Students in Rob Lemay's Building Construction class at the Wildwood Education Center recently constructed two new dugouts at the Canaseraga Central School baseball fields. The installation was the final phase of a project that began last school year, when the first two of four total dugouts were built.

"Students researched different ways and materials for dugout construction and created quotes for the job," said Lemay. "This was an excellent real-work learning experience for them."

The dugouts were fabricated in the shop at Wildwood, then disassembled, transported to Canaseraga and reassembled on site.

Landon Gilbert, one of two students in Lemay's class who are on the Canaseraga baseball team, enjoyed working on a project that will benefit his teammates and school. "It was great to be able to work on a project at my school," he said. "The dugouts look so much better than what we had before and I’m happy I had a part in it."

Students in John Forenz's Automotive Technology class on the Wildwood campus in Hornell are learning every aspect of auto repair, from routine maintenance to complete engine overhauls.

High school juniors and seniors travel from their home schools in the greater Hornell area to attend this class, either in the morning or the afternoon of each school day. In this modern, well-equipped garage, students get hands-on experience in auto maintenance, suspension, steering, brakes, NYS inspections, engine repair, drive lines, fuel systems, auto electrical systems, ignition systems, 4-wheel alignment, computer system operation and troubleshooting. Classroom learning is combined with hands-on experience.

"My classes are very full this year," said Instructor John Forenz. "The junior class is full of energy and very excited for the hands-on learning. The seniors are serious and dedicated to getting the job done."

Auto Technology is a popular CTE program offered on all three GST BOCES campuses. Students get to work on many types of cars and trucks in a setting similar to an actual auto repair business. After graduation, students are technically trained to step into any number of auto specialities. Career possibilities include engine technician, master mechanic, parts manager or shop owner, just to name a few.

Seniors at Addison Central School got a reality check recently about life after graduation, thanks to a program presented by Corning Credit Union and the Career Development Council called "Mad City Money." This simulation teaches basic money management in a safe, fun setting.

Participants were assigned a personal profile, complete with salary, student loan debt, credit card debt and payments for medical insurance. Some were assigned a spouse and children. Students had to decide their priorities and move around stations to buy:
    • Housing
    • Transportation
    • Food
    • Clothing
    • Household necessities
    • Daycare and
    • Entertainment.

In this photo, a "married couple" is tempted into buying a new car by high school teacher Brett VanWoert.

"I'm happy my school is trying to prepare me for the life in addition to just academic subjects," said one participant. "I've found it's harder to budget money than you might think."

Mad City Money is just one program the CDC coordinates for area high school students. The CDC is a community partnership with business, industry and education. Staff provide career exploration activities for students and educators in order to enhance classroom learning and ensure future workplace success for students.

The Bush Campus Culinary Arts class recently received a $100 donation from the Horseheads Rotary Club. This gift will be used to help fund entrance fees to culinary competitions, including the annual regional SkillsUSA and ProStart competitions.

The Horseheads Rotary Club and the Bush campus Culinary class have a long-standing collaborative relationship. Once a year, Culinary students prepare a luncheon for the Rotary Club on campus. Each year on Election Day, students assist with Rotary's spaghetti dinner fundraiser.

In this photo, left, is Horseheads Rotary Club President Brenda Benza. On the right is Culinary Arts Instructor Karen Mecum. Accepting the donation, center, is Nate Wandell, a senior at Horseheads High School who was recently accepted into the Culinary Institute of America.

Culinary Arts is a popular CTE program offered at all three GST BOCES campuses. After completing this two-year program, students can either enter the workforce directly in food service, or have a jump start in attending college for the culinary arts.

Cosmetology is one of the most popular Career and Technical Education classes offered to area high school students on all three GST BOCES campuses. Without any out-of-pocket educational expense - which means no student loan debt - students who attend this two-year program during their junior and senior years of high school are ready for a career after graduation as a beautician, hair stylist or barber.

