Advanced Manufacturing students at BOCES are making parts for NASA
Provided photo, front row, from left: Kevin Clayton (Medina), Miguel Aybar (Lockport), JoJo McCanna (Lockport), Madison Bale (Medina), Eliza Church (Lockport) and Shyanne Ettinger (Newfane). Middle Row: Mr. Stacy Hale (NASA), Skyler Munn (Lyndonville), Luke Smeal (Lockport), Coy Loyzelle (Lockport), Cal Stinson Jr. (Lyndonville) and Caleb Boyce (Medina). Back row: Canyon Wood (Royalton-Hartland), Trey VerCruysse (Lyndonville), Matt Borowiak (Lockport) and Mr. Gene Gordon (NASA).
Press Release, Orleans/Niagara BOCES
MEDINA – Students in Bill Rakonczay’s Advanced Manufacturing and Engineering program, at the Orleans Career and Technical Education Center, are getting ready to continue their partnership with NASA’s HUNCH (High Schools United with NASA) program.
Stacy Hale, Founder and NASA Project Manager, and Gene Gordon, a retired physics teacher and NASA Project Manager, stopped by the Orleans/Niagara BOCES classroom and talked to the students about their role in making hardware for the International Space Station.
They are one of 150 schools in the country who are producing hardware for flight and training with their mission being manufacturing a part for stowage lockers for the astronauts to keep food, equipment and personal items in.
Mr. Hale said when they had first put the request out there for high school students to participate, that Mr. Rakonczay was one of the first teachers to contact him.
“I was so excited to offer my students this opportunity,” says Mr. Rakonczay. “It is a great experience for them and a great thing for them to put on their resumes and college applications.”
Mr. Gordon says he knows of several colleges that when they see that the students have HUNCH experience it gets their applications to the top of the pile.
“Especially if the students are going on to any engineering or STEM degrees,” he said. “It makes a huge difference if they will get accepted.”
The students are excited about the role they will have in NASA’s mission and can’t wait to get started.
