Aggie Student Wins Statewide Recognition

Reprinted from the Salem Evening News article by Amanda McGregor Tuesday April 11, 2006

David Noseworthy’s fear of heights did not stop him from climbing his way to success — sometimes as high as 70 fee to prune tree branches.

Such activities are all in a school day’s work for Noseworthy who won statewide recognition as a top vocational student of the year. Noseworthy, 17, is a senior majoring in landscape design at Essex Agricultural and Technical High School.

“Sometimes I don’t feel like it show—all the hard work I do—but now this shows that I’ve accomplished a lot,” said Noseworthy, who is from Peabody. “it’s a pretty good feeling.”

Noseworthy plans to work in computer-aided design, using software programs to create landscapes. He has applied to a few colleges, including UMass Boston and North Shore Community College, where he was accepted as a computer science major. He hasn’t yet decided where he’ll go.

“Computers in general have kind of been a hobby of mine,” Noseworthy said. “I think it’s definitely possible (I will) have a business where I would do the design and contract the actual work. I definitely want to go to college.”

Every year each vocational high school in the state (there are 47) nominates one student as best vocational student of the year. The Massachusetts Association of Vocational Administrators hosted the awards ceremony on Thursday night in Worcester. Noseworthy attended with his family and Essex Aggie Vice Principal Gene Demsey.

“David works very hard to achieve the grades he gets in both the academic and vocational classes,” said Demsey, noting Noseworthy is ranked second in his class of just over 100 kids. “He’s a great young man to work with.”

Beyond this award, Noseworthy has made his mark on the campus including several stone walls and a walkway that he and his classmates constructed. Noseworthy said he found himself enjoying all of his classes at the Aggie, even in topics he presumed would be either boring or too difficult.

“Irrigation was rely cool. It was interesting to see how it all works,” said Noseworthy during an interview last week as he walked around the rolling hills of the Aggie campus, located off Route 62. “It involves simple math, and I actually thought it was really interesting and fun.”

Come June, for the third summer in a row, Noseworthy will work for the local landscaping company Landcare Inc., which has fueled his love for the trade.

“You’re doing a good thing for other people because you’re pretty much creating a beautiful landscape for people,” he said.

Noseworthy attended Higgins Middle School in Peabody before he enrolled at Essex Aggie as a freshman. He lives on Northend Street with his parents and his younger sister and brother.