P-TECH Profile: Juhudi Boazi

Juhudi Boazi's 8th grade English teacher at Syracuse's Frazer School saw something in him that even he didn't see. "We had this program where we built robots and things in the computer. She saw how I was doing with it and thought I would be a good fit for P-TECH."

When it was time to tour high schools and decide which he would attend that same teacher, MacDougall Chelsye, encouraged him to take a long look at the Institute of Technology at Syracuse Central which is commonly referred to as ITC. "I liked doing things with my hands and thought ITC would be a good fit for me."

Boazi chose ITC and became part of P-TECH. It stands for Pathways in Technology Early College High School. The program provides high school students the opportunity to work toward their high school diploma and associate degree simultaneously, and ultimately a pathway to an in-demand job.

While attending ITC he focused on Mechanical Technology. In his junior year he began taking classes on the Onondaga Community College campus. "Taking classes at both places at the same time was difficult at first. With the help of my professors here and my teachers at ITC, I was able to do it."

Boazi graduated from ITC last June and became a full-time student at OCC. "I like all of my professors. They're great and they're very helpful. They tell me I can always come by for help even when I'm not in class."

Last fall while immersing himself in the Mechanical Technology degree program Boazi was also a member of the Lazers Men's Soccer team. And last month he started working at ICM International in East Syracuse, testing parts manufactured there. "I like what I'm doing. I would like to keep working there until I finish school."

Boazi will complete work toward his degree in December, then plans to transfer to a four-year school. As the oldest of 7 children who immigrated to the United States from Uganda, he's blazing a trail for his siblings. The sister closest to him in age is also in OCC's P-TECH program and is studying Electrical Technology. And another sister is at Henninger High School where she is in P-TECH for Health Information Technology. "P-TECH is really helpful for refugees and immigrants. When you are new here it's hard to be successful, especially when you don't have the money. P-TECH is free. It saves me having to pay for two years of college."