CTE students from Jim Danna's Auto Body class on the Bush Campus recently repaired and repainted the Horseheads Central School District's horse mascot, used for parades and sporting events. The horse was painted tan to represent a palomino, with details like the mane, hooves and eyes left for a district retiree to do by hand.

"This is the second time we re-did the horse," said Jim Danna. "It's made of fiberglass, and it gets cracks and holes. We did it in 2002, and back then it was in really bad shape. This time it wasn't so bad."

Students also upgraded the horse's special trailer, from an old four-wheel type with no suspension system, that could only go about 20 miles per hour, to a new one with two wheels and springs. This will help preserve this unique 11-foot sculpture when being transported.

Auto Body Repair is a Career and Technical Education Program offered to area high school students on all three GST BOCES campuses. This is a project-based program for students who want to learn everything about this skilled trade, from basic surface preparation to complete collision repair. This includes frame alignment, panel replacement, MIG and oxyacetylene welding and cutting, along with the latest in painting technology.

"This was a good project for the students," said Danna. "It motivated them to do something fun and different."

For the first time in the history of a BOCES Automotive Technology class at the Bush campus, girls make up almost half of the class. CTE instructor Dom Peter's afternoon Auto Tech class consists of six girls and seven boys this year. In this photo, the girls -- all high school juniors -- gathered in front of Kim's 1969 Chevelle Malibu, taking a break from changing the drum brakes.

"I've been teaching this class for 21 years, and in the past there have been maybe two or three girls in a class, so this is a first," said Peters. "Guess it's a sign of the times." Peters said that learning car repair can be a career in itself… or a launching point for another, more advanced career in technology or assembly. "If you're capable of working with your hands, you can work just about anywhere," he said.

"I love it! It's fun," said Kim, a 17-year old junior from Waverly High School. She's not sure if it's her career choice, but it's something she enjoys learning. "It's a possibility for something to do to get me through college."

Automotive Technology is one of more than 20 Career and Technical Education Programs offered at GST BOCES. Coursework in this class teaches students maintenance, suspension, steering, brakes, NYS inspection, engine repair, drive lines, fuel systems, electrical systems, ignition systems, alignment, computer system operation and troubleshooting.

Students in Mary Ellen Dropp's New Visions Medical class at the Wildwood Campus recently visited the Maternity Unit at St. James Mercy Hospital in Hornell, N.Y. The CTE program students are now undergoing clinical rotations at some 20 sites as part of their exploration of the health care field.

At St. James, they were recently assigned to work with nurses and other hospital staff and learn all aspects of the labor and delivery process. In this photo, a New Visions student gives a newborn baby its first bath.

According to CTE Program Instructor Mary Ellen Dropp, this is one the largest New Visions Medical classes she has taught, with 17 students this year. To learn more about this program, click here.

New Visions courses are designed for motivated, accelerated, college-bound seniors. This intensive program allows students to visit every type of local health care facility and learn about practices including veterinary medicine, nursing, psychiatry, lab technician, nutrition, dentistry, occupational and physical therapy, chiropractic medicine and more.

The GST BOCES Print Shop and Science Center recently moved from their old College Avenue address in Elmira to their new location at 3153 Lake Road, Horseheads. The building, which was formerly Aldi Foods, was completely updated and renovated to suit the needs of both services.

"We really like that it's bright and well-lit," said Kathleen Graves, Print Shop Supervisor. "The parking is very convenient, we have automatic doors and our loading docks are easily accessible. It's a lot easier to move pallets throughout the shop."

The Print Shop and Science Center can be called directly with a four digit extension within the BOCES and school districts on the VOIP phone system. Dial ext. 1810 for the Print Shop, ext. 1811 for Kathleen Graves, Print Shop Supervisor, ext. 1812 for the Science Center and ext. 1813 for Dan Fitch, Science Center Coordinator. From outside the BOCES phone systems, call 734-4937 for the Print Shop and 734-1583 for the Science Center.

