Windsor 5th graders joined students from around the area at Broome-Tigoa BOCES to spend a day learning about the range of trades courses BOCES offers. This exposure to fields such as masonry, carpentry, law enforcement, and car maintenance could one day lead to a career path for some of the students.
“We want to get kids interested in careers that exist. These will be there when they graduate high school,” said Matt Sheehan, principal of Broome-Tioga BOCES Career and Technical Education. “In talking to our districts, they see kids asking more about these programs. I think we’re making an impact.”
This is the third year BOCES has hosted area 5th graders for this event. For some students, like Windsor 5th grader Eddie Tuttle, this day was their first exposure to fields like masonry.
“It’s fun. It’s messy. I want to do more of it,” said Tuttle.
“It surprises me that even high school kids don’t know what masonry is,” said masonry instructor Kyle Vimislik. “As far as jobs, I can move to Pennsylvania, North Carolina, and there are masons and electritians. There are always these jobs.”
Windsor 5th graders Landry Salt and Ryan Braman enjoyed their stop at the law enforcement class, with Salt executing a mock arrest on Braman.
"It’s pretty awesome. They’re showing us gadgets and everything they use to arrest people,” said Braman.
“They showed us how to arrest people and pat them down the right way. Always use the back of your hand and never reach all the way down into a pocket,” said Salt.
“The 5th grade Career and Tech Education visit is a great opportunity for students to gain hands-on exposure to a potential career and start to imagine themselves within that job. It also helps students to envision the variety of pathways that await them as they move up the grade levels,” said Scott Beattie, Windsor CSD Assistant Superintendent for Curiculum. “It is a key experience in our quest to ensure all students are future-ready and we are grateful to Broome-Tioga BOCES and their staff for making this opportunity possible.”