Nearly 1,300 high school students from fifty school districts explored career opportunities at the annual Veterinary, Agricultural, Sciences, and Technology (VAST) career discovery event.
VAST at Alfred State video
VAST photo gallery
The event organized by the Agriculture and Veterinary department allowed students from across Western and Central New York and Pennsylvania to explore a wide variety of hands-on events staged around the College Farm. ASC faculty members and students engaged students with interactive activities including but not limited to animal x-rays, brick laying, heavy equipment operations, animal care and grooming, and surveying.
“Today has been wonderful,” commented Kerri Potter, Rural Post Secondary Economic Development Grant Project Director. “I oversee a grant and we are tasked to provide hands-on activities to students. I think it's important for students to participate in events like this because they get the opportunity to explore and find that spark that makes them want to pursue a career or an industry or get involved in something.”
Heavy Equipment Operations student Ehren Pettapiece worked with students as they tried to balance an egg through a skid steer obstacle course. “I think it's fun for the students to get to come and see some of the learning activities we do at the college. When I was at BOCES in high school, I did something like this, and I got to run some equipment. That's where realized what I wanted to do and led me to Alfred.”
Agriculture and Veterinary chair Phil Schroeder organized the event and had representatives from each of the three schools on campus participate. On top of the hands-on educational opportunities, students had the chance to try hay bale throwing, ax throwing, and rock climbing. Local food trucks were available to feed the students.
Potter concluded, “Students need opportunities to get their hands in new activities to find that interest that might be the trajectory for their future career path, their future college, and what they want to do.”
Activities will continue at the farm tomorrow when local first and second graders participate in the annual Kiddie Ag Day. The students will learn all about the farm on tours led by ASC students.