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April 7, 2020Capital Region BOCES Faculty, Staff, Administrators Deliver Computers to Students
Sixty Capital Region BOCES Career and Technical School students from nine school districts received computers from BOCES on Monday to help further their education while taking part in distance learning because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The students who could not get access to computers from other sources were provided them by BOCES faculty and staff who traversed the four-county region bringing them to the student’s homes.
“It’s a worthwhile effort and I figured if everybody chipped in, it would make it easier for everybody,” said Kristina Fermann, an integrated English teacher who was delivering computers to students in Cohoes.
Fermann was among 23 teachers, teaching assistants, staff members and administrators who volunteered to collect the devices at the BOCES administrative building in Colonie Monday morning and deliver them to the students in Albany, Schenectady, Saratoga and Schoharie counties. Faculty and staff were called into the BOCES offices one by one to maintain proper social distancing and handed the computers by Jeff Palmer, Career and Technical School director.
“I was overwhelmed by the number of people who have come forward to volunteer to deliver these computers. We even have a teacher coming from Massachusetts to do his part!,” said Career and Technical School Albany Campus Principal Charles Paravella.
Several additional computers were distributed to students in the Internet Application Design program to provide them with the programs they need to learn, Palmer said.
“It was a good opportunity to get out of the house and help our students who want to learn,” said Andrea Rea, a teaching assistant, who was delivering to a student in Duanesburg.
“I wanted to help our students get through this difficult time and continue their education,” added Paul Rother, a culinary teacher who was delivering computers to students in Cohoes.
Earlier in the pandemic, 190 computers were distributed to allow Adult Practical Nursing students and 100 devices provided to special education students to continue their education.
“Bringing some normalcy to our students and ensuring a continuation of education is extremely important to our students in this era of uncertainty,” said Palmer.
