KINGSTON, NY — The trophies presented at this year’s HUDSY Community Awards won’t be ordered from a catalog. They’re being handcrafted right here in the Hudson Valley by the students of Ulster BOCES with support from Thomas Brodin, co-founder and lead creative of Annex Agency.

As HUDSY, a streaming platform and filmmaking cooperative, prepared to host the awards presentation on March 25 at Old Dutch Church, the organization announced that through Ulster BOCES’ manufacturing program, students designed and fabricated the physical awards that were presented to the region’s honorees.

In addition to receiving their handcrafted award, each category winner will have a short documentary film created about them by HUDSY that celebrates their work and impact in the community, a prize valued at $15,000.

Rather than outsourcing production, HUDSY said it chose to work locally, offering “an opportunity for hands-on learning, craftsmanship and real-world experience.”

“These awards represent the very best of our community,” said Fabiana Payton, HUDSY’s development director. “It felt only right that they be created by students who are actively building their skills and preparing for meaningful careers. This collaboration reflects exactly what the HUDSYs celebrate: creativity, education and connection.”

The award design was created by Brodin, who worked with the students, and the project was taken from concept to creation while giving the students professional-level experience that contributes to a high-profile regional event, HUDSY said. 

“I was deeply impressed by the creative environment at Ulster BOCES,” said Brodin. “The dedication across students and educators is remarkable, so much so that I enrolled my own child in the New Visions program.”

Learn more at www.hudsy.org.