Wilson Tech - What's New

Jolie Clifford, a Professional Photo II student, from Cold Spring Harbor won 2^nd place and $100 in the Huntington Camera Club High School Competition. Her photograph of Eva in a bathtub full of colorful balls is now an advertisement for the 2009 Contest. Jolie will continue photographic studies next year at the School of Visual Arts.

Back at Tech, she and her fellow classmates transformed the Wilsonian Room last week for a photo exhibit “Show & Tell.” To prepare for the show, students participated in a portfolio review and helped to select the work that was to be displayed. Approximately 80 family members and friends attended the event catered by students in Culinary Arts.

Photo by Jolie Clifford, photography student at Wilson Tech, won second place.

At its 2008 induction ceremony, 187 students at Wilson Tech became members of the National Vocational Technical Honor Society. Each of these students had to maintain a 90% average for three marking quarters; a 95% attendance rate at Tech; and demonstrated leadership skills, professionalism, and dedication to their course of study at Wilson Tech. Congratulations to these new Honor Society members.

Students in Wilson Tech's Equine Studies program hosted the annual Long Island Horse Show for students in secondary programs to compete in riding and other areas related to caring for horses. To see a movie of this year's competitors, go to http://www.wilsontech.org/HSPrograms/horse_care/

Two Commack students from Wilson Tech’s Automotive Technology program won top honors in both the regional and NYS skills competition sponsored by GNYADA (Greater New York Auto Dealers Association). Mike Adamkiewicz (r.) and Peter Blakely (l.) won $11,000 in scholarships for placing third at the regional level before winning second place at the NYS competition and an additional $35,000 in scholarships and tools.

The students had 1 ½ hours to troubleshoot and repair problems that could have been anything from inadequate tire pressure to an electrical malfunction in a 2008 Scion TC.

Tech offers 31 career and technical programs for secondary students. To register for fall 2008 classes, students should contact their high school guidance counselor. For more information, call Tech at 667-6000, ext. 300.

Twenty students from Wilson Technological Center won top honors at the recent regional competitions for SkillsUSA, a national organization that promotes career and technical education. Students from the three BOCES on Long Island competed against each other and against students from several high school vocational programs and students from vocational schools in Queens at Farmingdale State University. Winners were selected based on how well they demonstrated the skills they had learned in their technical programs. Click here to see more photos of Tech winners.

Larry Weiss, instructor in WilsonTechnologicalCenter’s culinary arts program, received double honors recently from the American Culinary Federation. He was named Educator of the Year at the same time his former student Michelle Dwyer of Half Hollow Hills, was named Student of the Year. Michelle, a student in the Food Preparation program at Manor Plains High School, was recognized for her big heart and desire to be involved in anything she can when it comes to cooking. What a great honor for Chef Weiss!

Daniel Ogle (c.) of West Babylon, a senior in Wilson Technological Center's Advertising Art program, designed the winning entry in the annual competition sponsored by the Association of Career and Technical Education Administrators. ACTEA asked high school students to design the cover for the group's Technology Assistance Conference. Dan receives a $200 check from Kenneth Burr (l.), Executive Director of Career and Technical Education at Wilson Tech, and his teacher Linda Giery (r.). Tech provides 31 programs for high school students.

Sonography Student Wins National Award

Li Dong, a student in Wilson Tech's adult program in Diagnostic Medical Sonography, was one of eight students in the U.S. to be awarded a scholarship from the Society of Diagnostic Medical Sonographers. Li will use her $500 award for her tuition in the program. She hopes to complete the BOCES program in June and then work in a hospital.

Among the five specialty areas available in Tech's 10-month program, Li has selected echocardiography, the sonography of structures of the heart. Tech students can also pursue general, breast, obstetrics and vascular sonography. Each specialty area requires graduates to pass a different licensing exam.

Li selected the BOCES program because of its affordable tuition and the emphasis on clinical work right along with classroom studies. When students begin the program, they have clinical rotations twice a week while in the second half clinicals are three times a week, she explained.

Tech's next class begins March 2008. For more details about the program, admission requirements and tuition, click here.

