High school students interested in an in-depth, honors-level study program for their senior year are encouraged to attend one of two open houses planned by Capital Region BOCES during the month of January.
Open houses where students and their parents can learn all about the New Visions: Health Careers and Law & Government programs are scheduled for January 8 and January 11 in Albany.
The January 8 open house is scheduled to begin at 6pm at the BOCES Central Administration offices, 900 Watervliet-Shaker, Albany, (snow date January 10), while the January 11 open house is scheduled to begin at 8:30am at the same location (snow date January 18).
New Visions is a one-year, honors-level program that turns area businesses and government buildings into classrooms for highly motivated, academically successful high school seniors.
In the programs, students learn through traditional methods (lecture, reading, research, writing and focused study), group discussions, internships and rotations.
Classes meet daily from 8-11:30am.
The programs are taught in classrooms directly related to their fields of interest.
The Health Careers classroom is located at Ellis Hospital in Schenectady and at St. Peter’s Hospital in Albany and the Law & Government classroom is located at the New York State Education Department building, directly across from the Capitol in Albany.
New Visions graduates credit the program with their success.
“The skills I learned in Health Careers and the experiences I had—I was able to be a part of three live births—prepared me well for classes at Russell Sage,” Lauren Szczepaniak, a 2017 graduate said.
2018 graduate Emily Jackson, who attended New Visions from the Cobleskill-Richmondville Central School District, said the program cemented her career aspirations.
“I learned that I liked being with the patients and being with the doctors and working with kids. I really wasn’t sure prior to that,” she said.
2015 graduate of the New Visions: Law & Government program Emily Taylor of Cohoes said the program proved challenging and rewarding.
“What I liked the most about New Visions is the academic challenge and educational opportunities I received,” said Ms. Taylor, who graduated in December from the Sage College with a bachelors in public policy.
“The credits I earned in New Visions allowed me to graduate college early,” she said.
Anyone interested in attending any of the sessions should call the Capital Region BOCES Career and Technical School guidance office at 518 862-4816.