Families and guests pack CTE, New Vision and CDOS graduations for Onondaga County and Cortland-area students

Families and guests pack CTE, New Vision and CDOS graduations
for Onondaga County and Cortland-area students

June 2023

About 2,500 people filled the Center of Progress building at the New York Fairgrounds on June 7 to celebrate a record number of graduates — about 395 —in the Career & Technical Education (CTE), New Vision and Career Development and Occupational Studies programs at the Thompson Road Campus.

The event was held at the Fairgrounds for the first time in OCM BOCES history to accommodate the growing crowds.

Similarly, it was wall-to-wall guests inside the auditorium at Homer Intermediate School, where about 213 students graduated on June 8 from CTE and New Vision programs at the Cortlandville Campus.

2023 CTE
Hall of Fame Honorees

At both events, students heard from a CTE alum who has done exceptionally well in their field, resulting in a “CTE Alumni Hall of Fame” award and a plaque that will hang on a dedicated wall in their respective campuses.

In Onondaga County, graduates heard from Samantha Maxsween, Cosmetology Class of 2010, who now owns a "Snip Its Cuts for Kids" franchise in Cicero and in Hudson, Ohio.

In Cortland County, students heard from Gerald Henry, Class of 1993, a partner in the Priority Fire Apparatus and Service Center in Cortland, a business that grew out of the automotive technology skills he learned at OCM BOCES. Henry has kept his ties to OCM BOCES by having interns work at his garage.

2023 Business Partners of the Year

Exceptional business partners were honored as well. WCNY was named “Business Partner of the Year” in Onondaga County because of its dedication to students through our embedded Media Marketing Communications program.

In Cortland, CAPCO (Cortland County Community Action Program, Inc.) was honored for hosting the Early Childhood Education program and consistently supporting OCM BOCES in other ways.

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Thompson Road Campus Graduates - 2023

Click here for a list of all the Thompson Road CTE and New Vision and graduates (by district).

Click here for the program distributed at the Thompson Road ceremony for our CDOS, CTE and New Vision programs (pdf) This document includes all recognitions.

Cortlandville Campus Graduates - 2023

Click here for a full list of all the Cortlandville CTE and New Vision graduates (by district).

Click here for the program distributed at the Cortlandville Campus ceremony for our CTE and New Vision graduates (pdf) This document includes all recognitions.
 

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CTE Endorsements - 2023

Earning a CTE Endorsement on a high school diploma is considered a distinction of honor because it demonstrates a student’s academic strength and signifies their readiness to enter the workforce or enroll in college.
 
To earn a CTE endorsement, students must take and pass both written and performance exams. Performance exams are observed and scored by field experts not affiliated with the educational institution. Students who pass the test demonstrate competence in their specific trade area and their readiness to meet the high standards of employment, or entrance into a secondary education program, in their field of study. To achieve the endorsement, students must also meet a number of additional standards including: passing their CTE course, completing approved work-based learning experiences, passing national assessments, completing 22 graduation credits, achieving passing grades on five Regents exams (or approved alternatives) and meeting all high school graduation requirements.
 
Click here for the list of Thompson Road students (by district) who received CTE endorsements on their high school diplomas.

Click here for the list of Cortlandville students (by district) who received CTE endorsements on their high school diplomas.
 

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Finally, check out a few photos from our Cortlandville (top) and Thompson Road (bottom) ceremonies below: