On Tuesday, June 13, Ulster BOCES Career & Technical Center honored 410 students during its Achievement Award Ceremony at SUNY New Paltz.

The students, who are from high schools throughout the region, were honored for completing the requirements of their trade program. Certificates were handed out to students in Career & Technical programs such as Culinary Arts, Cosmetology, Electrical Construction & Maintenance, Criminal Justice, Fashion Design, Music, Welding & Metal Fabrication, and more.

The 2017 valedictorian was New Paltz High School student Steven Scribani, who attended the Pre-University/New Visions Advanced Robotics & Engineering program. The salutatorian, Maya Gray, was from Saugerties High School, and was enrolled in the Culinary Arts program. This year's Principal's Award recipient is Onteora High School student Carlos Santiago, who was enrolled in the Criminal Justice program.

Scribani, who will be attending SUNY New Paltz in the fall, majoring in mechanical engineering, says Ulster BOCES allows students to discover their passion and recognize their potential.

As a junior, Scribani was enrolled as an Automotive Technology student when he was introduced to the Advanced Robotics & Engineering program and took on the role of mechanic for the Ulster BOCES Solar Car Team that drove from Texas to Minnesota. The experience was a pivotal one and he decided to change his trade program. During his senior year in the Robotics & Engineering program, the New Paltz High School student took advantage of an Ulster BOCES partnership with the NASA HUNCH program. He helped machine parts for stowage lockers that are used on the International Space Station. "I'll remember this all of my life. These are things most people don't get to do in a lifetime and I got to do them as a teenager," says Scribani. "This is a place—if you have the desire—to put parts into space or drive a car across the country."

Gray says she gained a strong foundation in her chosen career path by learning the fundamentals in both culinary skills and business management while at Ulster BOCES. The Saugerties High School student will be attending the Culinary Institute of America and pursuing a bachelor's degree in business management with a concentration in baking and pastry.

Scholarships and awards were also handed out during the ceremony.