School News

The Protect Our Past film festival on Oct. 4 featured film screenings, special guests and film contest awards given out that honor local filmmakers and students. Monomoy Regional High School senior Solomon Antar won first place at the festival for his short film. Ellen Briggs and David Allen of Protect Our Past visited the high school to present Solomon with a certificate and the $500 first place prize. 

Festival entrants were asked to tell a powerful story about a historic home (75 or more years old) that was saved, needs saving, or is being restored; the preservation/conservation of Cape Cod’s architectural or cultural history; a historic house with a surprising or personal story; the restoration journey of a beloved structure; or how preservation links to conservation and sustainability.

Solomon’s film depicted historic homes in Sandwich, including the Hoxie House and the Wing Fort House. He studies digital media and film production with teacher Steve Cass at MRHS.

Protect Our Past is a nonprofit organization dedicated to safeguarding Cape Cod’s historic places, cultural heritage and community identity through education, advocacy and action. More about the group can be found at protectourpast.org.

Monomoy Regional School District is partnering with the Massachusetts Department of Education to investigate ways to bring Innovation Career Pathways to its schools. 

Innovation Career Pathways are community-designed programs that open doors to high-demand careers in the community. The goal is to open doors to exciting career opportunities, ensure equal access for all Monomoy students, and strengthen the local workforce for the future.

These pathways combine focused classroom learning with hands-on, real-world internship experiences, giving students the skills, knowledge, and confidence they need to take their next steps after high school. Each pathway is designed to connect students with in-demand industries across our region and state, while also ensuring equitable access for all by removing barriers to participation.

“Imagine graduating high school with real-world experience in a growing career field — ready to take on college, advanced training, or even an in-demand job right out of high school with confidence,” Robin Millen, Monomoy’s assistant superintendent of curriculum, instruction, and assessment, said in a press release. “That’s exactly what Monomoy’s Innovation Career Pathways program will be designed to do.” 

In partnership with the Massachusetts Department of Education, these new pathways will blend focused classroom instruction with hands-on internships, connecting students directly to industries that are in high demand locally and statewide. The program will expand on Monomoy’s current internship program, which placed more than 130 students in local positions during the last school year.

Monomoy will also be collaborating with state, county, and local governmental officials, local business leaders, and nonprofit and human services organizations. Their voices will lend a real-world perspective to help ensure that the pathways meet the needs of the community.

“This is more than a program — it’s a powerful step toward giving Monomoy students real choices for their future, while supporting a strong and thriving local economy,” said Millen.