The Ormsby Educational Center held its fifth annual Secondary Education and Military and Employment Signing Day event. The two-day celebration brings together Erie 2-Chautauqua-Cattaraugus BOCES students who have committed to a college or university, enlisted in a branch of the U.S. armed forces, or joined a business in the local workforce.
This year, 56 students from different Career & Technical Education programs participated.
For the Secondary Education portion, held June 5, Ormsby Principal Laura Sokol-Scott welcomed students and their parents and discussed the evolution of Career & Technical Education in response to “ever-changing economic and social conditions.” She said BOCES was established in New York State to develop new programs in response to those changes.
“As part of that, we are trying to maintain the training programs for skilled labor and advancements in technology,” Sokol-Scott said.
The guest speaker was Matt Retchless, associate director of admissions at SUNY Alfred. Retchless said CTE programs are “important now more than ever” and reminded students of the important skills they learned in the classroom over the last two years.
“You have put in the work, the hours, the long days, and those ‘Try again moments.’ You’ve made it,” he said. “You’re graduating from a CTE program, and that says something, not only about your education, but also about you.”
Retchless said the information and hands-on experience students have gained at E2CCB will help them long after they graduate from college. “These skills that you have learned here, and will continue to hone, will stay with you for the rest of your life,” he said.
The following students committed to continuing their education after graduation: Alfred University, Ash Bush; Baldwin Wallace University, Travon Thomas; Canisius University, Grace Thelen, Continental School of Beauty, Julianna Enser and Dalila Taylor; Daemen University, Megan Lux; Hilbert College, Leah Hyman, Willow Canestrari, Evan Dorsheimer, and Lauren Bigelow; Keuka College, Jenna Fishlock; Lincoln Electric Welding Tech & Training Center, Nik Wittman; Northland College, Kirk Klinski; St. Bonaventure, Matthew Patterson; Texas A&M University, Markenna Kephart; Trocaire College, Danika Westbrook; Western Welding Academy in Wyoming, Hailie Mahoney; SUNY Alfred, Jesse Baker, Luciano Behr, Conor Bennett, Brandon Brancato, Jayden Crone, JackLynn Crow, Daniella Diaz, Sophia Diaz, Amelia Jakubczak, Kailleigh Kehr, Edward Kotlarsz, Alex Kuhn, William Resetarits, Victoria Mundt, Drew Reynolds, and James Zwara; SUNY Brockport, Peyton Teluk; University at Buffalo, Gage Dermont-Schaefer and Hailey Miller; SUNY Cobleskill, Finley McArdle; SUNY ECC, Jaden Bruce and Phoebe Hudson; SUNY Morrisville, Jordan Szafranski; and SUNY Niagara, Ava Heil, Samuel Blidy, and Rebecca Maldonado.
The guest speaker for the Military and Employment portion, held June 6, was Mark Andol, owner of General Welding & Fabricating Inc. and Made In America Store. Andol alluded to the shortage of skilled labor in the United States and the opportunities that lay ahead for graduating seniors.
“Right now we’re sitting on a rocket ready to take off in manufacturing,” he told students. “You guys are the ones sitting in a really good spot. With passion and perseverance, there’s nothing you can’t accomplish.”
The following students committed to entering the U.S. Armed Forces or directly into the workforce: U.S. Air Force, Luke Sell; U.S. Army, Carson Bond, Finnin Carney, and Dominick Przybylak; U.S. Navy, Nathan Conner, Avon Douglas, Gaberiel Goldfus, and Nathan Piscitelli; The Beauty Parlor, Isabella Pettit; FX Salon, Rylee Chmielowiec; KIMIL Company, Hunter McCabe; Orchard Park Central School District, Alek Ralls; and Tony’s Truck Service, Brenden Warchocki.
