ANCA executive director, Fish, to retire

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SARANAC LAKE, N.Y. — Kate Fish — who has served as executive director of the Adirondack North Country Association (ANCA) for nearly 12 years —

Schuyler Hospital to renovate imaging services using $500,000 grant from foundation

Health Care, Nonprofits, Regional News, Subscriber Only

MONTOUR FALLS, N.Y. — Schuyler Hospital plans to renovate its imaging services, using a $500,000 grant it received from the Schuyler Health Foundation. Funds will go toward a new mammography suite, upgrading CT (computed tomography) services, and other department improvements. “This donation will go a long way toward updating and modernizing imaging services for our

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Loretto to use $500K donation for training on electronic medical records

Health Care, Subscriber Only, Technology

SYRACUSE, N.Y. — Loretto will use a donation of $500,000 to launch a new program to train its employees on an electronic-medical-record (EMR) system. The training program seeks to “promote digital inclusion with its employees,” per a news release about the training. The Parker family of Portland, Oregon donated the funding and is referring to

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SYRACUSE, N.Y. — Loretto will use a donation of $500,000 to launch a new program to train its employees on an electronic-medical-record (EMR) system.

The training program seeks to “promote digital inclusion with its employees,” per a news release about the training.

The Parker family of Portland, Oregon donated the funding and is referring to the training program as the Loretto digital-inclusion program, the organization said. Kathy Parker’s parents became residents of Loretto in 2007.

The nonprofit Loretto is a health-care organization providing services for older adults throughout Central New York. The organization serves close to 10,000 individuals each year through 19 locations in Onondaga and Cayuga counties.

With the funding, the nonprofit will begin training its staff on new electronic medical records that it says will “significantly streamline” how frontline health-care workers provide care, as well as provide them with transferrable skills that will enable them to be successful in a digital, knowledge-based economy.

Loretto is tentatively scheduled to start using some of its digital records on June 1, so the training will start very soon, says Kimberly Townsend, president and CEO of Loretto.

“We are very deep in the planning and execution mode and the training is a huge part of that,” says Townsend.

Loretto will eventually train up to 2,000 of employees on the electronic medical records, including those working in Loretto’s skilled nursing and housing programs, according to Townsend.

Loretto’s training team is working with Washington, D.C.–based Healthtech Consulting, LLC to deliver the instruction.

Through collaborations with lead EMR vendors, and with additional financial support that includes a New York State grant of $595,000, Loretto had been planning for initiatives around digital literacy for its employees throughout 2020.

The entire training effort is costing Loretto more than $2 million, Townsend tells CNYBJ.

Digital literacy — or the skill of being able to find, discern, analyze, and use data found on digital platforms — is a “critical component” of providing “high quality, affordable health care,” Loretto contends.

In promoting digital literacy at Loretto, the organization says the Parker family recognized the opportunity to “effect change at both an organizational-level and personally for employees.”

“In the midst of the pandemic, in 2020, [the Parker family] reached out to us and we began discussions around what they could do to not only help our great employees and help Loretto but likewise to give back to the community that was Kathy Parker’s home,” says Townsend.

“In 2007, my parents became residents of the Loretto community. During frequent visits with them, I became acquainted with dozens of employees, who work diligently and with compassion. Technical literacy has become imperative for all workplaces of today and tomorrow. My family is honored to help Loretto initiate the EMR employee training program, which will advance staff skills and allow them to enhance the service they provide,” Kathy Parker said in describing what inspired the donation.

The Parker family — including Mark and Kathy Parker, along with their three children — dedicated this support in honor of John and Shirley Mills, Kathy’s parents. Shirley Mills still resides in Syracuse, her hometown, and the support helps to keep her husband John’s memory alive and at the forefront of their family’s minds, Loretto said.

Kathy Parker still visits her hometown regularly to spend time with her mother, Loretto added.

