Thrusha Puttaraju was recognized by the School Committee for her efforts to distribute socks to homeless people in Boston.

Hopkinton High School senior Thrusha Puttaraju was recognized by the School Committee during its Dec. 5 meeting for her work to bring some warmth and comfort to homeless individuals in Boston.

Last year while visiting Boston with her family, Puttaraju encountered a number of homeless people living on the streets in the cold New England winter.

“It really empowered me to do something about it,” she told the School Committee.

Puttaraju took it upon herself to contact sock companies asking for donations for this worth cause. It wasn’t long before one company — Bombas — responded with a donation of 1,000 pairs of socks.

Bombas is a company that strives to “make an impact on our community by donating a pair of socks for every pair sold” according to its website. Although she was hoping for the donation, Puttaraju said she was shocked when she received the shipment.

“I was a little overwhelmed,” Puttaraju said of the large donation. She then contacted the Boston Police Department in order to help distribute the socks to people in need.

“I knew that by giving them to the Boston Police Department, they would have the resources to distribute them to homeless individuals and families,” she said.

Now that the socks have been sent to Boston, Puttaraju hopes to continue to help those who are in need by gathering other essential items such as toothpaste and soap.

School Committee members and Superintendent Dr. Carol Cavanaugh commended Puttaraju for her good work and efforts.

Residents on Keefe Tech honor roll

Keefe Tech announced its honor roll for Term 1, and a number of Hopkinton residents were recognized. Receiving honors were: seniors Francesca Shay and Erika Williams, junior Gabrielle Buentello, sophomores Michael Duffy, Evan Larson, Alexis Manchester and Jake Shepard, and freshmen Delia Avery and Nicholas Souza.

Keefe Tech is a public regional technical high school in Framingham that serves students from Ashland, Framingham, Holliston, Hopkinton and Natick.

Integrated Preschool lottery Feb. 6

Applications for the Hopkinton Integrated Preschool are due by Feb. 1. The preferred method is to complete the application online. The link is on the preschool homepage. If needed, applicants can print out the form and mail it to Kim Sullivan at Hopkinton Integrated Preschool, 129 Hayden Rowe Street, Hopkinton, MA 01748.

The lottery will take place prior to the Feb. 6 School Committee meeting, and will be televised live by HCAM. Results will be posted on the preschool website within 24 hours of the drawing.

Families will have one month from the notice of acceptance to secure their spot with a non-refundable deposit.

Applications received after Feb. 1 will not be part of the lottery but will be added to the waitlist in the order received.

Applicants must be Hopkinton residents and abide by preschool age guidelines.

For more information, email kisullivan@hopkinton.k12.ma.us.

Military History Essay Contest

The Association of the United States Army is joining with local sponsors Phipps Insurance Agency and UniBank to hold a Military History Essay Contest for high school students who are residents of Hopkinton.

Winners will receive scholarships worth $1,000 (first place), $500 (second) or $250 (third).

The essays will be evaluated by a distinguished panel that includes Joseph DePinto, CEO of 7-Eleven and a civilian aide to the secretary of defense, state Rep. Carolyn Dykema and local Vietnam veteran Hank Allessio. Essays are due by Feb. 1, and winners will be announced on Memorial Day.

For more information, email hopmilhistory@gmail.com.

TEC internship info sessions

Registration for The Education Cooperative’s summer 2020 Internship and Career Exploration Program opens Jan. 15. Applications will be accepted through April, with internship placements distributed on a first-come, first-serve basis.

The program, open to students who have completed at least two years of high school as of summer 2020, is for individuals looking for an opportunity to explore a career while considering their post-secondary education options. Students are required to complete 60 hours of work over four consecutive weeks during the summer.

Interested students and families are invited to attend an information session over the next three months in various Metrowest locations.

The Education Cooperative is a Massachusetts educational collaborative and 501(c)(3) non-profit organizations that serves 15 area towns, including Hopkinton.

For more information, visit tec-coop.org and follow the link to “internships” or email Emily Manz at emanz@tec-coop.org.