Open House, Media Show and College/Transition Fair Draws Close to 300

There was a lot to see March 23 at the SWBOCES Center for Career Services Open House, which also included a Media Show and College/Transition Fair.

Across the Valhalla campus, visitors had the opportunity to see much of the work that current students have been doing since September by strolling through the Center’s classrooms, meeting faculty and even participating in a couple of interactive activities.

This year, there was a large number of high school freshmen and their parents from the local region visiting the campus and looking at the various program offerings available at the Center.

In the cafeteria located in the lower level of Building D, guests had a chance to avail of a light dinner and desserts, made by students in the Culinary Arts Program.

In the Animal Science Program classroom, parents had the chance to check out the different types of animals that are cared for by students under the direction of its instructor Michael D’Abruzzo.

Mr. D’Abruzzo explained that the foundational course is ideal for those who want to work in a veterinary hospital or other animal-centered facility, with the opportunity to perform veterinary procedures such as measuring heart rate and temperature, collecting and analyzing samples and using a microscope, among other tasks.

In the Nursing Assistant Program classroom, instructor Alyson Keane assured a curious group of sophomores from White Plains High School that they could expect to walk out of her program armed with the kind of knowledge they would typically acquire in the first four months of nursing school.

Ms. Keane described the many facets of the program that equips students with the knowledge to work in medical offices and elder care settings, as well as preparing them for medical and/or nursing school.

In the Emergency Services Program classroom, visitors were enthralled by the latest ambulance simulator, a recent addition to the space that will give students real world training opportunities, such as practicing and perfecting various tasks and procedures that emergency service personnel do on a daily basis.

The simulator is hooked up to cameras, which will record students as they respond to various emergencies.

White Plains High School sophomores Dayna Clarke and Sherrian Grant were excited by the new addition and said it would factor into their decision to join the program next year.

New to the Open House this year was the addition of a Transition Fair, which included a myriad of information on agencies that can help families find additional help for their adult-age children.

They included the following:

• Harris Hands Community Services, Inc., which serves people with developmental disabilities;
• College Steps, which is designed to meet the unique needs of students with specific learning and social challenges;
• Search for Change, which provides rehabilitative services for individuals with mental illness;
• ACCES-VR (Adult Career and Continuing Education Services-Vocational Rehabilitation, a service of the New York State Education Dept.);
• OPWDD (Officer for People with Developmental Disabilities) Family Support;
• Arc of Westchester, which supports children, teens and adults who have intellectual and developmental disabilities, including autism.
• Westchester Institute for Human Development, an agency that develops and delivers medical, clinical and support services for individuals, their families and caregivers; and
• The Hudson Valley Special Education Parent Center, a division of WIHD.

The College Fair had representatives from the Culinary Tech Center, the Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising, Berkley College and the Makeup Forever Academy.