Computer icon Steve Jobs once said, “The only way to do great work is to love what you do.”
Joshua, a senior at the Stanley G. Falk School, echoed this sentiment when he said, “My ultimate objective is for whatever job I have, I have fun with it.”
This is not the only similarity that Joshua has to Steve Jobs, though. It just so happens that, like Jobs, Joshua’s passion is working with computers. Through his hard work, Joshua recently earned acceptance into the Computer Engineering program at Alfred State College. It was a goal that he set very early in his high school career.
Described as a “conscientious, self-motivated student” by teachers Mr. Hoffstetter and Mr. Petty, Joshua maintained a high standard of excellence that has led to continued academic success and admission to Alfred State. Joshua consistently impressed his teachers with his tenacity in pursuing his passions.
“While only in 9th grade, Joshua immediately showed an interest in obtaining knowledge about careers in computer sciences, electronics, and engineering,” said Ms. Reppenhagen, Joshua’s Career Exploration CTE Teacher and Homeroom Advisor. “In 10th grade, he narrowed down his career interest and zeroed in on planning to pursue a career in computer engineering so he could build computers. By the end of 12th grade, Joshua will earn his certificate in Electronics and Computer Technology from Harkness/BOCES.
When asked what he likes about building computers, Joshua gave an insightful response. “I like that there are decades of past compatibility with the parts,” he said. “You can mix and match all kinds of hardware. I like the formality and the compatibility, how there are a bunch of different ways that you can put things together – the customization of it.”
While he had an idea of what he was interested in at the start of his high school career, Joshua credits his time at the Stanley G. Falk School with helping him cultivate his interest into a career path. The more intimate setting allowed his teachers to get to know Joshua on a more personal level. “In a public school where there are thousands of people, you might only know a few teachers and not a lot of students know you that well. It’s different here – pretty much every teacher knows you in some shape or form.”
Joshua’s mother, Amy, has seen her son grow while at the Falk School. “The Falk School has fostered an environment of acceptance, yet high standards and a sense of mutual respect,” said Amy. “It is through this environment that he was able to mature and perform at an academic level that we all recognized he could achieve. We are so very proud of Josh – not only for getting into his top choice of colleges, but also for how much he has taken responsibility for his education and behavior over the past few years.”
His recent admission into Alfred State is the culmination of four years’ worth of achieving goals. Joshua knows that as he achieves some goals, other ambitions begin to take their place – and now he has a grand objective in mind. “If I could just build computers,” Joshua declared, “it would feel like I wouldn’t have to work a day in my life.”