WESTERLO — Berne-Knox-Westerlo salutatorian Corey Bub, of Westerlo, hopes to one day combine his artistic and technical talents in animation, a field that has a major presence in myriad others, like film, television, advertisements, and video games, as Bub explained in a profile posted to the BKW online news bulletin.

He will study game design at Schenectady County Community College, something he learned about in some capacity in his Capital Region BOCES Career and Tech classes, his profile reads.  

“My time at Capital Region BOCES allowed me to find enjoyment in the analysis, design, and publishing of board games and computer games,” Corey said.

At Senior Awards Night, in June, Bub received six accolades in addition to his salutatorian award, including the George and Emma Hannay Memorial Award in Choir, the John D. Foster Memorial Drama Award, and the Matthew G. Grippin Memorial Music Award.

Bub demonstrated his musical ability at BKW’s graduation ceremony on June 26, held at Tawasentha Park, in Guilderland, where he kicked off the event with a rendition of the national anthem. 

Later in the proceedings, Bub delivered a touching speech in which he recounted his struggles with autism.

“At a very young age, I was diagnosed with autism,” Bub said. “Everyone was worried about how I would develop as I got older. I remember people talking about how different I’d be from the other kids. They said I wouldn’t even be able to hit a ball with a bat. 

“Still, I didn’t see myself as different. I just saw myself as myself. So, in my mind, it sounded like they were saying that being myself was wrong. It made me want to d0 everything I could to just be ‘normal,’” Bub said, using finger quotes. “I tried to look, eat, play, and talk just like my classmates did. I became a practically separate person from who I was at home.”

Bub said that he eventually learned to be proud of his difference, embracing it on his own terms. 

As salutatorian, Bub achieved the second-highest grade-point average in the district, making it all the more meaningful when, at the end of his speech, he took time to uplift any students who hadn’t received accolades from the school.

“We all stand before you as equals,” Bub said to the audience. “Awards come and go, records get broken, class grades fade into distant memory. What matters is the person you become and the relationships you build along the way.”