Nassau Tech's Westbury Center is getting a new look and a new name. The Prospect Avenue school is currently being renovated into a state-of-the-art facility. When construction is completed next year the school will house all Nassau BOCES Career Education classes for high school students, and will be adorned with a new name - the Joseph M. Barry Career and Technical Education Center. (Barry retired from the Nassau BOCES Board in January after serving for 20 years.)

Members of Nassau BOCES attended the Groundbreaking Ceremony on Dec. 12 (at the Westbury Center), where the board commenced the first "dig" of the construction process with a shining, silver shovel - as well as revealed the new name. "I could not be more pleased that the building will bear Joseph Barry's name. I have never met a more committee board member," said Nassau BOCES Board President George Farber, who welcomed the flock of onlookers at the ceremony.

Joseph M. Barry is a longtime supporter of the educational community. The Locust Valley resident was first appointed to a school board back in 1970 at Valley Stream District 30. He also served on the Valley Stream Central High School District Board of Education from 1973-1980 and was president of the Nassau-Suffolk School Boards Association from 1991-1993. This dedicated public servant also held a position as chairman of the Locust Valley Central School District's Committee on Gifted and Talented from 1997-1998. Another career highlight for Barry was in 1994 when he received the Everett R. Dyer Award for distinguished service from the New York State Schools Boards Association.

Visit the Nassau BOCES website at www.nassauboces.org for the latest news and information about the new Career & Technical Education Center.

Nassau Tech is part of the public school system. It is operated by the Board of Cooperative Educational Services (BOCES) of Nassau County and offers training in 37 career fields, ranging from video production and culinary arts to nursing assisting. Youngsters attend classes at a Nassau Tech Center for part of each school day and spend the remaining time at their home high schools. After graduating, they are prepared to compete successfully for jobs or to enter college programs in their chosen field.