MALTA – Fifty-eight students from over 20 school districts were recognized at the annual graduation ceremony of the Clean Technologies and Sustainable Industries Early College High School (ECHS) program on June 10 at Hudson Valley Community College’s Training and Education Center for Semiconductor Manufacturing and Alternative and Renewable Technologies (TEC-SMART) campus in Malta.
Tyler Schmidt, a Ballston Spa High School graduating senior of the program, spoke at the ceremony. He has received both academic and music scholarships to attend St. Rose College in Albany. He hopes to study the technological side of music, recording and producing, as well as the media aspect, like reporting. He credits the Clean Tech ECHS program for his success.
“This program took me from being a C student to an A student,” said Schmidt. “The TEC-SMART classes cover our high school credits, so instead of economics, we took green economics, for example. They changed my outlook on education, especially my English teacher, Mrs. Lewis. I was a struggling student before I came into the program, and she saw something in me, and made me believe in myself and work harder. I can never thank her enough for all she’s done for me.”
Superintendents and representatives from GLOBALFOUNDRIES, Hudson Valley Community College, Siena College, the Capital District Transportation Authority (CDTA), Finch Paper LLC, Astria Solutions Group and other businesses and elected officials took part in the graduation program. After the scholarship presentation and graduation ceremony, juniors and seniors presented capstone projects to culminate their year in the program.
“Last year, I built a guitar with sustainable materials,” said Schmidt. “This year, I expanded on some existing research that would administer drugs painlessly without a shot by placing a square centimeter patch on your skin of a silicon wafer filled with nanoneedles. We had a 12-page business plan with tech specs, diagrams, and the whole nine yards. We made a model with 3D printing, and then I had to make two forms of advertisement, so I made a poster that could be hung in doctor’s offices with a QR code to a radio advertisement so you could hear it on your phone.”
The TEC-SMART facility features more than a dozen state-of-the-art classrooms and laboratories to train students in semiconductor manufacturing and green technologies, including photovoltaic, geothermal and wind energy. Students also take courses in general education, business, liberal arts and humanities.
With support from regional economic leaders including the Center for Economic Growth (CEG), Saratoga Economic Development Corporation (SEDC) and local Chambers of Commerce, the program connects with hundreds of businesses throughout the region that serve as assets for students.
