BOCES 2 New Visions program gives students a look at future careers

BOCES 2 New Visions teachers Todd Pschierer and Candie Adamczyk worked with former student Jill Hogue (back right) of Spencerport to create a physical therapy internship for Kendall senior Katie Barker (front) at Lakeside Memorial Hospital.

BOCES 2 New Visions program gives students a look at future careers

Before stepping on to the grounds of the University of Hartford to study physical therapy, Jill Hogue of Spencerport already had experience working with patients. Her dream of becoming a physical therapist began taking shape while she was in high school as a student in the BOCES 2 New Visions program. While the next few years of college would be classroom lessons and textbook work, Hogue already knew more about physical therapy than her peers because of her internship with a physical therapist at Monroe Community Hospital and at Mary Cariola Children's Center. As a New Visions student during her senior year, she took English and social studies three days a week in a classroom at Monroe Community Hospital. For the other two days, she worked at her internship earning college credit and gaining experience with patients.

New Visions students spend their senior year of high school in active pursuit of their life's work. "New Visions is a program for the motivated student who has completed most of his or her course work, who wants to find out about a career choice and is willing to do the work," said BOCES 2 Health Professions Teacher and former nurse Candie Adamczyk. In addition to health professions, BOCES 2 offers students New Visions programs in emerging, justice and education professions.

Now a physical therapist at Lakeside Memorial Hospital in Brockport, Hogue has a bachelor of science and a master of science in physical therapy and is a mentor to Katie Barker, a senior at Kendall High School and student in Todd Pschierer's New Visions class at SUNY Brockport. "We ask our former students if they will consider mentoring when they are in their career," Pschierer said.

The goal of the New Visions program is to reinforce dedicated students' decision for a career, open their eyes to a career path they may not have known about, and prepare them for college.
"The New Visions program is statewide, so we know from speaking with admissions counselors at colleges that our students are looked upon in a favorable light because they've been through our rigorous program," said Adamczyk. Health profession students complete two to three rotations at Monroe Community, Lakeside Memorial, Park Ridge or Strong Memorial Hospitals, Lifetime Health Systems or the Mary Cariola Children's Center for children with disabilities. "I've seen the process New Visions students must go through to get into this program and the grades they must have to participate," said Gloria Lear, volunteer coordinator at Lakeside Memorial Hospital. "They are mature and devoted students. I think they have a great opportunity to learn here and we're glad to offer them this opportunity."

For information about the BOCES 2 New Visions program contact Adamczyk at cadamczy@monroe2boces.org or 760-6288.