LEGISLATIVE RESOLUTION commending Clare Casto upon the occasion of her
designation as recipient of the 2011-2012 Vanguard Student Recognition
Award

WHEREAS, It is the sense of this Legislative Body to recognize and pay
tribute to those young people within this great Empire State who have
made strong contributions to their communities and who serve as role
models for their peers; and
WHEREAS, This Legislative Body is justly proud to commend Clare Casto
upon the occasion of her designation as recipient of the 2011-2012
Vanguard Student Recognition Award; and
WHEREAS, Sponsored by The NET Project (New York State Project for
Nontraditional Employment and Training), the Vanguard Award recognizes
outstanding secondary and post-secondary level students who are enrolled
in Career and Technical Education (CTE) programs that are not tradi-
tional for their gender; and
WHEREAS, Clare Casto is an Ulster BOCES General Educational Develop-
ment student from the Onteora Central School District who is enrolled in
the Cisco A+ Computer Repair/Network Operating Systems program at the
Ulster BOCES Career & Technical Center; and
WHEREAS, Clare Casto has been named the recipient of the 2011-2012
Vanguard Student Recognition Award; she was recognized by the Center for
Women in Government & Civil Society in Albany for her outstanding
performance as a role model for nontraditional students; and
WHEREAS, In her award-winning essay, Clare Casto called upon the words
of Bernice Johnson Reagon, who once said "Life's challenges are not
supposed to paralyze you; they're supposed to help you discover who you
are."; overcoming various obstacles in her life, she made the decision
to pursue her GED diploma; and
WHEREAS, Upon entering her classroom in January of 2011, Clare Casto
discovered she was one of just two females enrolled in the course; she
completes her lab assignments with detail and focus, and will be
successful at whatever she does; and
WHEREAS, Clare Casto is also enrolled in the Ulster BOCES New Visions
Media and Game Design program, where she is learning about another
aspect of computer technology; in addition to her academic achievements,
she has established herself as a leader inside and outside of the class-
room; a treasurer for the National Technical Honor Society at Ulster
BOCES, she also works at the Woodstock Youth Center as a mentor for
young teens; and
WHEREAS, With her sense of civic duty and her commitment to others,
Clare Casto represents the best development of the potential which is
inherent in our most precious resource, our youth; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That this Legislative Body pause in its deliberations to
commend Clare Casto upon the occasion of her designation as recipient of
the 2011-2012 Vanguard Student Recognition Award; and be it further
RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution, suitably engrossed, be tran-
smitted to Clare Casto.