What is Ulster BOCES?
Nick Bernier

Ulster BOCES means different things to different people.

To Nick Bernier, a former Center for Alternative Education student, Ulster BOCES means being in a highly supportive and encouraging educational environment that turned him around from being at risk of failing school to becoming the salutatorian of his graduating class.

When Nick was in kindergarten in the Highland Central School District, he was diagnosed with several learning disabilities, including a speech impediment, dyslexia, Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD), and Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (AD/HD). When he reached the eighth grade, he entered the Ulster BOCES Special Education program with an Individualized Education Plan (IEP). One year later, Nick returned to his home school district to begin his freshmen year at Highland High School. Still facing his learning disabilities, Nick struggled with classes and truancy. “I failed everything, except science,” he recalls. Nick’s parents met with the Committee for Special Education at Highland, and the decision was made to have Nick return to Ulster BOCES.

For Nick, receiving extra support and encouragement, along with specialized instruction in a more one-on-one manner at the Center for Alternative Education, was the formula for his academic success. He quickly began to turn his grades around. He credits his teachers and the principal, Rosemary Mannino, for his transformation. “Besides my Highland Elementary School principal, whom I loved, Rosemary Mannino is one of my all-time favorite people. She would go into each classroom as much as possible and just sit with us,” notes Nick, who really appreciated seeing the principal present in his classroom. “She gave us respect, and in return, she was respected. She made a real effort to get to know us.”

Nick also enjoyed the smaller class size at the Center for Alternative Education, which allowed the teachers to work with students individually. “I felt the teachers concentrated more on having students actually succeed. The teachers at Ulster BOCES make learning enjoyable. They made me want to come to class.”

Nick praises all of the teachers at the Center for Alternative Education, especially Dave Salvestrini, Pat Williamson, and Dawn Krom, for giving him the incentive to work hard on his studies by teaching him the proper pronunciation of words, offering assistance during free time and lunch periods, and offering extra assignments for Nick to work on. “They are all such dedicated teachers. They really are there to help the students succeed. They gave the students self-esteem and told us to ‘never give up!’ Ulster BOCES really does give hope to students.”

During his senior year, Nick began attending the one-year Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) program at the Career & Technical Center and learned a great deal under instructor Carol Blackwell. “I just love her…she is just an absolutely awesome teacher.”

Choosing that particular field of study was very personal for Nick. “I lost two cousins whom I was very close with, to a genetic blood disease. I had spent many hours in and out of the hospital visiting them. As a result, I learned about blood transfusions and patient care of IV (intravenous) drips, oxygen, etc., by the nurses. I thought if I was around that, then I might as well be medically trained at least a little bit on what to do.” Unfortunately, a month before he received his completion certification, one of his ailing cousins died. “They both were my whole inspiration for studying the CNA program.”

An important step in Nick’s career and technical training was two CNA internships he participated in. One was at Ten Broeck Commons, a healthcare facility in Lake Katrine, and the other was at Golden Hill Health Care Center in Kingston. “The internships were excellent. Ulster BOCES definitely put out a plan with these places to incorporate students into learning and being hands-on in the field.”

Nick’s mother, who is a medical technologist (MT) at St. Francis Hospital, encouraged Nick to continue on with his healthcare studies when she suggested he study phlebotomy. “It was back to BOCES for me!” says Nick, who began attending phlebotomy classes through the Ulster Adult Career Education Center and studied under instructor Lucy VanLeuvan, who also happened to have been Nick’s CNA teaching assistant. As part of the Phlebotomy program, Nick also interned at LabCorp in Kingston. “It was a great experience. I really enjoy phlebotomy.”

June was a monumental month for Nick—he graduated from high school and attended the Ulster BOCES Center for Alternative Education’s Recognition Ceremony where he was class salutatorian, received his phlebotomy license, and began a six-month stint working at Quest Diagnostics at Vassar Brothers Medical Center in Poughkeepsie. During this time, Nick also began training as a volunteer firefighter with Highland Hose Company No. 1. He is currently in his third year as a firefighter, is a member of the Company’s firefighter assistance and safety team (FAST), and is certified in elevator and automobile extrication.

His future plans include remaining a firefighter at Highland Hose Company No. 1, while obtaining another job in the field of phlebotomy. He also hopes to attend college to pursue a degree in liberal arts and sciences, with the eventual goal of becoming a substitute science teacher or teaching assistant.

Occasionally, Nick is invited to speak to the current Ulster BOCES students about his learning experiences. He has also been a guest speaker at past Recognition Ceremonies. “I say to the students, ‘I was in your shoes. I was failing. I came here. I could have just walked out of the building, but I didn’t. I stayed and learned.’ My advice to them would be to appreciate the teachers and other people around them, and if someone else is struggling, help them out.”

Nick credits Ulster BOCES with giving him the drive and self-esteem to continue his studies. “No matter how much you want or don’t want an education, Ulster BOCES will push and/or support you the whole way until you have one,” notes Nick. “The teachers and staff at Ulster BOCES go out of their way to see that every student succeeds.”