If you are a freshman or sophomore wondering about the BOCES program, then this is for you. Some may be wondering: will BOCES benefit me? Will it be worth it? What courses are offered through BOCES? Or maybe: Will it just be something to get out of school half of the day for, or will I look forward to it day after day?

There are many courses offered through BOCES, such as medical, veterinary, culinary arts, criminal justice, woodworking, autobody & tech, welding, natural resources, project Lead the Way, cosmetology, and early childhood. We went to each class individually and gathered some info for more insight.

In Early Childhood Education, students learn about the disabilities and special needs of young kids. Additionally, they cover baby care and work with children occasionally.

Our next trip was to the Medical section. We didn’t learn much about this, because there was a sub in that day. From the looks of it, the students were deep in their studies about the human body and its many parts/systems.

Further on was Animal Science. These students were having a lecture on pig breeding, and throughout the year, they physically work with animals of all kinds.

Then came Media. I have to say that anyone interested in this field will love Mr. Pettenati, the teacher. In this class, the students have fun with advertising, marketing, web design, animation, and editing. There is lots of hands-on learning, and a few of the students enjoy that this class is smoothly-run and fluid.

From there was Cosmetology. In this class, you will learn about dyeing, cutting, perming, and styling hair, painting nails, and trimming eyebrows.

Next was Autobody. This class was pretty interesting. It had an independent, ‘freestyle’ vibe when we walked in. In this class, the students learn how to paint cars, work on them, and weld them. They do everything from the little sanding jobs on the surface of the car to fixing panels and big exterior jobs.

Closely related was the Welding room. These students learn the techniques and proper safety for welding all sorts of vehicles.

All in a row down the hall were Power Equipment, Autotech, and Carpentry. In Power Equipment, the topics covered are hydraulic operation, welding fabrication, electrical work, and basic engines. Autotech focuses on mechanics.

In Carpentry, the students were soldering metal and sanding wood. One student was building a dollhouse for the Early Childhood class, and the rest were making picture frames.

In the next section was Project Lead the Way. Students take engineering classes through RIT and learn a variety of subjects, such as digital electronics, program chips and wires, levers and pulleys, and the manufacturing process of different items.

Lastly, there was Natural Resources. In this class, the students do hands-on work with the environment, such as tapping trees for syrup and identifying many types of trees.

We asked two students from each class we attended if they recommend BOCES to other students, and all twenty-four students polled recommend BOCES to other students if they are looking into any of these occupations in the future. Most commented that the teachers there are very supportive, and that there is a lot of hands-on experience while at BOCES.  Junior Trent Dowd, who attends the Criminal Justice program, enjoys that his program supports physical fitness.  He also appreciates that this program can lead to many areas, such as forensics, police work, probation, crime scene investigation, and more.  Some of these students plan on getting a certificate from BOCES and going to college to learn more, some are going into the military (mostly the Air Force), and others are looking to go straight into the workforce.

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