For many years, high school has been viewed as a pre-set four-year path in which students either continue on to college or enter the workforce upon graduation. But for students in Westchester County, Southern Westchester BOCES offers a meaningful alternative.
Southern Westchester BOCES Center for Career Services, a technical school for high school students in 11th and 12th grades who reside in lower Westchester County and want to learn a trade, provides a wide variety of programs that are designed to expand opportunities for students and prepare them for immediate employment or further higher education.
Further celebrating the students’ achievements in their studies, Southern Westchester BOCES hosts the SkillsUSA regional competition on February 28. SkillsUSA is a nonprofit partnership that provides educational programs, competitions, and leadership development to prepare middle school, high school, and college students for careers in trades, technical, and skilled service occupations.
While many students from various BOCES locations throughout the Hudson Valley competed in the event, we spoke to three students at Southern Westchester BOCES about why they opted to study in their chosen field, the most meaningful part about participating in the SkillsUSA competition, and what their career aspirations are following graduation.
Sofia Levine, Culinary Arts
Sofia Levine, a senior at White Plains High School, is studying culinary arts. “Ever since I was a kid cooking in the kitchen with my family – hearing how my grandmother and great-grandmother used to cook and having an Italian family and going to Italy to visit family – food really connected both my culture and my family together,” she says.
For Levine, culinary arts has opened the door to a plethora of potential career opportunities. “I could become a butcher. I could work in a kitchen. I could own my own business,” she shares. “There are also so many different cuisines that I can study: Latin American, Japanese, Chinese, Italian, Greek, Russian. There are so many different styles of cooking. I’m not limited to one exact area that I have to pursue.”
Participating in SkillsUSA also introduced Levine to friendly competition. While she notes that the competition is intense, it also taught her to study and harness her abilities, refine what she knows and what she can do better, and learn more.
“It could be my speed, my technique, or my cleanliness. I just have to make sure I do everything I can as close to perfect as possible,” she says.
In the future, Levine hopes to work as the head chef in a kitchen one day. “My dream is to be a well-known, famous chef, but even if I just become a regular chef that works in a restaurant, that would really be my dream. I’ll be happy and able to go to sleep at night knowing I’ve reached my full potential.”
Jake Olivier, Video Production
Eastchester High School senior Jake Olivier opted to study video production. The program appealed to him because of its all-encompassing curriculum; students learn everything from writing all the way to post-production, as well as the steps in between.
“I’ve always been into art, whether it’s physical art or music,” he says. “The first time I felt like I was really interested in film was my freshman year when I made a movie with my friends to put into the Eastchester Film Festival. It just kind of took off from there.”
For Olivier, his favorite part about studying video production is the ability to simply create. “Working with different people, getting input on specifics with the project, and just coming up with a final product that was enjoyable to make and that I feel other people would enjoy as well” is what’s most attractive about the process, he shares.
The most meaningful part of participating in the SkillsUSA competition for Olivier is the ability to build something from the ground up. When he participated last year, he and his teammate had no idea what they wanted to do at first. They only had two weeks to create their film, and they ended up producing something that was award-winning.
“It was something we were proud of, and we were happy to show other people and have them critique it,” he says. “It was a great experience to get better and help improve our work in the future.”
Looking ahead, he plans to work in the production side of the film industry. Specifically, he has an interest in the electrician field. “I know there is a big need for people with those skills and specifically in that part of the industry – to handle all of the wiring and make sure all of the equipment works,” he observes.
Hailey Walsh, Cosmetology
Pelham Memorial High School senior Hailey Walsh is studying cosmetology. Her interest in the field initially started with nail design. “I love having long nails and seeing all of the different styles you can have,” she says.
For Walsh, the best part about studying cosmetology is being around the other girls and gaining even more motivation. Watching them work provides her with inspiration, as she notes that it’s a “very creative group.”
Participating in the SkillsUSA competition reminds her that it’s all about the people you’re surrounded with and how they make you feel. “We have become like a huge family. We all travel together and we’re in meetings every month together. Yes, we compete, but it’s really more about the family atmosphere for me,” she says. “I have really loved seeing everyone’s talents come to life.”
While Walsh’s career goals following graduation are to join the New York Police Department, she hasn’t put cosmetology out of the question yet. “I plan on opening my salon one day after I retire, and I’ll probably design nails for people on the side while I work in law enforcement.”
Next Steps
To learn more about Southern Westchester BOCES, visit its website or call 914.761.3400.
Related: BOCES Programs in Westchester Provide Intro to the Fashion Industry
