Security and Law Enforcement students at the Harrold Campus found a creative way to apply some of their skills, crafting fingerprint ornaments to decorate their tree (aka “Evidence Marker #10,” aka “countdown to winter break”).
Our students at the Pole Campus enjoy checking in to see what our visiting Elf and his buddy are up to each day. What's next ...?!
The State Police visited the Auto Technology Lab at Pole Campus Wednesday with their roll over simulator, impairment goggles, and State Police K9 Matti. Several different classes were able to attend a demonstration and try the goggles, and Ms. LaFever’s 5th and 6th graders had a special visit with the State Police K9 dog Matti. Thanks to Trooper Grigoli from Troop C in Sidney, and Trooper May and Matti from Binghamton. We look forward to having them visit again in the future to share this very important message of safety. The career connections were amazing for our CTE students! The visit was organized by Career Counselor Megan Scrivner.
School librarians gathered at the DCMO BOCES Support Services Center this week as part of a year-long professional learning course in Media Literacy. They’ll learn how to decode media messages across a range of grade-levels and subject areas, and bring these skills back to their schools to share with their peers and promote media literacy across the curriculum. The Professional Learning is being provided by Christopher Sperry, from Ithaca College and Project Look Sharp.
A recent feature story on WBNG-TV news celebrated the accomplishment of Raymond Corporation welder Jordan Taft, a graduate of the DCMO BOCES Welding program. It includes comments from his DCMO BOCES welding instructor, Jaan Aarismaa. Way to go, Jordan! https://www.wbng.com/2023/12/12/raymond-corp-welder-greene-brings-home-gold-international-skills-competition/
On December 4th, barbers from Bespoke Barbershop in Binghamton came to the Pole Campus to educate the Barbering students in Mrs. Ryan’s class. The three barbers performed haircuts on students from other programs. It was a great experience for the kids to watch how they do consultations and cut hair. Thank you Ben, Jason and Ian for coming to Norwich to do a class for us!
The Cosmetology classes at Harrold Campus hosted a guest speaker last week. Joséh from Pretty in a Minute, Fort Lauderdale, Florida, demonstrated their company's state-of-the-art hot tools (curling irons and hair dryers), with education and instruction on usage. The students got some great tips from this dynamic presenter!
Members of the DCMO BOCES Public Information Service and Communications Team visited the Fab Lab at the Oxford Academy CSD Middle School today. Frank Oliver, Mat White, Dean Russin, P.J. Harmer, Zach Meseck, Kathryn Rutz, Annette Bagnall and Scott Jensen got a tour and explanation from Middle School Principal Gregory Lehr and Fab Lab Manager Scott Donahue, as well as the students themselves, who were happy to show off their projects. What an amazing educational resource!
DCMO BOCES Career Connections returns to Harrold Campus on January 24 (snow date 1/29) and Pole Campus January 25 (snow date 2/5). Students will attend a series of presentations with local employers to help expand their awareness of local jobs and career opportunities and grow their career preparation skills. It’s an exciting day of career preparations and connections, featuring many local employers– mark your calendars! Industry and business professionals interested in speaking at this event can contact Martha Ryan at ryanm@dcmoboces.com or call 607-335-1292.
Jordan Taft, a graduate of the Welding program at DCMO BOCES Alan D. Pole Campus in Norwich, recently won gold in the welding category of the international Toyota Material Handling Group (TMHG) Skills Competition. Taft is a welder at The Raymond Corporation in Greene, NY, part of the Toyota Industries family of companies. He competed against other welders from Toyota Industries material handling facilities in China, France, Italy, Sweden and the United States.
According to a media release from the company, the competition consists of welding a steel pressure vessel, which required performing tack welding, executing semiautomatic welding and finishing the vessel’s surface. “It was an honor to represent Raymond in the competition and secure the gold,” Taft said. “I’m proud to work for a company that values the skilled trades, such as welding, and provides opportunities for skills advancement.”
“Jordan actually earned the highest score of any competitor ever,” according to Jaan Aarismaa, Welding Instructor at DCMO BOCES Pole Campus. “Very proud of our alumni!”
