Electrical shop builds core values

by Cyrus Oakes, '25

The electrical program, located on the 5th floor of C building, is one of the 14 CTE programs at Somerville High School. The program runs on a few main virtues: family, progress, and competition. 

Students do everything they can to weave connections within the group, from extensive group projects to the Hawaiian shirt Friday tradition, which they are looking to expand throughout the rest of the school, all to promote the virtue of family.

Progress is the second core ideal. Over the summer, Mr. Oliveira, students, and others worked on redesigning the physical space and the program. They completely redesigned the room to accommodate a new and expansive curriculum, and to influence connections between the students. 

Lastly: competition. The program believes that intense but friendly competition is key to growth. That's why this year saw the introduction of The Electrical Decathlon, where students compete in ten elements throughout the year and the curriculum to win a trophy. 

The trophy, which was created and built at SHS in collaboration with other CTE programs, will have the names of winning students engraved upon it. The trophy can fit twenty-five names to mark the first twenty-five years of the Decathlon, a tradition built to last.