A recent graduate of the Early Childhood Education program is nearing completion of her first year of college and is crediting her time at BOCES in helping prepare her for a future career path.
Kaitlyn Burr is a 2018 graduate of Watertown High School and is currently enrolled at Buffalo State College where she intends to major in Speech Pathology. Her goal is to become a Speech Pathologist, working with infant to Pre-K level students. She discovered this particular career path during her time at BOCES.
“I visited the Early Childhood classroom for a day,” recalls Kaitlyn. “I have always had a natural instinct with children and I knew that I wanted to be working with children as my profession later in life.”
Kaitlyn says she knew right away that Early Childhood Ed. was a perfect fit, giving her an edge when applying to college. She says the internship opportunities were her favorite activities at BOCES, citing the different settings and age groups that she learned from.
“I worked with elementary schools, daycares and a special needs classroom through the Jefferson Rehabilitation Center. One of my internships was in an Audiologist office, working with infants and elderly patients. Experiences like these are what makes Early Childhood Education so unique. Most people don’t realize how many options there are for careers.”
Kaitlyn also says that she found herself well prepared for college when she began taking courses in the fall.
“I took an introductory Psychology class where we discussed development and the more well-known childhood psychologists. I already knew the basics of these topics. I also took an Introduction to the Exceptional Child course where I was able to use my previous experience with special needs children to help me relate to the information. The internship experience I gained through BOCES will continue to help me through college and my career.”
Kaitlyn says the amount of experience you gain is reason enough to enroll in a Career and Technical Education course at BOCES.
“You make connections with the BOCES faculty and groups of students you would otherwise not meet. Enrolling in this program was one of the best decisions I ever made.”
The Early Childhood Education program is available at the BOCES technical centers in both Jefferson and Lewis Counties. To learn more about the program, click here.