UDig NY announces eleven 2025 Jump Start Award recipients

East Syracuse, NY – UDig NY, the nonprofit 811 contact center serving Upstate New York, announced today that more than $5,000 has been awarded to eleven 2025 graduates from BOCES, trade school, and high school programs across Upstate New York through the Jump Start Award. The initiative provides recognition, and a cash award of $500 per recipient to students graduating from BOCES, trade school or high school programs with a demonstrated commitment to safety and plans to pursue careers in construction, excavation or adjacent fields.

 

To be eligible for the award, applicants were required to complete UDig NY’s Certified Excavator Program in Safe Digging Best Practices (CEP), which is available for free to students. Students also wrote and submitted personal narratives regarding their future in the excavation industry, including the importance of safety, and provided references for their academic standing.

 

“As these graduates take the next step toward careers in construction and related industries, the Jump Start Award and Certified Excavator Program provide a firm foundation of safety best practices” said Kevin Hopper, President & CEO of UDig NY. “I extend my congratulations to all the 2025 Jump Start Award recipients and commend their teachers and educational institutions for prioritizing a commitment to safety.”

 

The following 2025 graduates received the Jump Start Award:

 

  • Damian Johnson, graduate of St. Lawrence-Lewis BOCES Natural Resource Management Program at the Seaway Career and Technical Education Center. This award was made possible by UDig NY and the Northeast Damage Prevention Council.

 

  • Domonic Dennis, graduate of the Greater Southern Tier BOCES Heavy Equipment Program at Wildwood. This award was made possible by UDig NY and the Southern Tier Damage Prevention Council.

 

  • Dylan Bastedo, graduate of the Genesee Valley BOCES Building Trades Program. This award was made possible by The DDS Companies in partnership with UDig NY.

 

  • Garrett Isgar, graduate of the OCM BOCES (Onondaga-Cortland-Madison) Welding Program. This award was made possible by UDig NY and the Central New York Damage Prevention Council.

 

  • Jack Stasi, graduate of the PNW BOCES (Putnam | Northern Westchester) Urban Forestry Program. This award was made possible by UDig NY and the Hudson Valley Damage Prevention Council.

 

  • Jameson Brownell, graduate of the WSWHE BOCES (Washington-Saratoga-Warren-Hamilton-Essex) F. Donald Myers Education Center. This award was made possible by UDig NY and the Capital Region Damage Prevention Council.

 

  • Jayden Bridge, graduate of the Genesee Valley BOCES Building Trades Program. This award was made possible by Power & Construction Group, Inc. in partnership with UDig NY.

 

  • Julian Foulkrod, graduate of Perry High School in Wyoming County. This award was made possible by UDig NY and the Finger Lakes Damage Prevention Council.

 

  • Lakin Ludden, graduate of the CA BOCES (Cattaraugus-Allegany-Erie-Wyoming) Heavy Equipment Operations Program. This award was made possible by National Fuel Gas Company in partnership with UDig NY.

 

  • Nathan Miller of the E2CCB (Erie 2-Chautauqua-Cattaraugus BOCES) Conservation CTE Program. This award was made possible by UDig NY and the Western New York Damage Prevention Council.

 

  • Nicholas Sommella, graduate of Minisink Valley High School in Orange County. This award was made possible by Orange & Rockland Utilities, Inc. in partnership with UDig NY.

 

Recipients were selected from a pool of more than 100 applicants by UDig NY’s Damage Prevention Council Committee. UDig NY’s eight regional Damage Prevention Councils serve as a forum for members of the utility and excavation industries and other stakeholders to interact with each other and address issues of concern. The Councils work to identify regional challenges, and problem-solve solutions that combat damages to underground infrastructure and enhance community safety. Members also volunteer at community and industry events to raise awareness of excavation safety and the importance of contacting UDig NY before digging. The Jump Start Award is a part of the Damage Prevention Councils’ efforts to promote safety and encourage interest in the construction and excavation industries.

 

In addition to the Jump Start Award and Certified Excavator Program, UDig NY provides many educational initiatives to promote safe digging best practices. These include the Damage Prevention Conference & Expo, a free conference open to excavators, utility operators, public officials, and other professionals. The 2025 Damage Prevention Conference & Expo will be held October 22 at the Oncenter Convention Center in Syracuse, New York. To learn more about the conference, visit UDigNY.org/conference.

 

About UDig NY

UDig NY is the place where all safe digging in Upstate New York starts. As the link between you and the member facility operators, UDig NY utilizes a contact center and industry-leading software – Exactix – to receive and transmit notifications of intent to dig in the form of underground utility location requests. UDig NY provides you with the tools to place and manage your location requests 24/7/365. UDig NY serves Upstate New York: the geographic region of New York State north of the New York City metropolitan area. New York City and Long Island are covered by New York 811.