For Construction & Building Trades instructor Tom Hayden, Cayuga-Onondaga BOCES has been a full-circle experience.

Hayden attended BOCES as a student and referred to his time there as a “turning point” in his life. After a family crisis, he was struggling in his home district, but was motivated by his Career and Technical Education staff and coursework. After graduating, he moved out of the area and joined the military. Many years later, after coaching Little League and working as a Forest Ranger in Alaska, he was asked to assist with a teen center. There, he discovered his passion: working with kids. Hayden worked at the teen center for about two years, met his wife, then moved back to New York.

“There was only one place I wanted to teach, and that was BOCES,” Hayden said. “At that point, having worked with a lot of at-risk kids, and from my own experience, I knew this place was very effective.”

Hayden is one of several alumni who have returned to Cayuga-Onondaga BOCES to teach. Now in his 24th year, he still finds every day to be rewarding. Beyond teaching the technical skills, he says working at BOCES gives instructors more time to get to know their students and truly connect with them. 

“The skills are the main focus, but over time, you realize the students’ challenges, help them believe in themselves, and get them to see a different path for their futures,” he said. 

In Hayden’s eyes, even the best student has areas to grow- from someone who has ambitions of starting their own business, but doesn’t know where to begin, to another who has the talent to succeed in the trades, but doesn’t realize the importance of honesty. He believes compassion and patience are key to helping students.

He keeps in touch with many of his former students and is proud when they share with him that they’ve established a great career, went to college, or started a family.

“For me, coming full circle and coming back to BOCES, knowing what it did for me… it’s been very fulfilling,” Hayden said. “Being an instructor is also a tremendous way to raise a family, and it’s made me a better parent, too. I think that was always in the back of my mind.”