At local graduation ceremonies in June 2007, the following Wilson Tech graduates received Regents diplomas with the prestigious seal of a career and technical education endorsement. To earn this distinctive diploma, they had to pass five Regents exams, successfully complete a Tech program and pass a nationally recognized certification exam in their chosen field. Kudos to this very select and hard working group of students!

Smithtown students in Wilson Technological Center’s Heating/Ventilation/Air Conditioning program celebrate their teacher Fred Castro’s recognition as the NYS Advisor of the Year for SkillsUSA. A Smithtown resident, Mr. Castro has served for 17 years as the advisor to Tech’s student organization that offers leadership, citizenship and character development programs to complement the skills training that vocational students receive in their career and technical education program. Students are (seated, l. to r.) Herman Lopez and Andrew Lawton, both of Smithtown East; and Rob Quigley of Smithtown West; and Richard Geddes (standing, l.) and Karl Westervelt (standing, r.), both of Smithtown West. High school students and parents can learn more about Tech’s 30 career and technical programs at Tech’s Open House on May 22 or by calling 667-6000, ext. 300.

Make a better future for yourself by preparing for a career with the Long Island Railroad. Tech offers a special series of eight electrical courses to help prepare adults for entry-level LIRR positions ranging from helper, laborer, assistant signalman, electrician and mechanic. Salaries range from $15 to 25/hour. Program details are available at www.wilsontech.org/LIRR.

Tech's career counselors can explain how Tech can help you gain the technical foundation you need by taking: Blueprint Reading, Computer Comfort, NEC (basic and advanced), Electrical Installation I and II, Electrical Motor Control, Programmable Logic Controllers, and Industrial Electricity. A financial aid advisor is available to provide information about tuition assistance programs and payment plans.

While final hiring decisions are the prerogative of the LIRR, successful completion of Tech's series of electrical courses will help provide the necessary foundation for an interview with the railroad.

Most of Tech's classes meet once a week for 3 1/2 hours on a weeknight or Saturday morning at the Dix Hills campus. Register today for any of the 300 courses for adults at Wilson Tech. Registration can be made by mail, phone, fax, on-line or in-person. Many courses fill early, so give your career a boost today and register now at 667-6000, ext. 320 or www.wilsontech.org/search.

Other evening and Saturday classes are offered at Tech's four campuses and neighborhood locations in western Suffolk County. The catalog of Tech's adult classes is available online at www.wilsontech.org.

Wilson Tech is the career and technical education division of Western Suffolk BOCES.

The Surgical Technonology program at Wilson Technological Center was just ranked in the top 10% of surgical technology programs in the United States. The program received a national merit award from the Liaison Council on Certification for Surgical Technologist because all of the 2003 graduates who attempted the national certification exam, passed and achieved the status of Certified Surgical Technologist.

“This 100 % pass rate is due to the excellent instructors and to our diligent students. We are extremely proud of everyone.” noted Joseph Myers, Executive Director of Career and Technical Education at Wilson Technological Center, a division of Western Suffolk BOCES.

Kathi Baker, program administrator, added that the demand is very strong for Surg Techs. Everyone in last year’s class is working in health care, she said.

Tech’s 10-month program prepares students for employment in the operating room, surgical office, delivery room, emergency departments, physician and dentist offices, central supply services, cardiac catheterization clinics, tissue banks and ambulatory surgical care sites. Financial aid, loans, grants and payment plans are available to qualified applicants.

Applications are now being accepted for September classes in Surgical Technology. There are no specific academic prerequisites for admission into the program, however, students must pass the Test of Basic Adult Education (TABE) and a pre-entrance exam. For more information about the program or for an application for the pre-entrance exam, call (631) 261-3727. Additional information about the program and financial aid is also available at www.wilsontech.org.

Amy-Lyn Dacchille of Selden (l.) and Jennifer Bragg of E. Northport (r.) prepare for an emergency room procedure as part of the Surgical Technology program at Wilson Technological Center. Wilson Technological Center, the career and technical division of Western Suffolk BOCES, provides financial aid, loans, grants and payment plans to qualified students. For more information about the required pre-entrance exam or enrolling in the 10-month Surg Tech program for September, call (631) 261-3727 or go to www.wilsontech.org.