Massapequa Students Show Off Technical Skills

MASSAPEQUA, NY. — Massapequa School District is celebrating Career and Technical Education (CTE) Month this February, with district officials saying the celebration raises awareness of career and college prep programs in the district.

The bones of the program, district representatives say, are instruction in business, family and consumer sciences, and technology. For some students, that instruction takes the form of College Financial Accounting, a class that teaches juniors and seniors financial accounting and bookkeeping skills with the chance to earn six credits from St. John’s University. Accounting students perform case studies to learn about business fraud and see what financial controls could have prevented it, participating in an annual apprentice challenge at Adelphi University.

For students like Riley Lavin, a senior student-intern in the college Children and Families course who wants to be an elementary school teacher, the classes are a chance to get a first glimpse at a potential career.

“The reason I did this was to get a head start,” Lavin said.

For sophomore Daniella Foley, the CTE program gave her the opportunity to learn to cook in the cuisines of countries around the world. District officials said her teacher, Courtney Puricelli, instilled in her students the importance of communication and teamwork when cooking.

“I love that we get to make different kinds of food from other cultures,” Foley said.

For CTE Supervisor Patricia LiVecchi, the program is a valuable chance to give students the knowledge and competencies to find success in a wide range of fields. District officials said the program lets students see what their options are early, allowing them to transition into college programs more smoothly.

“CTE is an educational pathway that combines academic instruction with hands-on,
career-focused learning to prepare students for college, careers and real-world success,” LiVecchi said. “It integrates traditional academics with practical, job-specific
instruction to create meaningful, applied learning experiences. CTE matters because it
helps students to see the relevance of school to future goals.”

To Craig Mifsud, a student in the technology wing of CTE, learning electrical fundamentals in his residential structures class is the highlight of the program. Residential structures students learn electrical systems, plumbing, and construction practices from foundation to roof.

“I might want to do it as a future career,” Mifsud said. “It’s a good taste as I explore my options.”