Jun 6, 2025
GOWANDA – All students in seventh and eighth grades were encouraged to explore the array of vocational pathways available to them at a Career & Technical Education event held at Gowanda Middle School.
Juniors and seniors enrolled in the Culinary, Cosmetology, Construction Technology, Conservation, Criminal Justice, Automotive Technology, Automotive Body Repair, Small Animal Science, Health Careers, Sports Conditioning and Exercise Science, and Welding and Metal Fabrication set up information tables in the gymnasium for the career fair.
Every table at the recruitment event was overseen by at least one knowledgeable student from the LoGuidice Educational Center in Fredonia with support from the counseling departments of Gowanda CSD and Erie 2-Chautauqua-Cattaraugus.
Gowanda High students Landen Ashley and Colin Barnes manned the Conservation table while Mackenna Furlet helped out at the Cosmetology table, and Danielle Miller assisted at the Culinary table. CTE students from the Brocton, Dunkirk, Forestville, Fredonia, Lake Shore and Silver Creek districts also oversaw program tables.
“We are really pleased some of our own CTE students were on hand to introduce our middle school students to some of the options available through BOCES,” said GMS counselor Patty Krawjewski. “Hopefully seeing some of their familiar faces will help our younger students imagine the possibilities and start thinking more about their futures.”
The upperclassmen not only discussed their CTE programs, but also facilitated engaging hands-on activities designed to pique the younger students’ interest. The effort was designed to help them gain some insight into different career paths and start thinking about what they want to study when they get to high school.
BOCES School Counselor Alycia Lacki has been expanding recruitment efforts for CTE over the past couple years with similar hands-on visits to other area school districts.
“It isn’t always easy for everyone to narrow down a career path that aligns with their personal interests,” says Lacki. “What is nice about taking our Career & Technical Education show on the road is that we have all these fields represented in one place so the students really get an up-close look at the programs. It’s also nice to see our CTE students really take ownership of the skills they’ve developed and confidence they’ve gained. The younger students considering attending BOCES really take to heart the advice and encouragement they get from the older students.”
There were 11 CTE programs for students to see, each of which had engaging activities for students to try. For example, students used an airbrush tool on a vehicle hood at the Automotive Body Repair table while over at the Criminal Justice table they took turns fingerprinting themselves. Icing cutout cookies kept students entertained at the Culinary table while others enjoyed getting manicures, hair tinsel, and braids at the Cosmetology table.
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