Local High School Seniors Explore New Horizons Through UAlbany Partnership

Students in the New Visions program are offered a head start on their four-year college degrees. (Photo by Jillian Shuhart)

By Sophie Coker

ALBANY, N.Y. (Dec. 16, 2025) — High school seniors from the Questar III New Visions Emergency Preparedness, Informatics, Cyber and Homeland Security (EPICH) program gathered at the University at Albany’s ETEC building last week to present projects they have brought to life over the course of this semester.

New Visions offers local high school seniors a head start on their four-year college degrees. An honors-level, half-day program, EPICH students are provided with a strong understanding of homeland security, emergency management and resiliency through interdisciplinary studies in partnership with UAlbany’s College of Emergency Preparedness, Homeland Security and Cybersecurity (CEHC).

Students walk away with nine college credits and unique learning opportunities, including visits to the CEHC drone lab and makerspace and lectures with guest speakers on topics including professional development, college readiness and experiential learning.

"UAlbany is absolutely incredible,” said New Visions EPICH teacher Katie O'Connor. “The people at CEHC are such cheerleaders for this program, and that it makes it all the more amazing.”

The students worked for 12 weeks on a project to develop a mechanism for first responders to hold a flashlight steady for two minutes. The groups used 3D printers — which they built — to create their gadgets, which clipped onto glasses, hard hats, belt loops, and backpacks, and practiced presenting at a mini-capstone celebration.

Students share their research project at the EPICH showcase. — EPICH students share their gadget for first first responders. (Photo by Jillian Shuhart)

“The program gets me out of a normal classroom and into something more specialized,” said Seneth Waterhouse, a senior at Taconic Hills High School.

Waterhouse, and his project partner, built a 3D-printed flashlight clip to attach to a pair of glasses. Through rounds of testing options on the 3D modeling program Tinkercad and balancing the lights on the glasses, they refined their final design.

“I’m now considering a future in engineering after the assignment,” Waterhouse said.” “This project fit really well with my future goals.”

ETEC is UAlbany’s new – and largest – research complex. The building is designed to foster collaborations among some of the University’s fastest-growing programs with a focus on weather, climate and emergency preparedness. The EPICH class meets for three and a half hours every school day and calls ETEC their home, keeping them close to all the CEHC happenings.

“We went out to the CEHC student showcase, walked around, and took notes on what a good presentation looks like,” O’Connor said. “One of my favorite parts of the project is seeing them shake hands, make eye contact, and talk to adults they don't know. To know how to conduct yourself in a professional environment is so important."

When they aren’t exploring ETEC labs or presenting creations, the EPICH students take field trips to discover opportunities around them. They have dropped by the Stratton Air National Guard Base in Scotia, N.Y., and even visited New York City.

“There's a lot more to learning than what happens in the classroom,” O’Connor said.

The Questar III New Visions and UAlbany partnership elevates student growth and exposes high schoolers to early hands-on learning, something that the EPICH students say is a highlight of their education.

“I never would have been able to do any of this without this program,” said Ava Scali, a senior at Ichabod Crane High School.

Questar III BOCES will be hosting a family information session in January for students who are interested in joining next year.