Family, faculty and staff celebrated the students of the Career and Technical Institute June 1 at the annual awards ceremony. Community partners donated more than $8,000 in scholarships and prizes to sweeten the day.
“Working with our community partners has really made our programs come alive,” said Nick Millas, CTI principal. “Their cash awards for scholarships and the tools of the trades that they have donated are very much appreciated.” 
Donations included cosmetology kits, welding sleeves and jackets, and mechanics tools. The Dutchess BOCES Faculty Association donated six cash scholarships to CTI students.
Several awards were presented in memoriam, including those from Royal Class Service. Matt Pillius, father of Deanna Pillius, a school counselor at CTI, presented awards in honor of his father who passed away last year.
“He was the reason I was pushed into plumbing,” said Pillius. “When I said I had no interest in college, he said to me ‘you’re going to learn a trade boy.’ And that was the best thing that ever happened to me.” 
Another, was presented with emotion by Marion Morris of Marion Hair Salon. Josie Sorci from the Hyde Park School District received a cosmetology kit in memory of Jennifer Dickson, a CTI cosmetology student who died in a car accident just before graduation in 2018. She had worked at Marion Hair Salon. 
Valedictorian Anna Bonelli and Salutatorian Nicholas Scaffidi each received scholarships from the Dutchess BOCES Education Foundation. Both will be attending college next year to study theater design/technology and criminal justice respectively.
Lydia Biskup, director of district office operations, presented Bonelli and Scaffidi certificates of accomplishment on behalf of State Senator Rob Rolison.
Dutchess County Sheriff Kirk Imperati attended the awards and presented a scholarship to Nicholas Milligan on behalf of the Dutchess County Sheriff’s Office. He then visited the security and law students in class and observed the new virtual learning simulation in action.
“Today was a great day,” said Millas. “If you are an educator, this is what fills your cup – celebrating student success.”