Maine-Endwell Central School District completes solar-panel installation, which now provides all its power

Energy, Environment & Sustainability, Health Care, Subscriber Only, Technology

MAINE, N.Y. — Maine-Endwell Central School District announced that crews recently finished installing 6,240 solar panels on its property, which will now generate 100 percent of the district’s electricity. The system was fully activated by the power company NYSEG on March 23. The solar panels are located on 15 acres of district-owned property, adjacent to

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Katko bill targets mental-health-care access for CNY minority communities

Health Care, Subscriber Only

U.S. Reps. John Katko (R–Camillus) and Bonnie Watson Coleman (D–N.J. 12) recently introduced a bill that works to promote access to mental-health care for minority communities in Central New York and across the country. The proposal is called Pursuing Equity in Mental Healthcare Act. U.S. Senator Bob Menendez (D–N.J.) introduced companion legislation in his chamber, Katko’s

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The proposal is called Pursuing Equity in Mental Healthcare Act. U.S. Senator Bob Menendez (D–N.J.) introduced companion legislation in his chamber, Katko’s office said.

In 2018, the Journal of the American Medical Association Pediatrics (JAMA) published a report that found that for the first time in the history of such research, the rate of suicides for Black children between the ages of five and 12 had exceeded that of White children. At the same time, more than a third of elementary school-aged suicides involved Black children.

A 2019 study published in the American Academy of Pediatrics’ journal Pediatrics found that self-reported suicide attempts rose in Black teenagers, even as they fell in other groups. Further analysis of the data found those attempts rose 73 percent between 1997 and 2017.

The proposed Pursuing Equity in Mental Healthcare Act would combat these growing disparities in mental-health access and increasing suicide rates among minority youth by authorizing $805 million in funds to support research; “improve the pipeline of culturally competent” providers; build outreach programs that reduce stigma; and develop a training program for providers to effectively manage mental-health disparities.

“I’m proud to join this bipartisan, bicameral effort to promote access to mental health-care services for minority communities in Central New York and across the country,” Katko said in a statement. “Studies show that minority communities suffer disproportionally from the lack of access to quality mental health care. Our bill takes aim at these inequities by providing funding to expand the pipeline of providers in underserved areas. The bill also provides vital support to improve outreach and training programs designed to combat disparities and reduce the stigma associated with seeking treatment for mental health disorders.”

The Pursuing Equity in Mental Health Act is cosponsored by 48 members of Congress and is endorsed by the American Psychological Association, the American Psychiatric Association, the Trevor Project, the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, Mental Health America, Sandy Hook Promise, the American Association of Psychoanalysis in Clinical Social Work, the Jed Foundation, and the Mental Wealth Alliance, Katko’s office said.

Upstate, statewide consumer sentiment climb in Q1

New York News, Small Business, Sports, Entertainment & Tourism, Subscriber Only

Upstate New York consumers became more confident in the first quarter of this year, a new survey finds. Consumer sentiment in upstate New York was measured at 79.7 in the first quarter, up 8.7 points from the last measure of 71.0 in the fourth quarter of 2020. That’s according to the latest quarterly survey of upstate and

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Upstate New York consumers became more confident in the first quarter of this year, a new survey finds.

Consumer sentiment in upstate New York was measured at 79.7 in the first quarter, up 8.7 points from the last measure of 71.0 in the fourth quarter of 2020. That’s according to the latest quarterly survey of upstate and statewide consumer sentiment that the Siena College Research Institute (SRI) released April 8.

Upstate’s overall sentiment of 79.7 was 2.8 points below the statewide consumer-sentiment level of 82.5, which rose 7.7 points from the fourth quarter.

The statewide figure was 2.4 points lower than the first-quarter figure of 84.9 for the entire nation, which was up 4.2 from the fourth-quarter measurement, as measured by the University of Michigan’s consumer-sentiment index.

All three indexes for New York rose this quarter with the current index approaching breakeven, and the overall and future indexes exceeding their break-even points at which optimism and pessimism balance. The national indexes all increased but New Yorkers are more optimistic about future economic conditions than the nation.

“Both New York, and the nation, saw consumer sentiment increase over the first quarter, and both reached highs not seen since the coronavirus pandemic began. Still, despite showing encouraging optimism, sentiment is not back to where it was prior to March of 2020. New Yorkers in general match the nation’s level of growing economic optimism while New York City residents are far rosier about the future. Increasing gasoline prices are driving pump-price concerns higher, while increasing vaccinations and stimulus checks may be responsible for a new record-high percentage — 31 percent — of state residents planning home improvements this spring,” Doug Lonnstrom, professor of statistics and finance at Siena College and SRI founding director, said.

