Dutchess BOCES’ Career & Technical Institute welcomed 72 middle school students during the week of July 7 for the annual Middle School Summer CTI Experience where they learned the tricks of some of the school’s trade programs.
Basic courses were offered in automotive technology, cosmetology, culinary arts and welding for anywhere from 15 to 20 students per course. Additionally, parents were given a presentation about the program at the beginning of the week.
The program continues to be popular as a waitlist was created. Principal Nick Millas encouraged his teachers to make the classes more hands-on and fun, that way students can create and experiment with different tools and ingredients, while teachers can test different lesson plans.
“This is meant to be fun, remember it’s their summer vacation; they’re not here to do bookwork, they’re here to get their hands dirty,” Millas said of the students. “The teachers are extremely enthusiastic and that enthusiasm is contagious.”
Parents have commented that they would pay for the program, but he always keeps it free and accessible to everyone, regardless of income. It costs $12,000 to run the program, which Millas pulled from his budget, but he considers it a worthwhile investment.
“If I get one kid out of this group four years down the line to come here, it pays for itself,” Millas said. “It’s a good return on the investment.”
In Amanda Scoca’s culinary class, students rolled out dough and cut it to make homemade pasta that was hung on clothes hangers to dry out rather than a rack. Soon to be eighth grader Charlotte Watson was intrigued by this unique method.
“I was surprised when she said we were going to do that, but it’s actually working really well,” Watson said.
Watson joined the program because she loves cooking and thought it would be helpful when deciding on her future. She advised future participants to be prepared for hands-on work.
“It’s super cool and it’s more hands-on than I thought it would be,” Watson said. “We’re actually cooking real food.”
Students in welding, including soon to be eighth grader Dylan Watson, were shown how to cut through metal. He desires to work as an underwater welder and recommends to program to anyone interested in working with their hands.
“It’s been fun,” Watson said. “I got to weld, I didn’t think I’d get to weld, I thought I would just learn about it.”
Instructor Jake Maneri had former student Alexander Reichman and soon-to-be second-year student Havyn Maline assist him with the course. Maline loved helping younger kids, especially girls, discover welding. “I was the only girl in my class so I like giving them the opportunity and let them see that there’s girls that do it,” Maline said. “I never had an opportunity like this in middle school and I would have took it.”
Millas said there are four female students in this summer’s manufacturing technology program. “It is great to have one of our four female high school students be there to support them and be a role model.”
