourselves, our mothers, our sisters, and our daughters. Please support Ed Markey in the June 25 Special Election. Thank you for a successful quilt show To the Editor: Karen A. Chrisman Belchertown, MA I would like to say a big “thank you” to all those who exhibited quilts, volunteered, and came out to shop the sewing tag sale and view and shop Belchertown United Church of Christ’s quilt show May 10-11. The show wouldn’t have happened without those amazing Quilty Hens: Pam, Anne, Judi and Linda. What a great “flock” we have. May 2014’s theme will be Basket patterned Quilts. Jane Crutchfield Belchertown, MA Thank you to the CSSR PTO To the Editor: The faculty and staff at Cold Spring School would like to take this opportunity to say thank you for all the thoughtful and generous acts during Teacher & Staff Appreciation Week. The wonderful luncheon along with the various surprises that you left for us during the week were very much appreciated. We also had lots of fun with the raffle. Your kindness and generosity throughout the past year has been remarkable. Thank you for all that you do for us and the children at Cold Spring School! Vote Ed Markey for U.S. Senate To the Editor: Turley Publications Letters to the Editor Policy Letters to the editor should be 350 words or less in length. No unsigned or anonymous opinions will be published. We require letter writers to include his or her town of residence and home telephone number. We must authenticate authorship prior to publication. We reserve the right to edit or withhold any submissions deemed to be libelous or contain unsubstantiated allegations, personal attacks, defamation of character and offensive language. All unknown or alleged facts and quotations offered by the author need to cite credible, unbiased sources. Send letters to: Sentinel Editor Aimee Henderson, PO Box 601, Belchertown, MA 01007, or via email to ahenderson@ turley.com. The deadline for submissions is Friday at 5 p.m. Cold Spring School Faculty and Staff Belchertown, MA It is imperative that we elect Ed Markey to the U.S. Senate on June 25. During his tenure in Congress, Markey has demonstrated that his values are consistent with the majority of Massachusetts’ citizens. He is a staunch supporter of a healthy environment. He is a passionate voice for equal rights for all Americans and is especially supportive of women’s rights and their access to medical and preventive care. Keeping a healthy Social Security system and Medicare is a high priority for Markey. He also endorses comprehensive immigration reform that incorporates the Dream Act and allows those who were educated here to stay here. Mr. Gomez is out of step See LETTERS, Page 7 Belchertown, Granby & Amherst The Sentinel is published every Thursday by Turley Publications, Inc., 24 Water St., Palmer, Mass. 01069. Telephone (413) 283-8393, Fax (413) 289-1977. PATRICK H. TURLEY Publisher KEITH TURLEY Executive Vice President DOUGLAS L. TURLEY Vice President of Publications EDITOR Aimee Henderson ADVERTISING SALES Debra Dodge Maureen McGarrett SPORTS EDITOR Dave Forbes SOCIAL MEDIA @ The Sentinel WEB www.belchertownsentinelonline.com www.turley.com Turley Publications, Inc. cannot assume liability for the loss of photographs or other materials submitted for publication. Materials will not be returned except upon specific request when submitted.
THE SENTINEL • THURSDAY, MAY 23, 2013 PAGE 7 FILES | from Page 6 Sears’ third grade class presented a play entitled “The Toothache Mystery”. The objective of the play was twofold: fun and educational for pupils and as one of the best ways to expose parents to the dental health program of the school. The play is one of a number of educational aides made available to selected schools by the Crest Professional Services Division of The Procter & Gamble Company. The broad objective of the program is to provide aids to teachers which will enable them to help children build good dental health habits which will last a lifetime. Aside from the dental health education objectives, pupils gain skills involved in memorizing lines and speaking clearly, develop more poise and grace in movement and, in general, gain from the exercise in self- expression and cooperation in a team effort. The following is a list of the pupils involved in the production: Clerk of the Court, Robert Hodgen; Judge Wisdom, Suzanne Parker; Terry Teen Ager, Tina Paulin; Pete Good, Henry Martin; Jerry Jason, Paul Ahern. Prisoners (The Dental Health Six) - - Dr. Smile, Duane Chadbourne; Miss Kindly, Sharon Peckham; Mrs. Worker, Lisa Theroux; Tommy Toothpaste, Brenden Normand; Bobby Toothbrush, William Couture; Candy Sweet, Susan Mellin. Jurors -- Amy Rhodes, Elise Coviello, Leigh Stalker, Laura Gates, Jacqueline Dupuis, Timothy Saba, Kelly Egan, Steven Mann, Gary Methot, John Olinsky. Stage Hands -- Christopher Henry and David Fay. The play was well received by pupils and parents alike.” CHURCHES OKAY MERGER PLAN “A plan of merger was unanimously approved by the members of the Bondsville United Methodist Church on April 29 and by the members of the Belchertown Methodist Church on May 15. The final decision concerning the merger will take place on June 3 when the combined all church-charge conference of the two churches will vote. Alan R. Wood, pastor of both churches, has announced the schedule for that day and has called on his parishioners to ‘mark the date June 3 today and plan to join us on this important day.’ He further went on to say, ‘this is a new beginning be part of it.’ The meeting will open at 11 a.m. in the Belchertown church.” From 15 Years Ago (May 28, 1998): EMPLOYEE OF THE YEAR GIVES CREDIT TO COLLEAGUES “Owen Maloney was honored at the Annual Town Meeting as employee of the year. He ways he was so surprised he failed to ‘give credit where credit is due.’ As Director of the Clapp Memorial Library he credits his success to both the library patrons and the library staff. In addition, he feels fortunate in working with the library trustees and the Belchertown Board of Selectmen who have challenged and supported him in his vision for the library. Patrons of the library have increasingly enjoyed a growing number of services offered by the library staff. Circulation has increased from 24,000 books in 1989 to 131,000 last year. The library receives 17,000 visits each week and Maloney says that patrons respond to services with genuine warmth and sincere gratitude. He says the library has gone from a sleepy little town library with a couple of best sellers to one with the ability to provide access to 5 million volumes plus multiple modern services. Online, Internet and CD ROM capabilities, as well as membership in the Central & Western Massachusetts Area Resource Sharing (C/WMARS) network allow patrons to receive interlibrary loans from as far as Anchorage, Alaska.” STUDENTS ORGANIZE TO HELP LANDMINE VICTIMS “Every twenty minutes a person is maimed or killed by a landmine with no access to medical treatment. A million new mines are laid each year, and even if landmines were banned, it would take hundreds of years to remove the millions of explosives already buried around the world. Students at Belchertown High School have begun collecting informa tion, funds, and below-the-knee prosthe ses to aid Nicaraguan amputees and to make students across Massachusetts aware of the global devastation caused by landmines. The project, called Operation First STEP (Students and Teachers Exporting Prosthetics), is a local grassroots effort begun by Shaun Bresnahan, a Global Studies teacher at Belchertown High School. The group works in conjunction with Transitional Resources Incorporated (TRI), a non-profit Worcester-based organization that provides creative, holistic aid to physically and mentally disabled people around the world.” Summer is jeep time Enjoy a Stress-free Buying Experience From Guzik – With The Best Service and Best Prices For Over 50 Years! 2014 JEEP Compass 2014 Grand Cherokee with Massachusetts. He, along with his fellow Republicans, opposes Wall Street reform, seeks to devastate Social Security and Medicare, opposes a ban on assault weapons, and cannot be trusted to protect women’s rights. Our choice is clear. Your vote is essential. Please vote Ed Markey to the U.S. Senate on June 25. Susan Knapp Belchertown, MA Support the cigarette tax increase To the Editor: LETTERS | from Page 6 SERVICES | from Page 5 10 a.m. beginning at the town hall and ending at the town common, followed by a ceremony. The guest speaker will be SMSgt Gary D. Smith, Assistant Chief Loadmaster of the 337 Airlift Squadron Westover ARB, MA. Organizations and individuals that We are writing in support of Governor Patrick’s proposed $1 cigarette tax increase, a proposal that also includes closing the loophole in the way other tobacco products, including those aggressively marketed to youth, are taxed. The Campaign for Tobacco Free Kids estimates that a $1.00 increase to the tobacco tax would save more than 27,000 young people from a lifetime of addiction to tobacco. That’s because when the price of tobacco goes up, it becomes less appealing to young people. Tobacco price increases, usually accomplished in the form of taxes, are a key strategy to decrease tobacco use among youth, according to the Surgeon General. It’s time to use this prevention strategy again. The last increase to Massachusetts’ cigarette tax was $1.00 in 2008 and the last tax increase on other tobacco products was a decade ago, in 2002. Of all states bordering Massachusetts, only New Hampshire has a lower cigarette tax. We have a responsibility to help prevent our young people from starting to smoke. An increase in the price of tobacco products would help to achieve this goal. Sincerely, Kevin Epstein, M.D. Northampton Jose M. Vinagre, M.D. Belchertown James. L. Mugford, M.D. Belchertown Denise Finn-Rizzo, DNP, FNP-BC. Belchertown would like to march in the parade must contact parade coordinator Ray Janke at: rjanke@belchertown.org or call 323-0409 before Wednesday, May 22. Anyone wishing to retire old flags may drop them off at the VFW, the Selectmen’s office, and/or the Veterans’ Agent office. please recycle this newspaper 2014 JEEP Patriot 2013 JEEP Wrangler ... at Guzik, there are never any doc fees or dealer prep fees, EVER!! PLUS, the lowest interest rates available! GUZIK MOTOR SALES Celebrating Our 51st Anniversary as a Family Owned Business! E. Main St., Rtes. 9 & 32, Ware Just Over the West Brookfi eld Line 413-967-4210 or 800-793-2078 www.guzikmotors.com
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May 23, 2013 PDF Edition - The Sentinel

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