In first quarter of 2021, buying plans rose 2.3 percentage points since the fourth quarter to 32 percent for furniture and increased 3.6 points to 31.1 percent for major home improvements. At the same time, buying plans fell 2.6 percentage points to 17.8 percent for cars and trucks, dipped 2.5 points to 47.1 percent for consumer electronics, and fell 3.4 points to 10 percent for homes.

Gas and food prices

In SRI’s quarterly analysis of gas and food prices, 47 percent of upstate New York respondents said the price of gas was having a serious impact on their monthly budgets, up from 29 percent in the fourth quarter of 2020 and 31 percent in the third quarter of last year.

In addition, 43 percent of statewide respondents said the price of gas was having a serious impact on their monthly spending plans, up from 34 percent in the final quarter of 2020 and 30 percent in the last year’s third quarter.

When asked about food prices, 56 percent of upstate respondents indicated the price of groceries was having a serious impact on their finances, compared to 58 percent in the fourth quarter of 2020 and 57 percent in the third quarter of last year.

At the same time, 57 percent of statewide respondents indicated the price of food was having a serious impact on their monthly finances, the same as the reading in the fourth quarter of 2020, but down from 59 percent in the third quarter.

SRI conducted its survey of consumer sentiment between March 1 and March 8 by random telephone calls to 400 New York adults via landline and cell phone. It has an overall margin of error of plus or minus 4.2 percentage points, according to SRI.

SMALL BUSINESS SPOTLIGHT: Local Ties Matter in Business Success

Business Mentors, Small Business, Subscriber Only

MANLIUS, N.Y. — In the small-business community, we always talk about networking, connections, and working with trusted partners. That has never been truer than when it comes to working with a lender, especially during the current climate. When you are starting or expanding a business, having a good relationship with your lender can make or

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When you are starting or expanding a business, having a good relationship with your lender can make or break a deal. Those lenders who are local, where you can put a name to a face — where they are a part of your community and you can see the person at the grocery store — really are an important piece to your puzzle. The Small Business Development Center (SBDC) at Onondaga Community College (OCC) has a network of local lenders that we turn to for our clients’ needs, and those lenders turn to us for their clients’ needs. The relationship is an important piece to the success of any deal that is being developed.

During this pandemic, lending has been stricter, harder, and more strained when it comes to obtaining funds, but that doesn’t mean it is impossible. Businesses are still expanding and growing even though we are in these challenging times. In December 2020, Jamey Lloyd, VP and business banking senior relationship manager at M&T Bank, contacted me to help with financial projections on a building purchase for his client, Melissa Jennings Carman, Ph.D., a licensed mental-health counselor and owner of Supportive Solutions Counseling and Consulting, which had been established for 10 years.

The financials are a huge portion of the loan application and the banks turn to the SBDC for that assistance for their clients. Lloyd has made it a priority for his clients to seek the counseling of the advisors at the SBDC by making that connection every time. “I know when I need certain pieces put together, I can turn to Melissa Zomro Davis, to get that done both professionally and timely. I never have to question anything; she knows what we need and how we need it presented,” he said. “Our partnership has grown over the years and will continue to grow, I am a big fan, which is why I put Dr. Carman and Melissa in contact with one another.”

Over the past year, the demands of Dr. Carman’s counseling practice drastically increased, largely in part due to the distress brought about by the pandemic. Immediately before the pandemic struck, Carman agreed to supervise her first graduate-student intern, Edie Brown, who has a master’s degree in counseling from NYU and was returning to Cazenovia College to complete necessary requirements for licensure in New York. Brown and Carman rallied to manage their clients’ mental-health needs, all the while working through the obstacles of creating a master’s-level internship. While the bulk of their business was conducted via telehealth sessions, they quickly figured out a way to safely see clients face-to-face in the waiting room of the office space that Dr. Carman was renting in Fayetteville.