The Wellness Committee sponsored a glass ornament-making workshop for employees at the Alan D. Pole Campus Thursday night, and there was a lot of creativity on display! Participants could make 2 glass ornaments, working with glass and flame under the guidance of instructors from The Studio For Art and Craft.
On November 9, 2023, members from the Security and Law Enforcement class from Harrold Campus attended a trip to New York City to the 9/11 Museum and Memorial. The students participated in a guided tour of the Museum, viewing artifacts from the site, as well as learning the history, significance, and impact of these items as they related to 9/11.
We’re celebrating Mentorship Month throughout November with a series of mentoring success stories from the Regional Mentoring Program, including this spotlight on one of the volunteer mentors.
Tommy Kane, Commercial Banking Specialist at NBT Bank in Norwich, heard about the mentoring program at work and thought it sounded interesting, so he applied. He was disappointed when it looked like there wouldn’t be a student for him to mentor right away, but delighted when he got tapped to step in on short notice: he’d get to be a mentor this year after all, and just as importantly, he willingness to step up allowed a student to stay in the program.
His interest in mentoring came from his own positive mentoring experience at work. “I did a management development program at NBT, and we had mentors. I always thought it was kind of interesting, helping somebody go through their career, or go through life, and give them advice or really, just listen,” he said. “It thought mentoring would be a good way to give back.”
Kane worked with one student, conducting their meetings during his workday via Zoom. Even though this mentoring relationship only spanned a few meetings, he found the experience satisfying. “I just kind of like talking with people and hearing what they’re dealing with, and potentially help them find some solutions,” he said. Mentoring requires a degree of commitment from both parties, and Kane was impressed with the student that he worked with. “She showed that she was very driven to find a career in the finance industry, which I’m in, and she was just very prepared and easy to work with.”
He had praise for both the mentoring program and its coordinator, Martha Ryan, DCMO BOCES School and Community Liason. “Overall, it’s run really well, and I thought Martha did a really good job,” he said. “They had a little ceremony at the end, we got nice awards – mine’s hanging in my office now – and just did a nice job making us feel like we’d done a good thing.”
Kane is happy that the experience went well, and even more pleased that he’s able to continue in the role of a mentor. “I’m actually a mentor for one of the new management development associates (at NBT), so it’s all come full circle,” he said.
The mentoring program will now be coordinated by Commerce Chenango, Delaware County Chamber of Commerce and Otsego Chamber of Commerce. For more information on how to become a mentor, visit the chamber organizations’ website. For students’ access to mentoring services or to learn more about mentoring support, visit www.dcmoboces.com.
The Visual Communications and Human & Retail Services Programs were getting in the holiday spirit this week! The students learned about letterpress printing, movable type and potato stamping. The students then worked on potato stamping wrapping paper, and were able to make a sheet for themselves for holiday gift wrapping. The rest will be donated to the Greene Rotary Club's Christmas Basket Project to wrap gifts for families in need.
Representatives Tim Daley and Brian Tiffany from Union Local 1249, Electrical Linemen and Tree Workers, came and chatted with our students about opportunities in the industry this week. Our Conservation and Carpentry students were able to learn about wages and benefits, types of work, education involved, and how to apply. Thank you Local 1249 for partnering with DCMO BOCES to educate our workers of the future!
We’re celebrating Mentorship Month throughout November with a series of mentoring success stories from the Regional Mentoring Program, including this spotlight on one of the volunteer mentors.
When Al Rubin joined the Regional Mentoring Program, he didn’t have to figure out how to approach it– he came already prepared. “I have a whole process. ‘Listen, Identify, Strategize and Teach.’ I go through what that all means with my mentees.”
Rubin, who describes himself as a “serial entrepreneur,” is a positive-focused area businessman, operating a number of companies, including A&D Transport Services. He’s also a father and a coach, and he brought all of these experiences to bear as a mentor last year for two students. His approach is definitely rooted in ideas of positive self-improvement. “I have something I say to my kids all the time: First, it’s ‘be better.’ Then it’s ‘be the best.’” When working with his two mentees, this idea of developing personal strengths was a consistent theme. “I don’t focus on the companies that I operate, the focus is more on working so people can see their strengths, and be able to harness that energy and feed off what other people bring to the table,” he said.
