Two students from the CAM P-TECH Academy proudly represented Erie 2-Chautauqua-Cattaraugus BOCES (E2CCB) at the annual BOCES Expo held at the Empire State Plaza in Albany on April 30. The event brought together New York State legislators, education leaders, and students to highlight the transformative impact of BOCES programs across the state.
The Expo served as a celebration of student success and a rallying point for increased investment in Career and Technical Education. The CAM P-TECH students joined peers from across the state in showcasing how BOCES programs are equipping young people with the skills, experiences, and confidence to thrive in both college and career pathways.
New York State officials — including Commissioner of Education Dr. Betty Rosa, Sen. Shelley Mayer, D-NY, Assemblyman Michael Benedetto, D-NY, Sen. Monica Martinez, D-NY, and others — spoke passionately about the essential role BOCES plays in workforce development and the broader New York economy. Several lawmakers shared personal stories about their own connections to BOCES and praised students for their dedication and achievements.
“BOCES is critical to students’ long-term success and to building New York State as a real economic engine,” said Sen. Mayer. “We’re fighting for the funding to keep teachers in the system and give students every opportunity to succeed.”
Commissioner Rosa echoed the call for support.
“We need this to continue to fulfill the dream, the possibilities, access, and opportunities for our young people,” she said.
One of the event’s central themes was the need to dispel outdated stigmas surrounding Career and Technical Education.
“We’ve killed that stigma,” declared Sen. Patricia Canzoneri-Fitzpatrick. “BOCES is where advancement begins. It’s not either college or career — it’s both.”
The CAM P-TECH students’ presence exemplified that message, demonstrating how BOCES programs integrate academic rigor, technical training, and real-world experience. Their presentations reflected not only personal growth but also the collective strength of a system designed to meet the evolving demands of the workforce.
“I enjoyed the experience with the people,” said CAM P-TECH student David Kirkpatrick of the Springville-Griffith Institute Central School District, referring to the Expo. “Getting to meet new people and making new connections with them was a lot of fun.
Kirkpatrick and fellow CAM P-TECH student Corbin Marano of the Iroquois Central School District displayed a Raspberry Pi distro of games people could play.
“We program these Pis at CAM P-TECH,” Marano said. “We were able to show people at the Expo how versatile we are with the resources we’re given.”
The pair made quite an impression on Commissioner Rosa. Corbin and Kirkpatrick were both personally invited by the Commissioner to visit the State Education Department this summer to spend a day in their IT office.
“She was very open to showing us more and giving us an opportunity,” Marano said. “We’ve been given an invitation to come in and see the administration from the IT side.”
Throughout the event, legislators reiterated their bipartisan commitment to protecting education funding and ensuring BOCES programs receive the resources they need to thrive. Still, as Assemblyman Benedetto reminded attendees, funding remains an annual battle.
“Year in and year out, we have to fight for proper funding for BOCES,” he said. “It’s one of the most important fights we have in the state.”
Days following the Expo, NYS Governor Kathy Hochul’s Executive Budget was announced, which for the first time in more than 30 years included an increase in BOCES aidable portions of salaries, increasing the threshold from $30,000 to $60,000 over the next three years.
“BOCES of New York State is grateful for the update of the BOCES Aid formula included in the SFY 26 State Budget, allowing a greater portion of BOCES employees’ salaries to be included in calculating BOCES Aid, payable to our component school districts,” said David O’Rourke, Ph.D., E2CCB District Superintendent/Chief Executive Officer. “We are grateful to Senator Mayer and Assemblyman Benedetto, Commissioner Rosa, and Chancellor Young for championing this issue for so many years in their legislative budgets and priorities. We want to offer our thanks to all of our legislative champions, Governor Hochul and the Board of Regents, for their support and enactment of this long-standing priority of our coalition.”
