The Carrier Educational Center recently welcomed current, former, and prospective students to its annual fall open house.
Attendees could tour classrooms, meet instructors, and learn more about Career & Technical Education programs through Erie 2-Chautauqua-Cattaraugus BOCES.
“Open house is an opportunity that allows our students to interact with the community in a meaningful way,” said Jessica Sullivan, Carrier Educational Center principal. “It’s a chance for them to highlight the knowledge and abilities they are gaining, which will not only support their own growth but also contribute to the vitality of our local region.”
Under instructor Sandy Kaleta’s guidance, Culinary Arts students prepared charcuterie boards full of sweet and savory foods for the open house.
Silver Creek resident Zach Stalter and his 15-year-old daughter, Payton, toured the Carrier Educational Center and met with instructors for several CTE programs.
“We thought it would be good to explore some of the opportunities,” Zach Stalter said. “For myself, I almost feel like I missed an opportunity not coming here when I was in school. I’m more of a hands-on mechanical person and see the value in a place like this.”
While Payton has not yet decided on a definitive career choice, she was considering E2CCB as an option.
Jax Beers, a junior in the Small Animal Science program, attended the open house with several family members.
“I like hanging out with the animals and holding them and picking them up. It’s like a whole new experience,” said Beers, who attends North Collins Central School. “I want to be a veterinarian in the future, so I want to receive as much knowledge as possible.”
Kennedy Masullo graduated from the Small Animal Science program at Carrier last June and returned for the open house. She brought Stitch, a bunny she adopted from the CTE program.
Masullo said she was glad to be back in her former classroom.
“The biggest thing I took away from this program is just how important it is to care for all kinds of animals and the importance of rescuing animals,” said Masullo, who went to Lake Shore Central School while attending Carrier. “Many of these animals are rescued from different homes from people who can’t care for them.”
Masullo had been eyeing a career as a veterinarian technician; she’s now considering a career in nursing, hoping to use some of the personal skills she learned through E2CCB to help others.
“For many in my class, this was one of the main reasons we wanted to come to school every day,” she said. “We wanted to come to BOCES for this class.”
For more information on Career & Technical Education programs at Erie 2-Chautauqua-Cattaraugus BOCES, visit e2ccb.org.