It's not just about the individual mentee– Rubin also believes in the contributions that others can make for the student, and that the student can make for others. “I talk about what their assets are, and how they need to observe other people, and figure out what their assets are and how to collaborate, work together,” he said. His suggestion? “Really, really listen– to what other people are saying to you. It really doesn’t matter if it’s the CEO of the hospital or the janitor at school– everyone has something valuable to teach you.”
Listening is also the key to Rubin’s mentoring. Engaging with his mentees in conversation allows the mentees to discover and identify qualities, talents, habits and challenges. Rubin listens carefully, “and I just try and figure out what their strengths are, and then we talk about how they can take those strengths and really push far ahead into the world, not just in business, but in their personal relationships as well,” he said. “I love seeing people take their strengths and create the best possible person they can be.”
Participants sometimes have a lot on their plate, including challenges that can seem overwhelming to a young person. Rubin found himself working with one mentee trying to make plans for her future while facing some tough problems in her personal life. “The personal issues were distracting her from her decisions,” he said, “How can you be the best person you can be to deal with the situation? You’re only 18 right now, but can you develop a stronger persona, that might help you deal with this down the road? Do the best that you can do to chart your course, but build the strength so that when it comes time to make a stronger move in that direction, you’ll have the power to do so.” Helping the student work through things was an experience that he won’t forget. “It was real and it was raw, and I believe that this particular person is going to do really well,” he said. “That was the most rewarding piece, for sure.”
We’re celebrating Mentorship Month throughout November with a series of mentoring success stories from the Regional Mentoring Program, including this spotlight on one of the volunteer mentors.
Ask Moo Taw why she wanted to become a mentor, and you’ll get a straightforward answer. “When I was growing up, I honestly always wanted a mentor for myself,” she said, “so I thought that giving my time mentoring someone else, especially someone who’s in high school who may not know what they’re looking to do…well, I feel like having a mentor who can guide you and help you figure out your path would be helpful,” she said. “So I wanted to be that person.” Taw, a People Team Coordinator at Chobani, did indeed get to “be that person,” volunteering as a mentor in the Regional Mentorship Program last year.
Taw worked with one student, who had a clear idea of what he was interested in for a future career path, and she considered that to be a starting point for their conversations. “He was interested in management, but I also talked to him about other paths as well. From personal experience, I went to school for criminal justice and ended up working in HR. I wanted him to not limit himself,” she said. “When we’re younger, we don’t really know what we’re doing– we feel like we know what we’re doing, but in actuality, we really don’t,” she said. “I mean, I’m still growing, and I am still paving my own path, even as an adult.”
Their discussions took place online, and lasted from 30 to 50 minutes. Taw found them to be positive and practical. “I really enjoyed talking to him about building his resume, building a LinkedIn account, making sure you’re always networking, because… opportunities are endless!”
While they met for their mentoring sessions virtually, Taw said the end of the program provided an opportunity to meet in person. Martha Ryan, DCMO BOCES Public and School Liason, invited all the mentors and mentees to the BOCES Alan C. Pole Campus in Norwich for a little celebration and to receive certificates. Taw went because “I wanted to meet my mentee for the first time,” and because she was on the campus where her mentor attended, “he was able to show me his work that he had done that semester. That was fun– I really enjoyed that.”
Now that she’s completed a mentoring experience, what does Moo Taw think about mentoring? Would she do it again? Her answer, not surprisingly, is “Yes. Absolutely!”
The mentoring program will now be coordinated by Commerce Chenango, Delaware County Chamber of Commerce and Otsego Chamber of Commerce. For more information on how to become a mentor, visit the chamber organizations’ website. For students’ access to mentoring services or to learn more about mentoring support, visit www.dcmoboces.com.