In this photo, a junior from Jennifer Wacenske's class at the Bush campus is styling a friend's hair in the newly-remodeled Bush campus salon classroom. Eleventh-graders learn the basics during their first year. Because this is a 1,000-hour program, juniors are required to attend a summer training program to gain clinical experience before entering their senior year to complete advanced studies in hair, skin and nail care.

During their senior year, students learn advanced hair shaping and styling, permanent waving, coloring, straightening, waxing and facials. Students perform many hours of practice on mannequin heads before advancing to working on actual clients. This program prepares students to take the New York State Cosmetology Licensing Exam. Cosmetology also is offered to adults through BOCES Adult Education and Career Services. The tuition for the adult program is $8,400.

Recently Karen Mecum, CTE Culinary Arts instructor on the Bush campus, learned that the National Restaurant Association Education Foundation was accepting submissions for a national video. The NRAEF invited ProStart classrooms like hers to create a short video clip featuring their program. Creators of selected clips will win $250.

Mecum contacted fellow Bush Audio Media Instructor Allen Orshal, whose students are learning video production. The instructors decided to put the students in charge of the project.

The final product of this collaboration can be seen here: http://vimeo.com/77970398.

Culinary students held a rehearsal to practice what they wanted to say and to determine what would be in the background and how long the clip would be. When they were ready, Audio Media students served as cameraman, boom mike operator and director. The clip was submitted and students are waiting to hear if it was selected for the national video.

ProStart is a special program for high school students learning culinary skills that teaches safe food service practices, sponsors contests and produces curriculum for culinary programs throughout the United States. Winning funds would be deposited to a Student Activities account and used for class expenses such as entrance fees for culinary competitions.

Animal Science, the newest GST BOCES CTE program, teaches students all aspects of small animal care. The current unit includes the study of lagomorphs, herbivore mammals that include pikas, hares and rabbits. In this photo, three students are socializing with different breeds of rabbits, which have now taken up residence in the classroom along with a growing number of other small animals.

"I love it. It's a very hands-on class," said Gabbi, a Southside High School junior enrolled in the class. "We're learning about their bone structures, their muscles and the care they need. It's a lot of fun." Gabbi plans to become a veterinary technician assistant, and is even considering becoming a veterinarian if she decides she wants to go further with her education.

"Our animal population is growing," said Instructor Jessakka Schermerhorn. "We have rabbits, a gecko, guinea pigs and now assorted fish, with more to come."

Animal Science is currently offered only at the Bush campus. It teaches students proper care, handling, feeding, cleaning and grooming of small animals, including care for sick animals and much more. The pilot class is full, with 15 students enrolled in the morning session and 16 students in the afternoon session. The curriculum is a combination of in-class learning as well as field trips to area vet clinics, grooming/boarding facilities, kennels and shelters.

Students from the New Visions Education and Human Services class recently assisted Elmira Physical Education Teacher Jill Dunphy by giving young students physical education assessments. In this photo, three New Visions students are working on assessments with two students at Fassett Elementary.

"Having these students help with this testing makes the process so much easier for me," said Dunphy, who teaches phys. ed. at both Fassett and Beecher Elementary Schools. "Everything was run so efficiently and my students love interacting with this great group of high-schoolers."

"This is 'win-win' for everyone involved," said Kelly Smith New Vision Health and Human Services instructor. "My students not only helped Ms. Dunphy with the enormous task of testing many children in a few days, but they, in return, received the opportunity to interact with children of all ages. My students also get to go back in the spring to do the post-assessments. It's great learning for them on so many levels. They get to examine the data and measure the children's growth from fall to spring."

New Visions courses are designed for accelerated, college-bound seniors. In Education and Human Services, students experience hands-on career exploration in a wide variety of education and human services settings, encouraging both independent and cooperative learning. Classroom time is balanced with many on-site rotations at local schools and community agencies. New Visions Health and Human Services is offered only on the Bush campus.