Grey Hodgkinson Excels at State Veterinary Competition

Grey Hodgkinson loves animals so the Wilson Tech-Manor Plains campus half-day veterinary medical assisting program fits the interests of the Huntington High School junior perfectly.

The teenager attends classes at the high school in the morning before traveling a few miles east to Wilson Tech, where he engages in veterinary studies. His career goals include becoming a veterinarian. Mr. Hodgkinson has found the program to be “transformative” and he wholeheartedly recommends it to others.

The Huntington junior is exceling in the veterinary program. So much so that he participated in a Future Farmers of America veterinary competition in Buffalo this spring and his team finished third out of more than 40 competing teams and qualified for the national championships in the fall. Mr. Hodgkinson captured third place individually, too.

“The competition was definitely challenging and covered all aspects of veterinary care,” said Mr. Hodgkinson about the FFA competition upstate. The first round eliminated half the teams. We’re proud to have finished third in New York and I am happy that I took third place individually.”

The Wilson Tech veterinary assisting program is highly regarded across New York State. Mr. Hodgkinson gave it his unreserved endorsement. State licensed veterinary technicians Kathy Keymel and Angela Branche are the lead instructors.

The Wilson Tech program focuses on individual animal care and handling, basics in grooming, office, hospital and kennel maintenance procedures, small animal nursing and pharmacology, client communication and medical recordkeeping, exam and treatment room procedures, surgical preparation and assisting, laboratory procedures, animal disease and health maintenance and diagnostic imaging assisting.

In addition to his academic pursuits and accomplishments, Mr. Hodgkinson also plays on Huntington High School’s varsity badminton team, which recently completed its second season. The Blue Devil squad was more competitive this spring than a year earlier, reflecting the players’ skill development. “We have a lot of fun on the team,” the teenager said. “It’s been a great experience.”