News
January 7, 2019P-TECH is a Prescription for Success for this Watervliet Freshman
For Watervliet freshman Melissa Mayo, the new Capital Region BOCES Pathways in Technology Early College High School (P-TECH) program is a prescription for high school, college and career success.
The soft-spoken student has “always” aspired to a career and medicine, but until P-TECH opened this school year, she thought those dreams were out of reach.
“When I was little, I wanted to be a veterinarian and then I wanted to be a surgeon, but I never thought it was possible because I didn’t have the money to go to college.”
Now, Mayo is exploring not only medicine, but virtual reality, computer science and numerous other subjects in a program that will allow her to earn an associate’s degree for free.
Mayo is one about three-dozen students in the innovative four- to six-year program (grades 9-14) program offered to students throughout the region through a consortium that includes Capital Region BOCES, the Capital Region Chamber, Hudson Valley Community College and SUNY Schenectady County Community College. The program has two campuses – east campus is at Watervliet High School, west campus at the Center for Advanced Technology at Mohonason – and provides pathways for students to earn free college degrees in Computer Science, Computer Information Systems and Cybersecurity.
The P-TECH curriculum focuses on engaging students in hands-on, project-based learning to be successful in careers in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) and providing students with workplace skills that will ensure success, no matter the career path they are applied to. Through the program, business partners provide students access to cutting-edge technologies and innovations that allow them to see the real-world application of the knowledge they are gaining at P-TECH.
“I am learning computers and computer science here. I want to take that knowledge into a career in medicine and ultimately invent a technology that will help people with disabilities,” Mayo said. “I don’t know what that invention will be, but I have always dreamed of helping people with disabilities.”
“P-TECH is giving me a chance to go to college and follow my dreams to my dream job,” said Mayo.
And that is exactly the goal of P-TECH, helping students who in turn will use their skills to help others.
“Students like Melissa are what this program is all about. Engaging a student in a rigorous education and bringing into reach a goal they have had, but though was out of reach,” said Principal Kurt Redman.
Enrollment for the 2019-20 school year will begin soon.
A pair of open houses to learn more about the P-TECH program will be held Jan. 9 at the Mohonasen Center for Advanced Technology and Watervliet Junior-Senior High School with two starting times – 5:30 p.m. and 7 p.m. For more information on the P-TECH program, go to https://www.capitalregionboces.org/capital-region-p-tech/ .
