EAST PROVIDENCE — If you’re inclined to add a touch of “Townie Pride” to your Christmas cheer this holiday season, you’re in luck as the Career and Tech Center offers an East Providence-themed ornament for sale starting at the Thanksgiving Day football game between the high school and rival LaSalle at Pierce Stadium, November 26.
The ornament is part of a fundraising effort by the CTC for its annual participation in the SkillsUSA competition, a series of events held both locally and nationally where vocational students present their creations. The final product was also part of an in-school competition between EPCTC students.
Ty O’Neill, a 2015 graduate, produced the winning design, a diamond-shaped glass ornament embossed with a linear “EP” in the red and white colors of the school with gold accent.
“I don’t know exactly why, but I always see lines when I see ‘EP,'” Ty said of his design. “I actually had two designs. The diamond one was the first and I also had one that was more 3D (three dimensional). And, of course, it had to be red and white. And then when (ChemArt) added the gold, I liked that as well. It added a nice shine to it.
“It’s a simple design really. I didn’t want to go too far with it. I think it worked out really well.”
As CTC design instructor Deila Nelson explained, the process was initiated by ChemArt, a Lincoln-based company that creates and manufactures souvenirs, ornaments and gifts among other kinds of keepsakes. The company was seeking to work with local high school students on an ornament project and reached out to EPCTC Principal Karen Mellen.
In the fall of 2014, the CTC Graphic Communications Level Four class toured the ChemArt facility and learned first hand about the process of creating an ornament from idea to production. Back in the classroom, each student began to create a vision of the ornament design. The process included sketching out ideas on paper and then creating a version of their design in Adobe Illustrator.
Once each student created an electronic version of their ornament, they presented it to their peers, who voted on the top five designs, which were those of O’Neill, Amanda Crawley, Haley Sisto, Nicholas Champagne and Thomas Brasil.
Those students then presented their ideas to teachers, guidance counselors and administrators at the CTC, where the top three designs were chosen to be sent to ChemArt’s art department for final revisions. Its art director, Kim Fyfe, rendered a design for all three. A final vote took place, the decision was made, a sample was created and Ty’s winning design was sent to production.
The initial run of ornaments included “EPCTC Class of 2015,” and those were sold at graduation last spring. Considering that success, it was determined to offer more of the ornaments with only the “EP” for sale this holiday season.
The ornaments cost $10 apiece. Besides being offered on Thanksgiving, the public can purchase the ornaments on Mondays and Tuesdays from 7:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. at the CTC office from December 1 through December 22. All of the proceeds derived from their sale will be used to augment EPCTC students’ participation in SkillsUSA events this term.
On a side note, Ty O’Neill is currently attending the Community College of Rhode Island in Warwick where he is taking his General Studies courses. He said his plan is to graduate then transfer to the University of Rhode Island where he intends to study either photography or graphics.
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