Area business owners who work in the construction trades are invited to the GST BOCES Bush Campus in early February to meet with and interview students looking for work.

The annual Construction Trades Employers' Day will beheld on Thursday, Feb. 9, from 8:30 a.m. to noon in Building 1.

These are mock interviews intended to give the students experience in the interview process, however employers seeking to hire trained staff can come to the campus and meet students graduating in June, who will be entering the workforce. These students are from four Career and Technical Education (CTE) programs:

1. Building Construction -- students in this class literally build a house from the floor up each year.
2. Diesel Equipment Technology -- students in this class are trained to repair heavy equipment.
3. Conservation -- students in this class learn many outdoor skills, including wildlife and forestry management, surveying, chain saw operation, land/water/soil conservation and heavy equipment operation.
4. Welding -- students in this class learn all aspects of welding and metal fabrication.

Students are trained in safety and given hours of hands-on experience, preparing them for the workforce right out of high school. Instructors will attend and be available for references.

The event includes a luncheon and registration is required. To register, contact Carolyn Connelly, Work Experience Coordinator, at (607) 739-3581, ext. 1234. Click here for the flier with details.

CTE students enrolled in the Early Childhood Education program spend about half of their time learning about childhood development, and the other half implementing lessons they have created and interacting with preschool children, according to class instructor Amy Warner. This CTE program is only offered at the Bush Campus. The classroom is adjacent to an EOP Head Start program for preschool children. Seniors do rotations at additional sites two days a week, including other Head Start centers, universal pre-k and kindergarten classes, as well as area daycare centers.

"This is the perfect program for high school students who have a passion for working with children." said Warner, who has taught the class for eight years. "Many of my graduating students have gone on to college for Early Childhood Ed. Some reaffirmed that they were a step ahead of the other students because of this class."

This two-year program prepares graduates to work as early childhood assistants, nannies, teachers' aides or start day care centers right out of high school. However, most graduates go on to college, taking advantage of articulation agreements with CCC and other regional colleges, giving them a jump start on national requirements for CDA - Child Development Association - certification. This is one of more than 20 Career and Technical Education Programs offered at GST BOCES.

In this photo, Coopers Campus CTE students taking Automotive Technology learn how to check for voltage drop in the electrical system of an engine. The class is taught by Jim DeKoeyer, whose classroom is a modern garage with state-of-the-art diagnostic equipment, comparable to that used in the auto service industry. Students receive classroom textbook training with computers, combined with extensive hands-on learning opportunities in the garage.

Automotive Technology, or Auto Tech as it is commonly known, is offered at all three GST BOCES campuses. It is just one of more than 20 Career and Technical Education programs offered at GST BOCES. This program gives students extensive experience in all areas of auto repair such as maintenance service, steering, brakes, transmissions, fuel systems and engine problem diagnosis. Students also learn to change tires, fix brakes, conduct New York State inspections, perform four-wheel alignments and more. Some students are hired by local employers right out of high school, and others choose to use their earned college credits to proceed into further education.

New York State Commissioner of Education Dr. John B. King, Jr. visited the GST BOCES region in November to see first-hand the work of the regional STEM initiative. Dr. King saw STEM and FOSS lessons in action during his visits to the Bradford Central School District and Winfield Elementary School in the Corning-Painted Post Area School District. He also visited Corning Inc., where the launch of the Greater Southern Tier Hub of the Empire State STEM learning Network was announced.

"The STEM work that's being done in this region is preparing students for jobs in the 21st Century," said Dr. King. "I'm excited about what I've seen today. Students here are not just learning from textbooks, but are involved in hands-on learning. The foundation that students are gaining here in science, technology, engineering and math will provide them with the interrelated skills they'll need to be competitive in college and the workforce."

In the evening, Dr. King spoke at a reception hosted by the GST School Boards Association.