With the additional support of her intern, Carman realized that she could grow a more sustainable and viable business, as well as better meet the increasing mental-health needs in the community, if she had a larger office and was able to hire more counselors. She also forged a partnership with David’s Refuge, a nonprofit in Manlius centered on providing care for caregivers of children with special needs. Supportive Solutions Counseling and Consulting received a grant from the John Ben Snow Foundation & Memorial Trust and the Jim and Juli Boeheim Foundation to provide mental-health counseling services to families with special-needs children. These grants and the opportunity to have professional partnerships join forces to create this wellness center, contributed to Carman having the desire to jump into this ownership of a building.

Dr. Carman found a perfect building where Ben and Ben Attorneys at Law was located in Manlius. With the purchase of the building, this would enable Carman to have tenants that all provided wellness as well as mental-health associates that she could add to her practice due to the increased space, fully creating a wellness center she always dreamed of establishing. The tenants will include Christine Roet, certified personal trainer and licensed massage therapist and Lisa Thomas, a registered dietician. Thus, began the process of applying for a commercial mortgage for the new building.

As Dr. Carman and I connected and worked on the business’s financials, it became clear to Carman that, “By working [together], I was able to actually see my financial potential in a way that I have never been able to do on my own. [Zomro Davis] spent the time to go through all the financial aspects of my business and helped me to realize that business expansion is not only viable but also financially wise. Her expertise is invaluable in the sense that I was able to feel confident in the purchase of my new building.”

As the process continued and the approval was met, Carman faced a roadblock with closing. The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) is working hard on pandemic relief and things are a bit backed up when it comes to lending right now. While the project had been approved, closing was not set. The owners of the building were getting a bit anxious and really wanted this deal to be closed, so while the SBA was not ready to close, Lloyd, the M&T lender, worked tirelessly to make it happen. In the end, they were able to close on the building so that the new owner and the former owner were both satisfied. Lloyd stated, “Because we were persistent, diligent, and surrounded ourselves with a strong network, we were able to deliver on all objectives and overcome every obstacle that stood in our way. M&T Bank was honored to be a part of the team, which allowed Dr. Carman the opportunity to obtain this building. The brick and mortar will enable her to increase the level of programming to those that need mental-health support, which is critical now more than ever. I personally believe our work not only matters to the clients that we serve, but also more importantly has an impact on our community. This was truly an example of where collaboration benefited the greater good.”

Without that personalized attention to the project, the deal might not have been able to happen. You want to make sure that the local relationships you build are going to be there for you when times get tough. It’s important to make sure you are working with people who can help you and guide you as well as support you in your endeavors throughout the community.

If M&T Bank had not sent Dr. Carman to the SBDC, she might not have been able to complete her financials properly for the loan committee, making closing not even an option, let alone an approval. If the bank had not been able to push the closing on the purchase of the building, the owners might have pulled out of the sale. If Carman hadn’t secured the grants and partnership opportunities with the tenants, she might not have been able to realize it was time to expand. If Carman had not been connected with me to work on her financials, she might not have been thoroughly prepared for all the obstacles that arose during the process. All these partnerships and connections helped pave the path for the success of the expansion during these challenging times.

Advisor’s Business Tip: Local Ties = Local Support = A Stronger Community

Melissa Zomro Davis is a New York State advanced certified business advisor at the SBDC, located at OCC. Contact her at m.l.zomro@sunyocc.edu

SyracuseCoE-Density Collaboration Leads to Green Spaces, Big Returns

Business Mentors, Subscriber Only, Technology

Also fosters safe reopenings In the COVID era, just a few additional people in a room can make the difference between low and high risk of catching the disease. How can an organization track room density without posting an employee at each entrance to every space? Or without relying on the honor system? Enter the aptly named

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Also fosters safe reopenings

In the COVID era, just a few additional people in a room can make the difference between low and high risk of catching the disease. How can an organization track room density without posting an employee at each entrance to every space? Or without relying on the honor system?

Enter the aptly named Density, a company collaborating with SyracuseCoE — New York State’s Center of Excellence in Environmental and Energy Systems, an innovation asset within the NYSTAR network — on an innovative solution: an “internet of things”-based people-counting device.

But the technology wasn’t developed — at least not initially — for pandemic-era purposes.

In the spring of 2020, three members of SyracuseCoE’s Faculty Fellows Program partnered with Density and won a competitive research grant from the center. With the funding, they set out to find a new approach to evaluate energy savings, thermal comfort, and indoor air quality for “occupant-centric” buildings. Occupant behavior, like switching on and off lights or adjusting a thermostat, has a significant influence on the energy usage and environmental quality within a building; automating building controls according to how many occupants are in the space could drive sizable savings.

