Senior Spotlight–Avery Hohengasser–West Bridgewater
Avery Hohengasser is a senior in the Computer and Electronics Engineering vocational program. (Courtesy photo)
Avery Hohengasser is recognized as a Class of 2023 Senior in the Spotlight.
Hohengasser is a senior in the Computer and Electronics Engineering vocational program. She chose to follow Computer and Electronics Engineering at Southeastern because of its pursuit of innovation and invention. Hohengasser has always enjoyed problem-solving and saw this program as an outlet to do so.
Her favorite experience in the vocational program was competing in SkillsUSA Engineering Technology. The first year she competed, her team created an automatic candle lid that was controlled by the user’s heartbeat so that when it dropped to a resting rate, the lid would flip over the candle and extinguish the flame. This design was meant to be used to solve house fires started by candles. With this prototype, the team placed first at states and moved on to place fifth at nationals.
The second year she competed, her team created a heated chimney liner that keeps the flue at a temperature in which the smoke cannot cool or condense, therefore stopping the build-up of the highly combustible compound of creosote. With this prototype, her team placed first at states and 11th at nationals.
While at Southeastern, she worked in a co-op position at Double E Company. She was also involved in indoor and outdoor track and field, serving as captain her junior and senior years, as well as cross country, the Massachusetts Interscholastic Athletic Association (MIAA) Student Ambassador Program, newspaper club, class office, SkillsUSA, National Honor Society and the student athletic advisory board.
Following graduation, she plans to attend the United States Air Force Academy where she will study aerospace engineering. Following her studies, she plans to serve in the Air Force while pursuing a master’s in aerospace engineering. She would like to end her career working for NASA and pursuing a Ph.D. in rocket science.
Her advice to freshmen is: “Get involved in extracurriculars and/or SkillsUSA. They are a great outlet to grow your resume as well as build character and career skills, and allow you to get to know other people from different shops who you might not talk to otherwise.”
Southeastern’s Senior Spotlight honorees are chosen based on their high academic and vocational achievement. Seniors are selected from each of the nine towns Southeastern serves and are highlighted prior to graduation, which will be held this year on June 7.
Madelyn Hedges, John Guilfoil Public Relations LLC