CV-TEC Alumni Return to Teach

CV-TEC prides itself on providing high quality, rigorous and relevant, modern career and technical education to young professionals in the North Country. The robust immersive, career-focused training curriculum offers our region’s young professionals foundational knowledge to their career area of interest. CV-TEC young professionals walk away from their NYS CTE Approved Career & Technical Education Programs of Study with the skills and tools to succeed, but several of them have returned to CV-TEC door as industry-expert CTE educational professionals. There are currently 18 CV-TEC alumni who now are members of Team CV-TEC.

Among the alumni are Plattsburgh Campus Principal Adam Facteau, PreCTE Food Services Chef Kaden Douglas-LaDuke and Mineville Construction Trades Teacher Nolan Costello. They shared their experiences about what it’s like being at CV-TEC in a professional capacity, as well as how CV-TEC has evolved since they were students.

When did you graduate from CV-TEC, and how long have you been working here for?
LaDuke: I graduated in 2020 from the Culinary Arts Management program. I’ve been working here for the past five months.
Facteau: I came here in 1998 as a high school student in the Environmental Conservation & Forestry program. I’ve been the principal for the past 10 years.
Costello: I graduated in 2020 from the Construction Trades program in Mineville. I’ve been working here since the start of the school year.

CV-TEC’s slogan is “Start here, Go anywhere.” Why was your “anywhere” back at CV-TEC?
LaDuke: I have a passion for this school. I come from a CV-TEC family. My mom, younger brother and sister have been through here. I know what this place did for me, so that’s why I wanted to apply for the Food Services position. I’m not perfect by any means, and I still have challenges as a new teacher, but I think this is where I am supposed to be. It’s the same kind of feeling I felt at my first few days at the Culinary Institute of America.
Facteau: I never wanted to leave. I always wanted to come back here. I was never a great student, and my counselor told me this would be a great place to learn. On my first day, my teacher talked about integrity. He said he didn’t care where we came from. This was a fresh start. We needed to be safe and work together. That conversation alone changed my life.
Costello: I had such a strong connection with the program. When I was in high school, I wasn’t your A+ student. When I came to CV-TEC, I had all these different projects and opportunities. I was able to grow my skills, and I really wanted to come back to have that positive influence for students to show them there are plenty of options.

How has CV-TEC changed since you were a student?
LaDuke: It’s gotten better. It was a great school when I was here. I loved it, but I think it runs even more professionally and efficiently now. It seems like there are more students who come into the programs knowing what to expect. I thought I was going to be out of my element in the program because I didn’t have any restaurant experience. The teachers take the time to teach you the trade.
Facteau: The culture is still the same, which is what makes us special. It’s the same people, the same kids. Kids can come here with a fresh start and be successful. They get hands-on experience from teachers in the field, and many of our teachers still work on their craft outside of teaching. When I was here, we’d call around to employers to see if they needed people to work, but now employers are contacting us because they know our students can provide to quality work they need.
Costello: There’s a lot more interconnectivity between programs. When I was here, there weren’t any projects between classrooms. Now, it’s more of an open community. They have a bonfire day, where all the students can hang out together. It’s nice to see.

What is it like being back in a professional capacity compared to a student one?
LaDuke: It’s weird, a good weird. Most of the staff were here when I was a student. It’s been really good, and everybody has been so welcoming. At first, I had a bit of imposter syndrome, but because of Nicole, I warmed up so fast and I was able to develop a relationship with the students. It’s so easy to come in everyday because I feel surrounded by people I care about.
Facteau: It’s great providing students with the opportunity to get a head start in life. I think students and schools see the value in what we do. We’re all about pathways. We can provide students the chance to get real world experiences before heading to college or into the workforce at no cost.
Costello: It’s a strange feeling, but I enjoy being here a lot. There’s no other place where you can come to a nice, warm work site every day. I get to see all these kids start to grasp what I’m teaching them. Watching it click for them makes me want to come in each morning.

How has your previous experience as a student here helped shape you for your current role?
LaDuke: I know what worked for me as a student. I don’t see through a lens of what a teacher should do, but I think about what I wanted to hear as a student. I can treat students professionally while also being there for them. I have a good balance of making lessons fun and engaging while keeping it professional.
Facteau: I get it. I was one of those boot-wearing boys, and I still am. I’m a little rough around the edges, and I didn’t fit into mainstream education. I’m able to relate to the students, and I understand how important a teacher-student relationship can be. Those connections are amazing.
Costello: I think having gone through the curriculum myself I’m able to remember bits and pieces of it that were explained in a certain way which helped me. I try to explain to them that way as well. Having that background knowledge coming back into this program was definitely a huge help for me.

What is your favorite part about teaching in the same program you once attended?
LaDuke: It’s the students, getting to learn their personalities and figuring out their passions outside of cooking. I love seeing how engaged they are, and it’s so validating to see some kids that have perfect knife cuts or make something delicious. The best part is seeing their progress and excitement on their faces.
Facteau: Graduations. It is one of the most powerful things to see. The Fieldhouse is always full of a sea of colors. When you’re up on the stage, you look at the colors and it’s like a melting pot. We really are a melting pot at CV-TEC of different schools, backgrounds and interests.
Costello: It’s nostalgic. I like being able to watch students through their process and bringing it from the workbook to hands-on practice. I like helping them find shortcuts and ways to do things more efficiently, but also still following code and regulations.

How do you hope to impact your students’ lives and the school community, just as your teachers once impacted yours?
LaDuke: It’s simple, but I think just by being a good person and showing them that they have someone who’s there for them. I always tell students I can teach them how to make soup, but if they’re going through something, they need that support system in place. I want everyone to be happy and to feel welcomed and loved.
Facteau: I think just showing up and being here and being as visible as I can be. My time is consumed with a lot of other things, but I make a targeted effort to pop into classrooms to learn alongside them. The kids love it too.
Costello: I’m trying to teach to the best of my ability. Kevin Shaw, current CV-TEC Mineville principal, taught this program for 19 years. It’s been great to get his opinions, and other teachers, on some situations in the classroom. I want to continue expanding this program for the students.