Ulster County Young Professionals Celebrated

PORT EWEN — On May 30, the Ulster BOCES Career & Technical Center honored more than 500 young professionals from high schools across the region during its Class of 2024 Completion Celebration, which was held at the Ulster Performing Arts Center (UPAC) in Kingston.

The young professionals were recognized for completing the requirements of their respective trade programs, which range from Culinary Arts, Cosmetology, Criminal Justice, Fashion Design & Merchandising, Cisco & Cyber Security, to Electrical Construction, Robotics & Advanced Manufacturing, Welding & Metal Fabrication, and more.

Additionally, 369 young professionals who are members of the esteemed National Technical Honor Society and over 100 who actively participated in SkillsUSA were recognized. This national workforce leadership program fosters community service and leadership training and provides opportunities to participate in regional, state, and national trade competitions.

Many of the young professionals also participated in the Capstone Internship program, which allowed them to gain real-world work experience in their chosen area of study. In 2023-24, these job experiences included 63 paid internships where young professionals earned a combined total of over $14,000 each week while also meeting academic requirements for their program of study. Additionally, 251 young professionals were involved in experiential or clinical internships.

Valedictorian Marla McCain, a young professional from Kingston City School District and two-time first-place SkillsUSA winner for New York State, attended the Ulster BOCES Fashion Design & Merchandising program. She plans to continue on that path by attending the Fashion Institute of Technology in the fall. Addressing the Class of 2024, she told her fellow young professionals to follow their passion because it is the driving force of changing “I want to” to “I am.” This year’s salutatorian, Soleil Miller from the New Paltz Central School District, also attended the Ulster BOCES Fashion & Merchandising program and acted as the emcee for the evening. She plans to attend Parsons School of Design.