Graduation is just around the corner for Dartmouth high schoolers, including the four who are looking to graduate among the top of their class from Greater New Bedford Vocational Technical High School on Friday, June 6.

Taking the third spot in the top 10 is Heather Vaconcelos — a dedicated student in the Architectural Design shop. She will be attending Florida Atlantic University, where she plans to study Architecture. 

Vaconcelos danced competitively from her freshman through junior year, showcasing her creativity and discipline. One of her favorite memories from Voc-Tech is attending sports games with friends, where she built lasting relationships and enjoyed the vibrant school spirit.

Aydyn Santos was ranked seventh in the school as a student in the Electrical Technology shop. He plans to attend Bunker Hill Community College as part of the Electric Power Utility Technology Program through Eversource. 

Aydyn is said to be a well-rounded student-athlete who has played football all four years, serving as team captain. He also competed in winter and spring track as well as lacrosse. 

Like Vaconcelos, the friendships Santos built during his time at the school stand out as most cherished, having spent time with the same group of peers across sports, AP classes and shop.

Eighth place was taken by Whitney Berger, an accomplished student in the Visual Design shop, who plans to attend UMass Dartmouth to study Graphic Design. 

Whitney participated in the Voc-Tech Theatre Company, Business Professionals of America, National Honor Society and continued her passion for dance outside of school.

She said she appreciates the supportive community within her shop, where she built lasting connections and honed her creative skills.

Jacob Rocha took ninth place as a student from the Electrical Technology shop. He plans to attend UMass Dartmouth to pursue a degree in Electrical Engineering. 

Jacob’s extracurricular involvement includes the Origami Club, Drama Club and three memorable years as the beloved Bear Mascot, where he brought spirit and energy to pep rallies and football games. 

He also represented the school at the national SkillsUSA competition in Industrial Motor Controls. Of all his experiences, Jacob says being the mascot has been the most rewarding, allowing him to spread joy and school pride throughout the community.