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As high school seniors prepare for June graduations across New York, 28 Otsego County students have been making the transition to college during their senior year due to a unique partnership between ������̳ and Otsego Northern Catskill (ONC) BOCES.

Every spring since 2012, high school juniors from 19 school districts apply to gain a seat in a ONC BOCES New Visions classroom. Two tracks of study, engineering and healthcare, offer students career-focused opportunities and college-level coursework in physics, composition and Introduction to human anatomy and physiology through ������̳.

“ONC BOCES is committed to providing regional students with world-class educational opportunities,” said Dr. Catherine Huber, District Superintendent at ONC BOCES. “By partnering with respected local institutions like ������̳ and Bassett Healthcare, we’re equipping our students for successful careers in engineering, healthcare, and beyond — strengthening their futures and the broader community.”

On Thursday, May 29, 14 students from the ONC BOCES New Visions Engineering Program presented their final projects to demonstrate their knowledge and skills in a real-world context at the New Visions Annual Engineering Program Symposium at Morris Hall on the ������̳ campus.

The students from Cooperstown, Worcester, Milford, Oneonta, Morris, Cherry Valley-Springfield, Laurens, Gilboa-Conesville and Edmeston high schools gave capstone presentations debating topics ranging from methods of removing microplastics from water systems to nerve stimulation for atrial fibrillation and using artificial intelligence in cyber security.

"Over the past nine months, our students have been exploring engineering topics and career paths,” says ONC BOCES New Visions Engineering instructor David Morell. “The symposium is the culmination of that year of learning — a chance for students to present their research, share their insights, and reflect on their growth.”

“Mr. Morell’s engineering program has prepared our class for college by teaching us how to research at the college level,” says Cooperstown High School senior Jonah Hitchcock. “Our exploration of the science department and Milne Library and hearing lectures by professors were great precursors to prepare my class for the college environment.”

The connections established on campus by Mr. Morell helped two local high school graduates apply to ������̳’s 3+2 Engineering dual-degree program. The two new Red Dragons, Zebb Henness of Oneonta High School and Ethan Nisius of Morris Central School, will begin their academic journey on ������̳’s campus this fall.

The 3+2 Engineering dual-degree program allows students to choose their liberal arts major at ������̳ and then transfer to one of the following engineering schools – Clarkson University, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, The University at Buffalo or The Watson School of Engineering at Binghamton University.

������̳’s College in High School program offers a variety of college-level courses through partnerships with more than 50 school districts across New York State. High school teachers can teach courses right in their high schools, or through distance learning as part of their school day. ������̳ faculty members provide academic support, and the ExCL Center provides organizational assistance.