UDig NY Recognizes Ten BOCES Students’ Commitment to Safety

East Syracuse, NY, July 7, 2026 – UDig NY announced that $5,000 has been awarded to ten 2026 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 submitted personal narratives about their future in the excavation industry, including the importance of safety, and provided references for their academic standing.

“I congratulate the 2026 Jump Start Award recipients on their selection and commend their schools and instructors for prioritizing safety education,” said Kevin Hopper, President & CEO of UDig NY. “UDig NY is committed to providing the next generation of construction professionals with the knowledge and tools to excavate safely, and the Jump Start Award and student Certified Excavator Program are a core part of that commitment.”

2026 Jump Start Award Recipients

  • Anthony Gatto, graduate of the Erie 2-Chautauqua-Cattaraugus BOCES (E2CCB) Conservation/Natural Resources Management program at LoGuidice. This award was made possible by National Fuel Gas.
  • Elijah Coleman, graduate of the Cayuga-Onondaga BOCES Heavy Equipment Repair and Operation program. This award was made possible by UDig NY’s Central New York Damage Prevention Council.
  • Emrik Krufchinski, graduate of the Capital Region BOCES Building Trades program in Schoharie. This award was made possible by UDig NY’s Capital Region Damage Prevention Council.
  • Isabella Andre, graduate of the Otsego Northern Catskills BOCES Equipment Operations and Repair program. This award was made possible by UDig NY’s Mohawk Valley Damage Prevention Council.
  • Justin Grimes, graduate of the Orange-Ulster BOCES Heavy Equipment program. This award was made possible by UDig NY’s Hudson Valley Damage Prevention Council.
  • Nicholas Noble, graduate of the Genesee Valley BOCES Building Trades program. This award was made possible by UDig NY’s Finger Lakes Damage Prevention Council, with support from Power & Construction Group, Inc.
  • Parker John, graduate of the Cattaraugus-Allegany-Erie-Wyoming BOCES Natural Resources program. This award was made possible by UDig NY’s Western New York Damage Prevention Council.
  • Ryan Huizinga, graduate of the Tompkins-Seneca-Tioga (TST) BOCES Heavy Equipment program. This award was made possible by UDig NY’s Southern Tier Damage Prevention Council.
  • Seth Draper, graduate of the Genesee Valley BOCES Building Trades program. This award was made possible by UDig NY’s Finger Lakes Damage Prevention Council, with support from Power & Construction Group, Inc.
  • Tate Rodriguez, graduate of the St. Lawrence-Lewis BOCES Natural Resource Management program. This award was made possible by UDig NY’s Northeast Damage Prevention Council.

Recipients were selected from a pool of nearly 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.

The Jump Start Award is 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 2026 Damage Prevention Conference & Expo will be held October 28 at the Niagara Falls Convention Center in Niagara Falls, New York. To learn more about the conference, visit UDigNY.org/conference.