The “Best of the Best” Inducted Into National Technical Honor Society
The students were honored at a ceremony at Putnam | Northern Westchester BOCES’ Yorktown campus.
“Whether they are framing house in Carpentry, saving a tree in Urban Forestry or comforting a child in Early Childhood Education, Tech Center students gain skills few others do,” Vilma Ramos of Walter Panas High School told the audience of 400, including fellow honorees, Tech Center faculty and staff, students, friends and family.
The Honor Society looks for students who “demonstrate a spirit of personal excellence, honestly, leadership, teamwork and responsibility,” said Chelsea Horsfield of Walter Panas High School. The honorees, from high schools throughout the region, all attend technical and career classes at BOCES. To be nominated for the Honor Society, they had to maintain a 90 or better average in their course of study at Tech and an 80 or better at their home school district. In addition to scholarship, inductees had to exhibit character, skill, leadership and service.
Lighting a candle to represent “service,” Nicholas Mills of Walter Panas High School listed the organizations that Tech students aid with volunteer work, including volunteer ambulance companies and fire departments, Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts, the Special Olympics, ROTC programs, Guiding Eyes for the Blind and more.
BOCES Superintendent Dr. James Ryan told the students that he and the faculty were proud of them.
In photo above: (left to right): Gabriella Gonzalezz of John Jay High School; Olive Gonzalezz, her mother; Jason Doherty, also of John Jay High School; Jim Gonzalezz, Gabriella’s father; and Patti Doherty, Jason’s mother.
“I have seldom seen students who have such tremendous composure, maturity and focus on their areas of interest,” he said. “I really am so taken by the dedication that you have for your areas of interest and I know that you are going to do great things as you go from Putnam | Northern Westchester BOCES