Using the Total Indoor Environmental Quality Laboratory (TIEQ Lab) at SyracuseCoE, researchers set up two identical lab spaces like a typical open office to measure the performance of an occupancy-centric space. They used heating bulbs and CO2 to mimic different occupancy loads. The results showed that controlling the HVAC according to how many people are in the space could save about 28 percent in total energy usage.

With this research, Density developed technology that uses sensors over doorways and a network of lasers that measures head patterns, anonymously tracking the number of individuals in a space in real time. The device then informs the building controls how many people are in the space and can adjust lighting, fans, and heating and cooling — minimizing the impact on energy use, air quality, and thermal comfort.

“This collaboration with SyracuseCoE faculty has been valuable because it helps to prove the applicability of our product in the green-building space,” says Steven Von Deak, co-founder and chief of staff of Density. “It also has the potential to inform the entire industry as it works toward higher building efficiency.”

Then COVID-19 hit. Fortunately, Density was well-positioned. The company pivoted its technology to help organizations adapt to pandemic-era regulations, which included the number of individuals in an enclosed space.

Density experienced a surge in interest this year as states began easing their lockdown restrictions. And that interest wasn’t limited to small-square-footage offices. Higher-education institutions, warehouses, casinos, and meatpacking facilities all used Density’s technology to safely reopen their facilities.

The company — which counts Notre Dame, Booz Allen Hamilton, and TakeTwo Interactive Software among its clients — outpaced its entire 2019 book of sales in the first 75 days of the pandemic. To keep up with demand, Density increased production at its Syracuse facility by 90 percent.

Last July, the company announced that it had raised $51 million in funding.

Density and SyracuseCoE are showing the vast possibilities of technological innovation. “Before the pandemic we were collaborating, using Density’s occupancy counting sensor to observe how occupant behavior influences the performance of building systems and, when the unimaginable happened, they scaled up their product to meet a previously unknowable need,” says the SyracuseCoE project director Bing Dong. “Because it was already developed and to market, the device could be quickly made available as a solution for businesses and institutions. That pivot helped Density, its workers, its new clients, and our economy.”

SyracuseCoE is an industry-university collaborative research and development enterprise, backed by NYSTAR. Led by Syracuse University, SyracuseCoE engages students, faculty, and industry collaborators to catalyze innovations for clean energy, healthy buildings, and resilient communities.

The 55,000-square-foot headquarters building adjacent to downtown Syracuse serves as a hub for university-industry collaborations and includes specialized laboratories and spaces for training and public engagement. Among the center’s activities are research and commercialization projects addressing indoor air quality; IoT systems and controls; high-performance building technologies; sustainable transportation; advanced heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning controls; and more.

For years, New York State has been investing in and building out its innovation infrastructure through NYSTAR, Empire State Development’s Division of Science, Technology and Innovation. NYSTAR oversees a robust, statewide network that provides innovators, entrepreneurs, and business leaders with access to the support they need to solve challenges and keep growing, even during periods of downturn. There are more than 70 NYSTAR-backed centers across the state that are actively working to generate technology-driven economic growth.

Kerrie Marshall is assistant director of communications at the Syracuse Center of Excellence in Environmental and Energy Systems.

Ask Rusty: Can I Still Suspend My Social Security Benefits?

Business Mentors, Employee Benefits & Human Resources, Subscriber Only

Dear Rusty: Is it still possible to suspend Social Security benefits for a time? And, if so, how often? Signed: Curious Senior Dear Curious Senior: If you have already reached your full retirement age and are receiving Social Security benefits which you claimed earlier, you can voluntarily suspend your benefits to earn Delayed Retirement Credits

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Dear Rusty: Is it still possible to suspend Social Security benefits for a time? And, if so, how often?

Signed: Curious Senior

Dear Curious Senior: If you have already reached your full retirement age and are receiving Social Security benefits which you claimed earlier, you can voluntarily suspend your benefits to earn Delayed Retirement Credits (DRCs) and get a higher benefit amount when your payments are resumed. While your benefit payments are suspended, you will earn an additional 0.67 percent for each full month of suspension (8 percent per full year of suspension). If you wish to do so, you can suspend until you are 70 years old, after which you will no longer receive Delayed Retirement Credits, and your benefit will have reached maximum.

