OCS Alumnae and siblings organize community day at OCC

Students from Onondaga Central Schools visited Onondaga Community College for its first-ever Education Day, organized in part by sisters and OCC alumnae Katelyn Pulver and Jessica Matzke.

Pulver, a 2014 Onondaga Jr./Sr. High School graduate, works in OCC’s Financial Aid Center, and Matzke (2009 graduate) is a third-grade teacher at Wheeler Elementary. Pulver connected OCS with Women’s Basketball coach Kelly Seibt, who was looking for a school where her players could volunteer. It began with appearances at Wheeler’s Fist Bump Friday, where the athletes greeted Wheeler students as they entered school.

“It was just third grade that they worked really closely with, reading, sitting in on math class, doing fun obstacle courses in PE with them, and even a big fitness and math day,” Matzke said.

The experience was so rewarding for both the athletes and Wheeler students that they continued to visit, including bringing the OCS Men’s Basketball team along for a Fist Bump Friday. Those visits eventually evolved into planning an Education Day event on OCC campus on January 21.

Students from across the district traveled to OCC’s SRC Arena, where they participated in activities such as basketball, life-size chess, Jenga, and an opportunity to explore an OCC Campus Safety vehicle. The Women’s and Men’s Basketball teams moved their game times against SUNY Broome to accommodate the students’ visit so they could cheer them on.

The event was so successful that OCS and OCC hope to continue Education Day.

“Students are talking about college already now and going to OCC someday,” Matzke said. “It’s been really special.”

Read OCC’s recap of events here.