What is Ulster BOCES?
Travis Wento

Ulster BOCES means different things to different people. To Travis Wento, a Specialist with the United States Army stationed in Fort Wainwright, Alaska, Ulster BOCES means having the opportunity to learn valuable career and technical skills, which he now utilizes daily in his duties serving and protecting our nation.

Growing up, Travis always enjoyed working with computers. “I’m kind of computer savvy,” he admits. That interest in technology followed him through his middle school years into high school, where he attended the Kingston City Schools Consolidated’s Alternative High School program. “I was a bit rebellious,” he recalls.

When Travis was a sophomore, he was offered the opportunity to attend the Ulster BOCES Career & Technical Center and learn a vocational skill. “I thought I’d give it a shot, try something different.” Travis enrolled in the Business Computer Technology program and immediately liked the class. However, some upheaval was coming his way. At the end of his sophomore year, the alternative program at Kingston was dissolved and the students were merged into the mainstream population at Kingston High School. At first, this change caused some issues for Travis.

“Unfortunately, in my junior year, I got expelled. It took me about one week to realize just how big of a mistake that it was for me to not get a high school education.” Travis then spoke with the administration at Kingston High School and was “ecstatic” when he was permitted to come back. “I was jumping up and down and calling all my friends telling them, ‘I’m back in school!’

Travis continued his studies at the Career & Technical Center and learned all he could in class from his instructor, Dick Price. “What I liked best about the class was that it covered current technology. Mr. Price was an outstanding instructor. He taught us skills that were very up-to-date that we could use anywhere. From the skills obtained at Ulster BOCES, a person can actually jump right into an entry-level job placement.”

While attending the Business Computer Technology program, Travis secured a one-year position with Kingston Hospital’s Information Technology department through the Career & Technical Center’s School-to-Work program. “I thought the experience was just outstanding,” states Travis. “Obviously, because I got kicked out of school at one time, I was not a big fan of school. But I’ve always been about working, especially in that field. It was really good working with the people there and I got a real taste of the demographics of the field. It was a really good experience.”

Travis continued to succeed academically. In June 2003, Travis graduated on the Honor Roll from Kingston High School and the Ulster BOCES Career & Technical Center. In July, he enlisted in the United States Army and was stationed in Fort Wainwright, Alaska where his technical training from Ulster BOCES really paid off.

“When I first got to Fort Wainwright, I was a new infantry soldier and assigned to a random spot. Then, my leaders found out about my computer skills and because of that, I got a job as a radio telephone operator,” reports Travis. “I also handled all the logistical sides of my platoon, I had a lot of paperwork, I filed, I handled all the archive packets…I typed a lot!”

On August 15, 2005, Travis was deployed to Iraq. “My job is to record, report, and collect all the materials pertinent to the missions we go on. I also type de-brief reports that explain what happened on the missions. My job, overall, is inherently dangerous because I’m infantry and on the ground in Iraq every day, but in my job—because of my computer skills—theoretically, I don’t get placed into as dangerous of situations. I’m not the first guy coming through the door, I’m the second guy coming in taking pictures and recording whatever they find. Giving me skills that I can use not only while I’m in the service, but also to keep me safer, is another reason I’m so grateful for taking the Ulster BOCES program.”

Recently, while on a two-week leave from Iraq, Travis was back in Ulster County visiting family and friends. One of his stops was the Ulster BOCES Career & Technical Center where he visited his former teachers and other staff. “Because of the rocky road I decided to take in high school, the people who were there for me as mentors and counselors, which pretty much were all of my teachers at both Ulster BOCES and Kingston High School, mean a lot to me. I wanted to stop back and say hi and thank them for their guidance.”

After Travis is discharged from the service, he says he is looking forward to a career in law enforcement. “That’s part of my five-year goal, to become a police officer for the State of New York.”

For Travis, Ulster BOCES was an extremely positive learning experience in several settings—educational, career, and life. “The good thing about Ulster BOCES is that the students come from all over the county. That’s a real advantage because the more people you meet and learn how to socialize with, the better.” Adds Travis, “Ulster BOCES is a place of opportunity for every student if they want to take advantage of it. The opportunities at the Career & Technical Center are just great—from the classroom lessons to the School-to-Work program—all of which will give you the job experience you need to get an entry-level job after high school or to go on to college. There’s a lot of opportunities at Ulster BOCES.”