FRANKLIN - The Tri-County Regional Vocational Technical High School Student Council has planned a fundraising event at Uno Chicago Grill, located in front of the Wrentham Village Premium Outlets off South Street (Route 1A), for Thursday, Oct. 22.

Uno has agreed to donate up to 20 percent of the total check of anyone who eats in or takes out food, provided customers use a special coupon.

Coupons can be picked up at the Tri-County main office and will also be mailed home to students. Requests for coupons may also be e-mailed to haney@tri-county.tc.

On the day of the fundraiser, the Student Council will also sponsor entertainment at the restaurant from 4 to 7 p.m. There will be characters in costumes, face painting, and other activities.

Uno Chicago Grill in Wrentham will be open from 11 a.m. to 11:30 p.m. on Oct. 22. Reservations can be made and take out orders may be placed by calling 508-384-3129. Medical interns

Two Tri-County Regional Vocational Technical High School Medical Careers students participated in prestigious internship programs this past summer. Robert Mershimer, now a senior, was one of only 10 students accepted into the Boston Children's Hospital Summer Internship Program.

Working alongside a mentor 24 hours a week, Mershimer learned about the delivery of health care and participated as a team member in the care of pediatric patients in the hospital.

Mershimer was on clinical rotation at Milford Hospital and worked towards obtaining his Certified Nursing Assistant license.

Junior William DaSilva was selected for the UMass Medical School Health Careers Program, where he lived on-campus for five weeks and participated in a program designed for students pursuing careers in the health care and science field.

DaSilva received academic enrichment in mathematics, language arts, communication skills, science, biology, and information technology and interning in assigned clinical and laboratory settings.

DaSilva has been class president and is active in Student Council and SkillsUSA.

Students attend congressional

leadership conference

Tri-County Engineering Technology senior Conor Hennessy of Millis attended the Congressional Student Leadership Conference (CSLC) on Engineering and Robotics this summer. During the 10-day conference, held at Franklin W. Olin College of Engineering in Needham, Hennessy explored dynamic technologies in a hands-on learning environment, competed in a series of engineering challenges, and participated in team building workshops. The CSLC also offered a robotics simulation, where Hennessy had the opportunity to design, construct, and program an automated machine. Hennessy is working on building a Hovercraft for his senior project.

A member of the National Honor Society, the chess team, and soccer team, he has also been involved in numerous community organizations including the charitable PluggedInBand of Needham and the Boston Fencing Club JV Team in Waltham. Hennessy plans to attend an engineering college upon graduation.

Enrichment programs

Tri-County held a Summer Academy Enrichment Program for incoming freshmen that was designed to prepare them for the academic and career technical programs they take during the school year. Also, students entering grades 7 and 8 spent a week exploring careers at Tri-County's Summer Camp.

The themed camps included hands-on programs in engineering, cosmetology, computer information systems, auto body, culinary arts, and carpentry.

Also, the school held three reading workshops for students who completed the school-wide reading assignment, "Dark Tide" by Stephen Puleo, a story about the Great Boston Molasses Flood of 1919. Puleo addressed all students in September. Students also had to complete English assignments related to the book.

This column is compiled by staff writer Stephen Peterson. Peterson can be reached at 508-236-0377 or via e-mail at speterson@thesunchronicle.com.