At age 70, the U.S. Social Security Administration will automatically restart your benefit at the higher amount, as appropriate for the number of DRCs you earned while suspended. If you prefer or need the money sooner, you can request that your benefit be restarted earlier than age 70.

You can voluntarily suspend and restart benefits more than once if that is necessary, but the process requires some lead time to stop/restart benefits and there are other important factors to consider. If you suspend your personal Social Security retirement benefit now to gain a higher payment amount later, while you are suspended no other benefits based on your record (such as a spousal or other dependent benefits) will be paid. And, if you currently have your Medicare premium deducted from your Social Security (SS) benefit, suspending your SS benefits will require you to make alternate arrangements for direct payment of your Medicare premium(s). You would need to pay your Medicare premium via mail or by direct withdrawal from your bank account, or by charging a credit/debit card.

If you decide to suspend your SS payments, you will need to contact the Social Security Administration directly at (800) 772-1213 (or call your local Social Security office) to do so. When requesting your benefit suspension, you can also make arrangements through the Social Security Administration to pay your Medicare premium separately.

Russell Gloor is a certified Social Security advisor with the Association of Mature American Citizens (AMAC). The 2.3 million member AMAC says it is a senior advocacy organization. Send your questions to: SSadvisor@amacfoundation.org.

Author note: This article is intended for information purposes only and does not represent legal or financial guidance. It presents the opinions and interpretations of the AMAC Foundation’s staff, trained and accredited by the National Social Security Association (NSSA). The NSSA and the AMAC Foundation and its staff are not affiliated with or endorsed by the Social Security Administration or any other governmental entity.

Syracuse STEAM school boosted by $1.75M Amazon donation

Health Care, Nonprofits, Subscriber Only

SYRACUSE, N.Y. — Amazon (NASDAQ: AMZN), which is preparing for operations in the Syracuse area, plans to donate $1.75 million for robotics and computer-science technology improvements at the upcoming Syracuse STEAM school. STEAM is short for science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics. The STEAM school will be housed at the downtown building that was previously home

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STEAM is short for science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics. The STEAM school will be housed at the downtown building that was previously home to Central High School. Known as the Greystone building, it was last used as a school in 1976.

Amazon — the Seattle, Washington–based e-commerce giant — is building a fulfillment center in the town of Clay and a second smaller facility in the town of DeWitt.

“At Amazon, technology and innovation fuel our business. Our employees work alongside innovative, advanced technologies, and we recognize the jobs of tomorrow require a stronger aptitude for STEM skills,” Ryan Smith, director of North America fulfillment operations at Amazon, said in a company news release about the donation. “We want to inspire the next generation of innovators to explore opportunities in science, technology, engineering, and math, so we’re proud to partner with Onondaga County — which we will soon call home — to increase access to STEM education for thousands of local students for years to come. We hope they’ll join our team at Amazon one day and teach us a thing or two as they build their careers here.”

STEM is short for the terms represented by the acronym STEAM, minus the A for arts.

Onondaga County Executive Ryan McMahon announced the funding on April 13 at the Oncenter.

McMahon noted that Amazon is developing more than 4 million square feet of workspace in Onondaga County combined, between the Clay location and the smaller facility upcoming in DeWitt.

“When we were courting Amazon to come here and [saying] why they should be here … we talked about the relationships in this community … and we talked about the STEAM school and we talked about how unique of a project this was, a project that you would have a county-wide reach to all of our kids focused on the curriculum of tomorrow,” McMahon said in his remarks. “That was a big selling point for them.”

The STEAM school is part of the Syracuse SURGE, a strategy developed by the administration of Syracuse Mayor Ben Walsh for “inclusive growth in the new economy.”

“We have jobs being created by companies like Amazon that increasingly require a different skill set than we’re used to teaching in schools or in the trades,” Walsh said in his remarks. “We have to modify our approach to make sure that we’re preparing people in our community, particularly young people, for the jobs of the new economy and that’s what the STEAM school is all about.”

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