CTE Bulletin

On September 25, we hosted our annual Campus-Wide Parents Night at the OHM BOCES Main Campus on Middle Settlement Road. Parents and guardians came by to visit classrooms, see projects and presentations, and speak with teachers and staff.

The event had a great turnout, and teachers enjoyed meeting students’ parents and guardians. Thank you to everyone for attending!

Mrs. Courto's Culinary Arts 1 students spent several days perfecting their cookie making skills before having a cookie contest in class. Some of the CTE staff enjoyed being the judges for this event.

On September 26, representatives from the United States Navy spoke with Criminal Justice 2 students about possible careers in the Navy. Students asked the representatives various questions related to career options and college assistance.

On October 1, the Early Childhood Education Nursery School held its first day of the 2024-25 school year.

The students in the class of 2039 were excited to learn what school is all about and they sang a song as they waved goodbye to their parents. Their first day included exploring, singing, playing in BOCES Town and snack time.

The students all had a fantastic day and they couldn’t wait to come back for more fun on day two!

Exploring Decay: The Body Farm Lab
Each year, as part of their Death Investigation instructional session, OHM BOCES Criminal Justice 2 students immerse themselves in a unique learning experience—the Body Farm lab. This hands-on exploration allows them to witness firsthand how a deceased body undergoes decay over time.

The “Victims”
The lab features several “victims,” carefully placed in various environments to simulate different decay scenarios. This year’s lineup included:

Fresh Fetal Pigs: Five recently deceased fetal pigs.

Preserved Pig: One pig is preserved for comparison.

Diverse Environments:
Local Pond Water: One pig submerged in pond water.
Salt Water: Another pig immersed in saltwater.
Hanging: A third pig suspended, mimicking a grim scenario.
Exposed to the Elements: One pig was left fully exposed to weather conditions.
Shallow Graves: Two pigs buried—one fresh and one preserved.
Observations and Insights

Over a span of two weeks, the CJ 2 students meticulously monitored several factors:

Temperature: They tracked ambient, ground, water and victim body temperatures.
Visible Changes: Students keenly observed alterations to the pigs’ skin—bloating, discoloration, tearing and other signs of decomposition.
Insect Activity: The presence of adult flies, maggots, beetles and other insects around the bodies provided crucial clues. In forensic investigations, these changes in body composition and insect activity help determine the time of death.

On October 2, the Animal Science Career and Technical Education (CTE) program at the Oneida-Herkimer-Madison BOCES welcomed two graduates of the program for a dog grooming demonstration.

Bailey Roberts and Alexa Jassak (Whitesboro CSD ’19) were students in the Animal Science program before going on to grooming school and opening Bailey’s Daily Pet Care in New Hartford. In addition to their dog grooming business, they also provide a doggy daycare service.

Roberts and Jassak enjoy returning to the Animal Science classroom to provide a grooming demonstration and talk to current students about their animal care journeys. The alumnae hope to educate and inspire students as they prepare for their future careers in animal care.

On September 11, students from the Animal Science and Conservation Career and Technical Education (CTE) programs at the Oneida-Herkimer-Madison BOCES met for a friendly game of tug-of-war.

The Animal Science and Conservation programs both incorporate the National FFA Organization into their programs. The National FFA Organization is a youth organization that prepares members for leadership, personal growth and career success through agricultural education.

The tug-of-war was a friendly way to break the ice and introduce the Animal Science and Conservation FFA groups in case they end up working together toward a shared goal in the future. The teams competed for the best two of out of three and fun was had by all.

Abriana Briggs is a senior from Whitesboro High School in her second year of the OHM BOCES Criminal Justice CTE program. Abriana was promoted to the rank of sergeant during her first year

in the CJ program and was elected into the same position by her peers at the beginning of year two. Sergeant is one of three leadership positions available to CJ students who have above-average grades and who demonstrate leadership qualities required of public safety personnel. Abriana is a junior member of the Maynard Fire Department in Marcy, New York. She completed the Basic Exterior Firefighting Operations (BEFO) class in the spring of 2024, which consisted of 79 hours of classroom and hands-on training, and several practical and written exams. Abriana has served as the OHM BOCES SkillsUSA vice president since September 2023 and was elected NYS SkillsUSA president in the summer of 2024. Additionally, Abriana works at Enchanted Forest during the summer and at both Woods Valley Ski Area and Wynn Hospital during the school year.

Toryn Snyder is a senior from Sauquoit High School in his second year of the OHM

BOCES Criminal Justice CTE program. Toyrn was promoted to the rank of sergeant during his first year in the CJ program and was elected into the same position by his peers at the beginning of year two. Toryn is a junior member of the Willowvale Fire Company in his hometown of Chadwicks. Toryn completed the Basic Exterior Firefighting Operations (BEFO) class in the spring of 2024, which consisted of 79 hours of classroom and hands-on training, and several practical and written exams. Toryn has also served as the OHM BOCES SkillsUSA treasurer since September 2023 and was elected NYS SkillsUSA Officer at Large Community Service in the summer of 2024. Additionally, Toryn has worked a part-time job since he started the CJ program.

On October 8, students in the Animal Science Career and Technical Education (CTE) program at the Oneida-Herkimer-Madison BOCES learned about Spanish Colonial horses and how to care for them.

Jeff and Maria Engelbrecht from Spirit Dogs Farm in Frankfort, New York brought their Spanish Colonial horses to teach students about their history and their care. The Engelbrechts acquired their Spanish Colonial horses from the Center for America’s First Horse in Vermont. They’re direct descendants from the horse brought over by the Spanish settlers in the 1500s and are close to extinction today – there are only about 3,000 left in the United States and next to none left anywhere else in the world.

The Engelbrechts described the horses’ unique conformation and athleticism, which have remained pure since arriving here centuries ago. They also discussed the concept of Natural Horsemanship, a more humane way of training horses.

Students also had the opportunity to learn more about the Engelbrechts’ arena where they host therapy programs at their facility through the Sitrin Health Care Center as part of their Military Rehabilitation Program. The Animal Science FFA students will be running a Pennies for Ponies campaign to aid the Engelbrechts in their efforts to continue working with and helping veterans overcome their emotional and physical obstacles through this much-needed program.

Kathleen comes to us with many years of experience as a guidance counselor. Prior to joing the team at OHM BOCES, Kathleen was a guidance counselor at Remsen CSD. She comes to us bringing experience handling both college and career readiness, as well as mental health counseling and much more. We are very excited to add Kathleen's professional knowledge to our guidance department.

Trevor is a teaching assistant in the MiTech 10 program assisting Mr. Peckham. Prior to joining the OHM BOCES, Trevor came to us from the Mohawk Valley Psychiatric Center working with children ages 5-17. He also works at Upstate Caring Partners when he is not at BOCES.

Shannon is a teaching assitant in both CTE and P-TECH. She comes to us with experience from both St. John's the Evangelist Nursery School and St. Mary's in Clinton Nursery School, and experience as a tech assistant at both St. Elizabeth's Medical Center and Rite Aid.

Career and Technical Education Center programs focus on preparing students for employment, careers or post-secondary education through the development of technical and 21st-century skills. Working with state-of-the-art equipment, students apply theory and knowledge to a wide range of real life work assignments in shops and laboratories. In addition to technical skills, students learn critical thinking, problem-solving, collaboration, communication, positive employment attitudes, job seeking skills, familiarization with related career opportunities and college readiness.

Email: mhoover@oneida-boces.org

Website: https://www.oneida-boces.org
Location: 4747 Middle Settlement Road, New Hartford, NY, USA
Phone: 315-793-8666
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ohmboces1/
Twitter: @ohmboces