The Ulster BOCES Career & Technical Center recognized 465 Ulster County students who completed their trades’ technical endorsement requirements during two Senior Tribute and Exhibition of Learning Ceremonies on June 14 at the Port Ewen campus. Each program wrapped up the celebrations with a school-wide curated exhibition of the students’ work.
The programs’ ceremonies featured industry-related keynote speakers and included words of encouragement and motivation from the valedictorian, salutatorian, and principal’s award recipient, as well as school administrators who inspired the students as they set off toward new adventures.
Kyleigh Sauers, a Digital Design & Programming student from the Highland Central School District (HHS), is the valedictorian of the Career & Technical Center’s Class of 2022. After graduation, Sauers will attend Lawrence Technological University and major in Computer Science with a concentration in video design. The school’s top student is planning on a career in the game-design industry.
Digital Design & Programming (DDP) instructor Taima Smith says that Sauers is an inspiration and a mentor to other students in the DDP program. “Kyleigh is the type of student who is here to learn. And when I say that, I mean genuinely, authentically, and with intense focus,” Smith explains. “As a teacher, you can always tell that special student who sits in the front row listening intently, and you keep finding yourself connecting with them, because they mean business. They are here to get every single thing they can from this opportunity. Kyleigh is totally capable, good at working in groups, soft spoken, but direct and clear. Kyleigh gives the task at hand total undivided attention. It is that combination of hard work, talent, and joy that will make them so formidable in this field.”
The 2022 salutatorian is Nora Vogt, from the Onteora Central School District. Vogt has earned this distinction by excelling in the Graphics Visual Arts (GVA) program. Instructor Sally Lord firmly believes that Vogt will excel at whatever career path she chooses to pursue.
Principal’s Award recipient Michael Lamaruggine, from the Rondout Valley Central School District, has spent his junior and senior years in the Cisco & Cybersecurity program and maintains an A average. He has already earned six college credits through the program’s articulation agreement with SUNY Ulster. Lamaruggine, who placed first in the 2022 SkillsUSA State Conference in the Community Action category, will be competing in the SkillsUSA Nationals event in Atlanta this summer. He also participated in the Ulster County Summer Youth Employment Program.
Ulster BOCES Career & Technical Center (CTE) students include juniors and seniors from throughout the eight component school districts in Ulster County. More than 900 students attend each year. To learn more about Ulster BOCES Career Technical Center, please visit www.ulsterboces.org.