On Thursday, 24 students at the Alan D. Pole Campus were inducted into the National Technical Honor Society (NTHS). They included Trevor Ketcham, Harlee Montgomery and Russell Moore from Greene CSD; Caden Wallen, Michael Blenis, Kathleen Bordonara and Hailee Blackman from Norwich City School District; Kendra Doroshenko from Otselic Valley CSD; Brenna Calkins, Jessica Pautard, Nivayah DeMuth, Justin Chesebro and David Ferreira from Oxford Academy CSD; Michael Fetzko, Kandy Hicks, Jacob Dunham and Wyatt Harvey from Sherburne-Earlville CSD; Brooke Harris, Joseph Thomsen, Connor Edgett, Kristofer Laymon, Aden Pierce and Makayla Proskine from Unadilla Valley CSD; and Jessup Ross from Valley Heights Christian Academy. The NTHS Advisor at Pole Campus is Michelle Schwartz. Congratulations to all the new inductees!
On Wednesday, 47 students at the Robert W. Harrold Campus were inducted into the National Technical Honor Society (NTHS). They included Tracey Joslin, Naomi Nabinger, Kendall Winans, and Allison Hauptmann from Afton CSD; Brendan DeForest, Levi Gregory, Gavin Gifford, Arien Sherman, George Pratt, Alyssa Finch, Nathan Kanzer, Cohn Foster, Makayla Nelson, Cadence Medlar, Lyndsay Shirkey and Joseph Doyle from Bainbridge-Guilford CSD; Corey McCumiskey, Perrylee Eubanks and Greenlee Kivell from Delaware Academy CSD at Delhi; Sieg Aurich, Shantel Knorr and Madison Garcia from Downsville CSD; Madeline Hyzer and Kaitlin Ogborn from Franklin CSD; Morgan Williams and Thomas Breslau from Gilbertsville-Mount Upton CSD; Hazel Bennett, Audree Harris, Alexis Mead, Davis Herzog, Kaelyn Dawson and Evan Persbacker from Hancock CSD; Gina Turner, Cassandra Cole, Liv Gavin, Rosanna Lambert and Renee Gregory from Sidney CSD; Alexes Sousa, Schyler Grabo, Cailyn Wood, Peyton Coleman, Corinne Ashley and Nicole Ashley from Unatego CSD; Joseph Fay, Abigail Brown, Troy Angevine and Colby Phraner from Walton CSD. The NTHS Advisor at Harrold Campus is Jessica Soulier. Congratulations to all the new inductees!
We’re celebrating Mentorship Month throughout November with a series of mentoring success stories from the Regional Mentoring Program, including this spotlight on one of the volunteer mentors.
Mary Branham believes that a good professional network is a key to success. When it came to mentoring a student, she turned that believe into action– in many different ways. Branham is President of Pivotel LLC, a telecommunications services company based in Norwich.
First, Branham’s network brought the mentoring opportunity to her attention. Branham is involved with Development Chenango Corporation, a partner organization of Commerce Chenango, and learned of the mentoring program through that connection. She was interested, and that interest was shared by one her network connections, Jenna Ostrander, Economic Development Specialist at Chenango Commerce. “Development Chenango had a big hand in making sure the mentor program started off well,” according to Branham. “I have to give kudos to Jenna– we wanted to have a goal that Chenango County got the most mentors” of the three counties involved, and Ostrander helped promote the program to successfully pull in plenty of eager mentors.
Then, Branham got a surprise when she found out who she would be mentoring, because it was someone who was already in her network– sort of. “We’ve known each other since she was born,” Branham said of her new mentee. That close connection allowed the two to quickly have a good rapport, and they built a strong mentoring relationship. Their conversations covered a wide range – from career to college to dealing with setbacks. “I always tell people, first and foremost, when it comes to your career path, if at any point you find out that it is maybe not your career path after all, and you want to change it, do not look at it as a failure.”
Branham’s mentee did in fact have a particular career in mind, and so once again, Branham reached out to her network and pulled in three professional practitioners in the field her student was interested in, setting up meetings with each, allowing the student to hear about different aspects of the field, and getting specific advice on exploring different options, including how to study for it in college. Branham reinforced good networking practices with her mentee, encouraging her to follow up with the practitioners she was introduced to. “Never underestimate how important it is to make connections with the people you’ll need to deal with.”
The importance of having a good network seems to have been embraced by Branham’s mentee, who she is still in touch with, and still advising. Branham enjoyed the experience, and considers it to have been successful, but not just because of Branham and her network. “The reason why it was so successful was also the student. She went beyond the required commitment. She was very invested in this as well.”
