HF student: ‘I hated school’ until taking criminal justice at BOCES; now she’s motivated

By Caroline Martindale, Chronicle Staff Writer

High school senior Olivia Belden, is one of 75 Hudson Falls students attending BOCES. She studies criminal justice at the Saratoga center and said it’s changed her whole attitude.

“I really hated school before BOCES,” she told The Chronicle. “I was really fortunate that I even got into it because I really didn’t care about school and I didn’t think they would look at me as an option before the huge line of people that wanted to be in the class.

“As soon as I started last year, I was just like ‘I cannot fail [at Hudson Falls High School], because if I fail here, I cannot go [to BOCES],’ so I made sure I stayed in check with how I was here.

“It made me actually care about school. This year it’s a million times better.”

BOCES programs are limited in how many students can attend.

Jessica Hogan, principal at Hudson Falls High School, says the school sends 75 students. The selection committee gives priority to students like Olivia whom they believe will grow and be motivated to meet graduation requirements which they might not achieve in a traditional classroom setting.

“We look at a lot of factors and they’re really hard decisions to make,” she said.

“[Olivia] was one of the students I advocated to remain on that list, so it brings me joy to see how much of an impact it’s had on her life. I know that I advocated for the right kid.”

A currated list of student applicants is sent to BOCES where they are thrown into a lottery across all participating schools. On average, 15 Hudson Falls students are waitlisted for BOCES programs.

“I wish we could allow every student who wanted to go, because it’s so rewarding to see the outcome of a student who grew into a motivated student on track to graduate and walk across the stage with something in her back pocket she wouldn’t have if she didn’t go there. Friends, education, experiences — it’s all wrapped up into a package with BOCES.”

In February Olivia worked security during a legislative brunch at Saratoga BOCES that featured Assembly members Matt Simpson and Carrie Woerner and Senator Dan Stec. She oversaw juniors in the criminal justice program working that day.

“I was an ‘Alpha.’ We have our little radios, and I have a station of people, and I’ll go check in on all of them and make sure everyone’s okay.”

Olivia also worked last year’s legislative brunch at the WSHWE BOCES facility in Hudson Falls.

“I like the Saratoga BOCES a little bit better,” said Olivia. “They’re very different. I didn’t really do hands-on stuff [at the Hudson Falls facility].

“We learned how to do some cool stuff like pain pressure spots and if someone came up behind you, you could make them fall over.

“I’m learning how to talk to strangers and use the walkies (radio). We use the codes that the police do like 10-4.

“It’s almost the same stuff you would learn in a police academy. Everything is getting us ready for what we want to do.”

When The Chronicle spoke with Olivia several weeks ago, she said, “I’m taking a security course training this week and I take a test with 300 questions on Friday. If seniors pass, when I turn 18, I’ll get a security license so I could go into Corrections. And that would be a steppingstone.”

She said Corrections isn’t her career goal, but “it would just give me more connections.” However, she doesn’t feel she’ll need them because “I already make a lot of connections at BOCES.”

Olivia credits her instructor, who has worked at the Saratoga BOCES criminal justice program since its inception.

“Mr. Foldi has students who are 40 years old now coming in as police officers and State Troopers, insane jobs, that were in his program. It’s crazy,” she said.

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