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March 1, 2019P-TECH Students Volunteer at the Regional Food Bank
A dozen students from the innovative Capital Region BOCES Pathways in Technology Early College High School (P-TECH) Watervliet campus spent their Friday morning helping the less fortunate at the Regional Food Bank of Northeastern New York.
Students sorted donations and learned how the food bank accomplishes its mission of collecting large donations and distributing them to the hungry and disadvantaged in 23 counties though local food distribution organizations.
“It feels good helping people in need,” freshman Kendryek Flynn, a P-TECH student from Watervliet, said as he sorted seltzer waters from soda.
Classmate Phoenix Tobin agreed.
“It’s a good feeling helping people but it’s sad because we shouldn’t have to be doing this (people shouldn’t need food banks),” he said.
Principal Kurt Redman said giving students a good understanding of humanities and charitable outreach is one of P-TECH’s missions. As a result, he said, the school worked with its partner, the Capital Region Chamber, to arrange Friday’s opportunity for students to volunteer and learn about hunger in the Capital Region and beyond.
P-TECH is an innovative four- to six-year program (grades 9-14) 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.
