When Noah Paquette was 13, he hyperextended his knee in a trampoline accident. A torn ACL, MCL, and meniscus meant surgery and extensive physical therapy. “I’m fully healed now, thanks to PT,” Noah shared. “But it was a really important part of my day and my week, that time I took to ge t better. And it was so hard. I loved it though and it’s what really inspired me to pursue exercise science in college,” he added.  Now a junior at the University of Vermont (UVM), Noah is focused on health sciences, working toward becoming a physical therapist. His interest in movement extends beyond the classroom—he’s always active in his free time, whether he’s playing lacrosse, snowboarding, or swimming in Lake Champlain during the summer. Dual enrollment, family encouragement, and community support helped Noah get ahead  Noah will graduate from UVM next year and then go on to pursue the degree he’ll need to earn licensure as a physical therapist. He is a year ahead of most students his age, having entered college with dual enrollment credits, Advanced Placement coursework, and completing additional required credits through Community College of Vermont (CCV). “I had this really amazing experience at Burlington Tech Center,” Noah said. “They treat students like they’re already college students and I absorbed so much. With dual enrollment, I was able to take language classes through UVM, and through Community College of Vermont I was able to cover an English credit I need for my degree now. Those opportunities really prepared me for college level work.” Noah’s family is close-knit. He’s the middle sibling of three brothers; all three boys are benefiting from VSAC’s assistance. “I took it on myself to really impress on my little brother, Joel, how important the process with VSAC is,” Noah shared.  Noah credits VSAC with helping him understand all his options—a process that began in sixth grade when he worked with VSAC Outreach Counselor Soren Dewes through VSAC’s Talent Search program. “It felt really far in the future at the time,” he remembers, “but those steps were really important, especially being able to learn and explore at a young age so that by the time I got to the time where I really needed to be making some decisions in high school, I’d already been thinking about it for so long that the decisions were easier.”   Noah’s parents encouraged him and his brothers to go to college, but they made it clear it was ultimately their own decision. Riley, Noah’s older brother, worked with Soren as well, and ultimately went to Southern Maine Community College.  “Burlington is in my blood” In addition to Burlington Tech Center, Noah attended Burlington High School (BHS) during the pandemic. He experienced high school as a remote student and in BHS Downtown. The way he describes it, Burlington is in his blood. The local connection and family ties he’s able to lean on in college made the decision to attend UVM the right one. Financial aid and in-state tuition made it easy.  “I applied to about ten schools,” Noah remembers. “Soren was right there, looking over my drafts, taking me on college tours, and making sure I had a head start on everything.” Thanks to that extra help, Noah felt like he was done with the application process before his classmates were even thinking about their essays. “Starting early brought the stress of the process down and really helped me think about things in a way where I had the time to figure out what I wanted to do,” he added.  Noah also applied to college the year the FAFSA changed. The financial aid cycle was delayed; Noah waited a long time for his financial aid packages and only had a few weeks to make a decision. “But I had Soren with me, who knew what to do every step of the way,” he shared. “I maybe took it for granted at the moment, but understanding what some of my friends’ processes had been, I really see what a difference it made for me.”  Now, Noah is treasurer of the exercise science club at UVM. He’s been able to complete multiple internships, including under a personal trainer at Premier Strength and Performance and in finance at Champlain Investment Partners. He’s interested in opening his own PT practice someday, so the opportunity to build up a cross section of business and finance skills felt like the right move.  Noah is living at home, saving on room and board. There is no doubt he has a full plate, taking 18 or more credits per semester, doing his senior capstone a year ahead, and working about 20 hours each week at a local event venue. He’s motivated by the opportunity to graduate early, and excited to expand his horizons with graduate school and the future he’s shaping for himself. Between classes, work, and planning ahead, Noah is making the most of his time, steadily building the future he wants, supported by the community around him. The Vermont Student Assistance Corp. was created by the Vermont Legislature in 1965 as a public nonprofit agency. We advocate for Vermont students and their families to ensure that they have the tools they need to achieve their education and training goals. We create opportunities for all Vermont students, but particularly for those—of any age—who believe that the doors to education are closed to them. Growing families save for education with VT529, Vermont’s official 529 savings program. To help Vermonters plan and pay for college or job training, our counselors work with students in nearly every Vermont middle school and high school, and are also available to work with adults. Our grant, scholarship, and workforce development programs create opportunity, help students re-skill or learn new skills, and grow the economy. VSAC’s loan, loan refinance, and loan forgiveness programs provide competitive education financing to students and families. Find us at www.vsac.org or visit Facebook, Instagram, or LinkedIn. Read the story on VTDigger here: A childhood accident inspired Noah to pursue a career as a physical therapist. ...read more read less