Students start year by building computer lab at O-N BOCES

Provided photos: Students Bryson Costich (Medina), Kayla Guerin (Lockport), Tyler Hailfax (Lockport), Xander Hernandez (Lockport), Christopher Hockenberry (Lockport), Landen Jesson (Newfane), Ian Jones (Lockport), Ryan Pasnik (Roy-Hart), Jordan Reynolds (Holy Ghost Lutheran), Aaron Richards (Lockport), Blake Simpson (Medina), Cheyenne Tackley (Lyndonville), Colin Udell (Roy-Hart) and Tyrell Wright (Medina) with teacher Paul Herrmann.

Posted 5 October 2022 at 7:57 am

Press Release, Orleans/Niagara BOCES

MEDINA – Orleans Career and Technical Education Computer Technology students are starting their learning process this year with building their own computer lab.

Teacher Paul Herrmann says constructing the lab is a great way to start the new year.  At the end of their junior year, he has the students dismantle the computers and when they return for their senior year they spend their first week rebuilding the computer lab.

“It is a great work-based learning experience for them right out of the gate,” Herrmann said. “They learn the computers inside and out. This year we are building eight new computers from scratch and the students collaborated so they would all get a chance to work on them.”

Jordan Reynolds (Holy Ghost Lutheran), Colin Udell (Roy Hart) and Bryson Costich (Medina) work on rebuilding a computer.

Tyler Halifax, a student from Lockport, says, “Overall it is a lot of fun and a great refresher for us after being off over the summer. This program is great because it is where I want to be and what I want to do after I graduate.”

Classmate Cheyenne Tackley, from Lyndonville, says he loves this project. “It is a great way to start the year and we have a lot of fun. I plan on studying computer science in college and going into the cybersecurity field and this class is preparing me for that.”

Mr. Herrmann says this year students will study Cisco IT essentials and will learn hardware and software along with web design, HTML and Java Script and simplistic game design.

“I also task them with a senior project of their own creation that will count for a big percentage of their grade,” he said. “It really allows them to explore whatever is of interest to them and share their findings. They can add that to their portfolio when they are applying for colleges or jobs after graduation.”

Blake Simpson (Medina), Tyrell Wright (Medina) and Cheyenne Tackley (Lyndonville) work together on the project.