YOUTH ON THE GO
New Paltz High School student Emily Kucharczyk was the winner of AdkAction’s student COVID-19 Public Service Announcement Contest, earning a $1,000 grand prize.
The contest, which was open to all middle and high school students in New York, garnered 53 entries statewide. the entries shared students’ advice based on CDC guidelines for preventing the spread of COVID-19. Students uploaded their video submissions online through Launchpad, a digital film contest platform donated by Skills21 at EdAdvance, an educational nonprofit based in Connecticut. Submissions were judged based on a scoring rubric by a panel of educators, nonprofit leaders, and video production professionals.
Kucharczyk’s entry was titled “A Vintage COVID-19 PSA.”
“When I heard about the project from my teacher,” Kucharczyk said in a press release. “I had a vision of the shot where I held up a bottle of cleaning spray, I just saw the vintage theme in my head and went with it.
“I love the creative freedom that comes with making movies — it’s one of the best ways to express your art.”
The winning entry will be showcased on television and at the Beyond the Peaks Student Film Festival on Friday, June 4.
“Our annual Beyond the Peaks Student Film Festival empowers students by offering them a platform and an audience for their creative expression,” Brittany Christenson, AdkAction executive director, said in the release. “By running this PSA contest in advance of the festival, we were able to give students a timely opportunity to promote public health while advancing their filmmaking skills.”
This year’s Beyond the Peaks Student Film Festival will also be open to entrants statewide. Submissions will be accepted through Friday, April 23, at www.adkaction.org/project/student-film-festival for the June 4 festival.
The winning entry in the PSA contest, and the three Honorable Mention finalists who received a $100 prize, can be watched at AdkAction.org/psa.
•••
Ulster BOCES students are now able to show colleges and prospective employers evidence that they have field-specific skills, knowledge, and experiences in a particular topic, thanks to a new micro-credential series available to high school students in the Hudson Valley Pathways Academy and Career & Technical Center.
The courses are offered in-person at the Ulster BOCES classrooms at SUNY Ulster in Stone Ridge, as well as virtually for students who are studying remotely. Working with industry and community partners, who identified specific competencies they find important for employee success, Ulster BOCES has designed a series of minicourses, with more being developed. Upon completion of the short, topic-focused mini-courses, students earn an Ulster BOCES certification badge that can be displayed on their resume and college application as evidence of competency in a particular area.
An initial class of 43 students has completed the first micro-credential course offered, Introduction to Business. In this minicourse, students explored the principles of supply and demand; types of business structures; introduction to marketing (digital, social, traditional); customer service; sales/business development; and making decisions (risk, reward, and patience). They learned about forming healthy time management, technology, and data management habits; personal finance, including budgeting; goal setting; resume writing; determining best communication tools; teamwork; and brainstorming. These students can now move on to the next in the series: Project Management.
According to Peter Harris, director of Innovative Teaching & Learning at Ulster BOCES, badging is a concept that began making headlines around 2014 and is now commonly recognized in business and industry.
“Earning an Ulster BOCES badge through a micro-credential course is a symbol to employers that the applicant can bring specific knowledge to their business,” said in a press release. “We’ve worked closely with our industry partners to identify the critical skills they feel their future employees need and are building a comprehensive catalog of micro-credential courses that tie directly to those identified competencies.”
Ulster BOCES students interested in participating in the micro-credential series should speak with their principal or guidance counselor. For more information on the micro-credential series, visit www.ulsterboces.org/badging.
Samantha Wong-Pan, a junior at New Paltz High School, became the student liaison to the New Paltz Central School District Board of Education.
A Gardiner resident, Wong-Pan assumed her position.
Wong-Pan said in a press release that, though the board was seeking a New Paltz senior for the role, she requested the opportunity to apply, believing she could serve as a bridge between the high school student community and the board.
“I was especially interested in serving this year because there is this experimental type of schooling with remote and hybrid learning,” she said, adding that she feels student input for the current school year is of paramount importance.
Wong-Pan has already attended her first meeting, listening attentively and taking notes to learn the ropes. She is working with the Student Council to create a survey for feedback about school schedules, class enrollment preferences, conflicts faced by students, and their attitudes toward attendance policies.
Wong-Pan’s responsibilities as student representative have not been as daunting as they may have been
in years past, due to the fact that very few events and activities have been happening during the pandemic. She will serve in her liaison role until the conclusion of the school year.
“I have heard that there were some complaints that there is a lack of communication between the students, teachers, and the BOE,” she said. “I want to make sure that everyone is heard, especially the students.”
Wong-Pan also expressed interest in helping to stage an online student forum. She envisioned the creation of a website students can use to ask questions, find updated information, and participate in discussions about school-related events.
Board President Glenn LaPolt said it is the responsibility of the student representative to inform the board of student happenings. “Both the Superintendent [Angela Urbina-Medina] and I feel it is important and necessary for her to not just tell us what’s going on, but also to elevate the voices of her fellow students,” he said. “In this current situation, it is important that the students are heard.”
LaPolt added that both he and Urbina-Medina were impressed with WongPan’s drive, willingness to engage the Board, and her desire to serve her classmates. “The role of the student representative ensures the students will always have a seat at the Board table,” he said.
Wong-Pan’s academic and sports activities include Model United Nations, Mathletes, Immigrant Defense Club, Environmental Club, and student government. She is also a part of the school’s Nordic Ski team. Outside of school, she enjoys running and kickboxing.
Wong-Pan is passionate about taking action, whether that means working to improve school clubs or helping to protect the environment. “I am thankful that I have been raised in such an amazing community and school district that teaches about wildlife conservation, and I hope to continue to learn about and contribute to helping the environment as I grow up,” she said.
Wong-Pan added that she feels it is premature to choose her future career or college major, but, after college, she is interested in following her father’s footsteps into the medical field. “My father is a physical therapist in New Paltz, and my mother is a lawyer, and it is incredibly inspiring to see both of them help and heal people,” she said. “It is beyond words how much I hope to be like them when I grow up.”