Reality Fair 2022!

On October 20th, BDCC’s Pipelines and Pathways Program (P3)  partnered with Leland & Gray High School and the Windham Regional Career Center to host its first-ever Reality Fair!.

This thoroughly interactive, hands-on experience covered financial literacy and practical life skills all Windham County students need to confidently take their first steps into the adult world. We hope to make this an annual event! Read the Brattleboro Reforemer article and take a look at the awesome video created by Brattleboro Community Television for a deeper dive into this awesome event!

Many thanks to all our business and community volunteers, educators, and students! Looking forward to Reality Fair 2023!

This event was made possible, in part, by the Vermont Principal’s Association Mini-Monies Grant.

Financial Literacy Experience:

• Housing: Peter Elwell – Former Brattleboro Town Manager; Keith Nowak – Four Seasons Sotheby’s International Realty
• Transportation and Insurance: Melanie Dow, Dan Bacigalupo – Brattleboro Subaru; LeeAnn Jillson – Druke Insurance and West River Education District School Board Member; Caroline Trevarrow – HireAbility
• Cell Phone: Kristy Corey Birch – Windham Southwest Supervisory Union School Board Member
• Utilities: Sarah Shippee – Scott’s Clean Sweep/Deerfield Valley Rotary Club
• Groceries: Lisa Nichols – Brattleboro Food Coop; Mike Cosco – Putney General Store 
• Savings and Charitable Giving: Josh Roberts, Andrew George, Spencer Adams – Edward Jones
• Clothing and Uniforms: Julia Meges and Renee Woliver – Brattleboro Boys & Girls Club
• Pets: Kate Spaulding – Castleton State College; Keri Roberts – Windham County Humane Society; Kris Plante, Tofu-the-Dog – BDCC 
• Salon, Spa & Fitness: Lucy Imperatore – Nature Spa at Mount Snow – Vail Resorts; Cindy Dunigan – Rutland City Public Schools
• Entertainment and Dining Out: Maureen Drummey, Shannon McAvoy – Vail Resorts
• Financial Advisors: Cassie Kelley, Bob Davis , Tom Martyn, Kelly Wariner – Brattleboro Savings & Loan; Linda Alvarez – Windham Regional Career Center Business and Entrepreneurship Instructor; Lily Bingham, Tristan Evans, Mariah Fellows, Bronson Finnell, Jacob Girard, Matthew Gordon-Macey, Degan Gundry, Dylan Kayne Larey, Winter Nakos, Dorien Phillips – Windham, Brooke Evelyn Whelan – Windham Regional Career Center, Business Level II Students
• Wheel of Fortune: Brandy Reynolds – HireAbility; Karen Cornish – Hatch Space
• Part Time Jobs: Bob Brody – Deerfield Valley Rotary Club
• Photo Booth: Collier Shutter – HireAbility
• Hospitality Ambassador: Kathy Larsen – Twin Valley School Board; Sara Munro – VtSBDC 

Practical Life Skills Experience:

• Home Repair: John DiMatteo, Bill Sevigny – Windham Regional Career Center
• Cooking: Dave Spanierman – Windham Regional Career Center; Quinlan Forchion, Riley Dionne – WRCC Culinary Students 
• Car Maintenance: Amanda Crosby, Sam Perkins – Brattleboro Subaru
• Local Government and Registering to Vote: Karen Horn – Vermont League of Cities and Towns; Ellenka Walsun-Lott, Connie Holt – Townshend Town Offices
• Library Services: Karen LaRue – Townshend Public Library; Jeanne Walsh, Jeni Clary, Beth Johnson, Chloe Liotta-Jones –  Brooks Memorial Library 
• Forestry: Erold Nelson – Windham Regional Career Center
• Gardening: James Mayer – Grateful Greens
• Personal Banking: Kayla Joyce, Olympia Burke  – 802 Credit Union; Leah Murdock, Jon Blouin – Brattleboro Savings & Loan
• Preventative Healthcare: Becky Steele, Jean Hodsden – Windham Regional Career Center; Jennifer Newman, Sarah Howard – Grace Cottage Hospital
• Entrepreneurship & Tying a Tie: Natty Hussey – BDCC; John Doty – Former Principal at BFUHS and Whitingham School
• Safety: Emily Wilson, Asher Clark, Zach Gilbeau- Rescue, Inc.
• Unsolicited Advice: Meg Streeter – Meg Streeter Real Estate ; Laura Sibilia – BDCC

Businesses Providing Swag and Snacks: Anne Meyer – Fulflex ; Alaina Danner, Alex Bloomer, Mitch Sibley-Jeff, Katelyn Mcvety C&S Family of Companies; Stephanie Castine, Erica Blake, Kyle McCarthy – Commonwealth Dairy; Robyn Lucius – Against the Grain

Vendors: Michael Cavanaugh – Cavanaugh Photography; Austin Rice, Cor Trowbridge – BCTV; Sara Munro – VtSBDC; Tom Bodett, Lars Hasselblad – Hatch Space; Lindsey – West River Transportation; Cathy Morse – Twin Valley Transportation; Renee Prue – Bellows Falls Union High School Transportation; Jake Gallogly – Windham Central Culinary; Lonny Paige – TV Culinary; Harley Sterlin – BFUHS Culinary ; Ali West – BUHS/WRCC Culinary

SCHOOL Administrators and Educators

• Special Thanks to – LGHS: Bill Anton, Bob Thibault, Terry Davison Berger, Sarah Grasso, Kayla Anthony, Nan Hyde, Chris Barton, Bruce Whitman, Luis Vargas, Phoebe Connolly
• Special Thanks to – WRCC: Nancy Wiese, Kim Freeman, Orlando Alvarez , Kristin Vicere, Rhonda Winegarner (and all your presenters at the Practical Skills Experience listed above!)
• BFUHS: Heather Waryas, Mark Gebo, Andrea Carlson 
• TVHS: Erin Lovett Sherman, MK Simpson, Alex Gadway, Denise Piffard; Bonnie Haug – HireAbility

BDCC Employees: Adam Grinold, Kate Harris, Laura Sibilia, Natty Hussey, Jen Stromsten, Nick Plante , Kris Plante, Tofu-the-Dog, Cristy Careterro, Regan Dobbins, Casey Haynes, Alex Beck, Amir Samar, Daveq Anderson, Dan Marine, Chris Perkins, Meg Staloff, Bobbi Kilburn, Christy Betit