Junior and senior Auto Body students at the Wildwood Education Center recently completed a project that they spent nearly an entire semester on.

The classes painted a tractor for a Hornell resident who, in turn for their hard work, made a generous donation to the Auto Body program. The job required complete dismantling of the tractor, including removing the large wheels and mounting new tires. Students had to sand some parts by hand and were able to sandblast others. Some body work also was needed before the entire tractor was primed, painted and reassembled.

Seniors in the Culinary Arts program at the Bush Education Center recently faced off in a Cupcake Wars competition as a culmination of their baking unit. The event was modeled after the popular Food Network competition in which contestants are judged on the taste and presentation of their confections.

Students worked in two-person teams to bake and decorate cupcakes in unique flavors and themes. They were judged on consistency, presentation and taste by a panel that included selected staff. In addition, juniors in the program offered peer evaluations of the cupcakes.

The winner of this year's competition was a Starbucks-themed Snickerdoodle Frappe Cupcake.

A junior in the Nurse Assisting program at the Wildwood campus used the skills she learned in her program to save a life recently. On May 24, the student's neighbor was having a hard time breathing and then suddenly collapsed. The student initiated CPR and continued until an ambulance arrived. Her neighbor was taken to the hospital and survived because of her quick thinking and willingness to take action.

"I am so proud of her for taking what she has learned here at BOCES and applying her knowledge and skill when it was most needed," said Nurse Assisting Instructor JoAnn Phillips. "It takes courage to act in an emerging situation such as this was. She didn't shy away, but jumped in and acted."

The student was presented with a certificate of recognition at the June 6 GST BOCES Board of Education meeting.

The Student of the Month Committee at the GST BOCES Wildwood Education Center partnered with Maple City Dodge for a car give away at Wildwood's graduation ceremony. Maple City Dodge graciously donated a 2008 Suzuki Reno in support of Career and Technical Education.

Chad Warriner, a Heavy Equipment student from the Canisteo-Greenwood Central School District, was drawn as the winner at the Wildwood awards ceremony. Warner (left) is pictured with Maple City Dodge President Gary Harwood as he picks up his new car. Harwood is an alumni of the Wildwood Education Center Auto Body Repair Program and a member of the GST BOCES Hall of Fame.

To be entered into the car drawing, students must have been selected as a Student of the Month and/or a National Technical Honor Society Member, maintained 80 or above average, had 6 or fewer days absent for senior year and no discipline referrals, and received recommendations from instructors.

Juniors and seniors in the Building Construction classes at the Coopers Education Center had a unique opportunity to help their community this year. The students constructed a home for Steuben County Habitat for Humanity in their shop. The house, which was built in two sections, is the first Habitat house that was not built on-site. The sections were transported to their permanent home on Hamilton Street in Corning in May, a complex operation that involved detailed planning and the assistance of the New York State Police.

"This is the first time we’ve tried something like this," says Matthew Harmer, the Marketing and Outreach Coordinator for Steuben County Habitat for Humanity. "We're used to doing everything at the work site, so it was exciting to watch it all come down the road. We're really impressed with the work these young people did and the time and effort they put into it."

Building Construction Instructor Roger Reep said that this project will be a source of pride for his students for many years to come. "This house will be something they can go back and see, like a time capsule of their work," he said. "It's a great experience to build something like this that will mean so much to a local family."

Paul Richmond's morning and afternoon New Visions Innovation, Leadership and Business classes at the Bush Education Center are working on unique projects this semester. The classes, with the financial backing and mentoring of promoter Matt Hufnagel, are promoting two events at the Clemens Center.

Morning students are working on the popular musical DISENCHANTED!, which tells the tale of Snow White and her posse of disenchanted princesses who have come back to life to set the record straight. The afternoon class is promoting Erth's DINOSAUR ZOO LIVE, an interactive adventure that guides the audience on a breathtaking tour through pre-historic Australia where they will observe, meet and interact with amazingly life-like dinosaurs and other creatures.

Each class is broken up into three groups for the project - sales and sponsorships, marketing and production. Sales and sponsors students are meeting with companies for sponsorships and donations. The marketing group is in charge of promoting the show through social media and other advertising. Production is in charge of taking care of the cast rider, sound and lighting needed for the show.

DISENCHANTED! is scheduled for Tuesday, April 25 at 7:00 p.m. Erth's DINOSAUR ZOO LIVE is scheduled for Tuesday, March 21 at 7:00 p.m.

Both classes must break even on the cost of the show in order to be successful on the project. This means the cumulative price of tickets and sponsor money must exceed the cost of the show. Any additional profits from the show will be donated back to the class in the form of scholarships.

For ticket information, please visit the Clemens Center Box Office or go to http://clemenscenter.org.

The annual Construction Trades Employers Day was held at the Bush Campus in February. Representatives from 39 area businesses conducted simulated entry-level job interviews with senior students enrolled in the Building Construction, Conservation, Welding and Metal Fabrication and Diesel Equipment Technology programs. Students prepared for the day by putting together a résumé and researching the companies with which they would interview. The event gave employers the opportunity to learn about Career and Technical Education programs, meet prospective graduates and provide them with feedback on their job-seeking skills. Students learned from employers about local businesses, job descriptions, hiring procedures and workplace expectations.

Digital Media Arts Instructor Dale Robie, who was named SkillsUSA New York State Advisor of the Year, received a special surprise in recognition of that honor. In June, New York State Senator Tom O'Mara and Assemblyman Phil Palmesano visited the Coopers Education Center to present Dale with an official Legislative Resolution recognizing the SkillsUSA designation.

The state Senate and Assembly unanimously adopted the Legislative Resolution (J2486/K537) honoring Robie's SkillsUSA "Advisor of the Year" award earlier that week. The resolution reads, in part, "Dale Robie has educated students not just academically, but about life lessons such as responsibility, teamwork and hard work… those who enhance the quality of life in their community, and have shown a long and sustained commitment to the maintenance of high standards in their profession, certainly have earned the recognition and applause of all the citizens of this great Empire State."

In a joint statement, O'Mara and Palmesano said, "Workforce development is one of the critical challenges facing the Southern Tier and no one plays a more active role in preparing our students. Dale instills character in young lives. He nurtures their skills and builds a foundation for their success. His commitment to his students and their futures is unmatched and we could not be prouder to have this opportunity to thank Dale for making such an enormous difference in so many young lives."

"I proudly and humbly accept this award on behalf of myself, students and advisors who have been a part of SkillsUSA at GST BOCES," said Dale Robie. "I want to thank Assemblyman Palmesano and Senator O'Mara for taking the time to award this and to recognize the work of SkillsUSA. I am happy to represent SkillsUSA and GST BOCES across New York State. Every year, I am impressed with the work ethic and skills that the SkillsUSA students bring to the regional and state conferences. The technical trades are an important part of our work force and SkillsUSA helps promote that. I hope to continue to have an impact on all students through involvement in SkillsUSA."