Throughout Career and Technical Education Month®, Questar III BOCES will be putting a spotlight on our students, staff, alumni, programs, partners and more.
Meet Robert Bartholomew, a 2012 Auto Tech graduate from Donald R. Kline Technical School in Hudson, NY. Robert made the transition from “student to staff” after a rewarding experience working with Questar III BOCES students at a previous employer. He is now the Auto Tech instructor at the same school, working with students every day. Read on for his CTE story.
“The trades are the quintessential reason why the world works,” said Robert. “I knew I wanted to be part of that workforce, and in the automotive field, since I was three years old, naming cars in the parking lot. When I learned about the Auto Tech program in high school, I knew I had to get in.”
Robert began his automotive education with Mr. Luther and Mr. Smith at Donald R. Kline Technical School. Following high school graduation, Robert chose to continue his education by attending the University of Northwestern Ohio, graduating in 2015 with an Associates of Applied Science, majoring in both Automotive and High Performance. While studying in Ohio, Robert accepted a position at a dealership as an oil change tech, and just four days after graduation, received his first job at a dealership back in NY.
A few years after returning to NY, Robert’s career had him focusing on diesel motor repairs, until he ultimately landed at another dealership, Kinderhook Toyota. During his time here, Robert was driven to further his career and worked to acquire 6 certifications from the National Institute for Automotive Service Excellence (ASE’s) in the span of 2.5 years. He later continued for a 7th ASE which allowed him to become an Automotive instructor with Questar III BOCES.
Back to Robert’s time at Kinderhook Toyota, he had the opportunity to work with Questar III BOCES students, acting as one of their business mentors. One student’s experience really stuck out to him. Working as an intern with Rob, he didn’t have a large amount of experience, but he did have a great work ethic. He would ask questions and Rob would guide him in the right direction. The experience of this student led him to become one of the top students in his class.
“Seeing this student succeed was such a rewarding experience,” said Robert. “It was then that I knew I wanted to help prepare the next generation for a field that is ever changing, just as my instructors did for me at their age.”
As luck would have it, Robert learned around this time that Mr. Smith, his former instructor, was retiring from Questar III BOCES, and the rest is history!
Meet Amanda Repko, a 2012 Culinary Arts graduate from Donald R. Kline Technical School in Hudson. Amanda is a unique alumni feature this month as she has gone from “student to staff” and is now the Chef Instructor for the Culinary Arts program at the same school she graduated from. Read on for her CTE story.
Following her Culinary Arts program with Questar III BOCES and graduation from Germantown Central School District, Amanda chose to continue her culinary education at The Culinary Institute of America, where she graduated in 2014.
Fast forward a few years later, and Amanda was presented with the opportunity to return to Donald R. Kline Technical School. “This was my happy place in high school,” said Amanda. “When given the opportunity to return and teach, it was an easy decision. I am still implementing knowledge and skills that I learned here in 2012 from Chef Desmond.”
Meet Benjamin Perry, a 1999 Questar III BOCES graduate. Benjamin is the Town of Ghent Highway Superintendent and he accredits his success to his time in CTE. Benjamin shares his own experience, how he feels it helped him succeed and the impact he sees it have on students.
Meet Breeanna Nichols, a 2014 Cosmetology graduate from Robert H. Gibson Technical School in Troy. Breeanna is the owner of Breeanna Nichols Artistry. Read her CTE story below.
After graduation, Breeanna interned at a few salons and then chose to continue her education. She moved to Florida and attended the Cosmix School of Makeup Artistry in Ft. Lauderdale, where she graduated with a Beauty, Fashion and Special Effects Makeup Artistry Certificate. Following graduation, she returned to New York to begin the next steps of her career.
After managing a salon for 2 years, she decided it was time to go out on her own and opened Breeanna Nichols Artistry in 2018. From here, she set a goal of getting into the IATSE Local 798 by the time she was 25, a Union comprised of 2000 make-up artists and hair stylists, covering 21 states and Washington D.C, with members working in film, theatre, ballet, television and more. After the long, 3 year application process, Breeanna was admitted into the Union in 2021. Since then, she has worked on productions for Hulu, Peacock and is currently on a traveling documentary show for Discovery Plus.
“CTE programs are absolutely priceless,” said Breeanna Nichols. “By the time you’re a junior in high school, you generally have an idea of what you’d like to do. CTE programs allow you the option to explore those fields and provide you with a steppingstone into that career path. They provide you with the fundamentals of those fields before you graduate high school.”
The benefits of graduating high school with a cosmetology license really came into play as she continued her education. Nichols added, “I was further along than most individuals when I attended the Cosmix School of Makeup Artistry. Had I not attended the Cosmetology program at Robert H. Gibson Technical School and received my license, I would have needed to graduate high school, then take a year of full-time classes. The cosmetology program put me a year ahead in my journey, and I am forever grateful.”
Today, Breeanna finds it important to give back to the school that gave her her start, and she continues to make visits to talk to current students. “This industry is forever evolving,” said Nichols. “It’s important that I take time to connect with the next generation of artists, as I learn just as much from them as they do from me! As young adults, they are the ones who set trends. They will always know the latest and greatest ones to follow, so we can learn together. I also like to visit and talk to students as my way of saying thank you to Lisa Baron and Lisa Bonafede, Cosmetology instructors at Robert H. Gibson. These two women are so pure, passionate, and genuine, and set their students up for success every day!”
To learn more about Breeanna Nichols, read her testimonials or view her portfolio, visit BreeannaNicholsArtistry.com. You can also follow her on Instagram, @breeannanicholsartistry.
Check back throughout the month as we update this page with additional Alumni Stories from our CTE programs!
