About Us

The WHS Free Web Clinic is a “Work-Based Learning” project within the WHS Computer Science program of studies, where students design and manage individual and group projects. The Web Clinic team uses professional tools and work patterns, learning together and collaborating to build or upgrade websites for clinical clients. Though there is much to learn, each student brings strengths, wisdom, and experiences to the table.

The makeup and background of each year’s web team determines how many clients at what level of need we can serve over the course of the year. After reviewing the results of free consults, we select a small number of clients who are a good fit.

We specialize in WordPress, an open-source product with free and paid options. Hosting and fees for “plugins” and “themes” for a WordPress site range between $50 and $200/year. We recommend hosting, plugins and themes for each site, and clients purchase what they need directly. At the end of the academic year, clients may choose to take the work products to other developers, learn to work on their own, or hire our students as outside contractors to support their work.

After their first year, students are encouraged to join the WHS Reed Career Center Internship Program as individual contractors for fixed bids ($500 – $1,000 per site) or low rates ($25/hour, or $20/hour on 10-hour retainers), under the supervision of clinical director Bram Moreinis. Below, intern Muhammad Awais Shahid joins a delegation to the WPS School Committee, documented by the Westfield News:

Westfield High School student interns Kylee O’Grady, Morgan Harlin, Career Counselor Patty Healy, Chris Shea, Jack Stathatos and Muhammad Awais Shahid. Courtesy of The Westfield News

Mohammad Awais Shahid said he was in his second year interning at the school’s Free Web Clinic, in which students redesign and create websites for local businesses and organizations using WordPress. Shahid said it has helped him apply his knowledge to real-life situations, and he is more aware of the skills he needs to succeed in the field. He plans to go to college for cybersecurity, web design and development. “I’m excited to keep learning as I complete my placement,” he said.

Prior to joining WHS in 2023, Moreinis ran a summer program called Tech Scouts, doing similar clinical web work on a very accelerated timeline. Visit the Tech Scouts program website for a video about their work with three clients, and the subsequent launch of a student web company.

Moreinis started a web company in 2005 with ex-students and adult employees. Their company, Game Face Web Design, developed sites in Drupal and Moodle. Game Face also managed a pay-per-click search marketing and landing page management group called PPC Tarmac. He brings over two decades of web design, development and marketing practice to Westfield High School, and a passion for empowering young people through IT service learning.