MIDDLEBURGH/SCHOHARIE – Capital Region BOCES Class of 2026 graduate Wyatt Strobeck spent part of his senior year collecting medals and now he is ready to forge metal of a different type.

Strobeck, a Welding and Metal Fabrication student from Middleburgh, is one of more than 600 students who graduated from the Career and Technical Education Center last month. He is the only scholar among them, though, who won two state championships in recent weeks in his chosen profession – welding.

Strobeck won a gold medal at the regional and New York state SkillUSA competitions and also won the American Welding Society (AWS) state championship as part of a team of Capital Region BOCES students. During the competition, he won first or second place in each skill competition and was the top scorer overall among the best high school welders from across the state.

“It felt good to win. I was able to show off my skills and to be able to take first. That’s pretty cool,” said the soft-spoken teen.

Strobeck is going right to work in the industry, taking a position with his grandfather’s company, Iron Horse Welding in Medusa.

“I like the work and the creativity of it, as well as the sense of accomplishment,” he said.

Strobeck credits his award winning skills on his time at Capital Region BOCES.

“I have been welding for a long time and I knew a lot before I came here, but coming to BOCES really allowed me to hone my skills,” he said.

Faculty, administrators and staff praise the scholar.

“Wyatt has a true passion for welding and a strong work ethic which has already taken him far. His future potential is limitless,” said Capital Region BOCES Managing Program Coordinator-Business & Community Partnerships Nancy Liddle praised the educator.