Sarah Jane Johansen, a recent graduate of Shawsheen Valley Technical High School, has been named one of three Massachusetts U.S. Presidential Scholars and the only CTE (Career and Technical Education) student to be recognized in the 2024 cohort.
U.S. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona revealed the list on May 9, selecting Johansen as one of only 161 recipients from a pool of more than 5,700 candidates nationwide.
In addition, Johansen is ranked number three in the graduating class of 326 students.
Although she lives in Billerica, Johansen has strong Bedford ties: she works at Diversified Technologies.*
Reflecting on her CTE journey, Johansen said, “My experience at Shawsheen has been amazing, especially because of the vocational education I received. My engineering teachers are fabulous. They’ve taught me so much about the field. Also, being able to participate in the cooperative education program and working at Diversified Technologies has been monumental as it has offered me real-world experience at such a young age.” She participated in the electronics/engineering program.
Johansen credits her career aspirations to her time at Shawsheen, highlighting the influence of instructors and staff. She underscores the invaluable opportunities and hands-on experience she acquired, which affirmed her decision to pursue a degree in mathematics with the goal of teaching high school math.
In addition to her academic honors, Johansen was named as Shawsheen’s Outstanding Vocational Student of the Year. She was a member of the National Honor Society, and a member of the esteemed National Technical Honor Society.
An athlete as well, she co-captained the varsity tennis team and was a swimming instructor for Shawsheen’s community pool. The virtual recognition ceremony for the Presidential Scholars will take place this summer.
About Shawsheen: Bedford is one of five towns whose students are eligible for admission to Shawsheen Valley Technical High School, founded in 1965. This year, Bedford had eight members in the graduating class. Bedford residents Nancy Asbedian and Brian O’Donnell serve on the Shawsheen School Board.
Shawsheen integrates academics with a range of more than 20 vocational-technical career pathways, ranging from Advanced Manufacturing Technology to Health Assisting. The school’s stated goals are “to educate young people for new and emerging occupations and to provide a high-quality, high school educational experience that respects and effectively equips students either to enter the respective trades as skilled workers and technicians or to competently pursue postsecondary educational opportunities.”
*Diversified Technologies, Inc. (DTI) specializes in the precision delivery of high voltage and high power for critical systems
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Who are the other two MA Presidential Scholars? And, where will Sarah Jane Johansen be going to college?