Union County commissioners honor Career and Technical Education Month and FFA Week

Chairwoman Leon and the Union County Board of County Commissioners presented resolutions recognizing National Career and Technical Education Month and National Future Farmers of America Week and welcomed students and staff from the Union County Vocational Technical Schools.

Superintendent Wendolyn Ryan thanked the board and described the district's role in preparing students for careers. "Our successes are the result of the support we've received from all of you," Ryan said. She introduced students from several academies and noted their academic and extracurricular achievements.

Students introduced or recognized included Sydney Kim (Academy for Allied Health Sciences), Oliver Montana (Academy for Global Logistics), Ashira Coleman, Eliana Barroquiero, Michael Sosoyev, Dominic Olavito, Ashley Torres and Sherlyn Marte. Ryan and assistant superintendent Walt Smolensky attended with district staff and parents. The students described ambitions ranging from health care and mechanical engineering to the performing arts; one student noted upcoming theatrical performances and another described participation with a robotics team.

The commissioners said the resolutions acknowledge career-focused programs that supply a skilled workforce across health care, technology, trades and agriculture. The board encouraged attendance at the district's upcoming events, including a theater production mentioned during the introductions.

The recognition took place during the agenda-setting portion of the commissioners' meeting; the board did not vote on the recognition during the excerpted discussion and indicated that formal adoption of communications and minutes would occur at the regular meeting later that evening.