These students from the Adirondack Educational Center will head to graduation next week in their home districts with training in cosmetology, culinary arts, health care, building, automotive technology, education and natural resource sciences.

Grace Prevost, of Saranac Lake, was the sole senior in the Health Occupations class this year.

BOCES Spokeswoman Jess Collier said with the coronavirus pandemic, these students were not able to get the on-the-job training at facilities they usually would, so enrollment in health training dropped. But Prevost stuck it out. It was difficult not getting that experience, she said.

When she was able to start going into nursing homes in her second year, she had to get tested for COVID-19 every single time she went in. She endured the swabs because she said she’s dedicated to a future career in the medical field.

Samantha Reynolds, left, and Lauren LaMere smile with fellow cosmetology classmates at a Franklin-Essex-Hamilton BOCES completion ceremony Tuesday. (Enterprise photo — Aaron Marbone)

Prevost said she feels there’s not a lot of medical training opportunities around here, so this BOCES program was a great chance for her to get real-life training.

“I feel good. I feel proud,” Prevost said.

She plans to attend North Country Community College in the fall.

Collier said there are more students in the Health Occupations class who will become seniors next year.

This week, BOCES held completion ceremonies for students in Building Trades, Natural Resource Science, New Vision Education, New Vision Health Care Exploration, Automotive Technology, Culinary Arts, Cosmetology and Health Occupations.

Keera Tyler hugs her mother after getting a completion certificate from Franklin-Essex-Hamilton BOCES’ cosmetology program on Tuesday. (Enterprise photo — Aaron Marbone)

Autumn Gardner smiles with her completion certificate from Franklin-Essex-Hamilton BOCES' cosmetology program on Tuesday. (Enterprise photo — Aaron Marbone)