Eyes on the Skies

If you ask most teenage boys what interests them most, “the weather” likely wouldn’t be high on the list. But that’s exactly what CV resident Devion is most passionate about. He’s been fascinated by the weather since he was 8 years old, and hopes to turn that fascination into a profession. He graduated from Greenburgh Eleven, CV’s campus school, in June and will be studying environmental science at Westchester Community College this fall.

A fan — and critic — of weather forecasters, Devion had the experience of a lifetime on June 6 when he got a personal tour of WNBC-TV’s studios from “Today in New York” meteorologist Chris Cimino. The visit, which began before daybreak and lasted several hours, gave Devion a behind-the-scenes glimpse into the workings of a television studio and the technology that Cimino and his team use to forecast our weather. They also discussed the educational background — and luck — needed to become a meteorologist. Devion even got to practice his weather forecasting skills behind the camera, which he said was his “absolute, most favorite part” of the visit.

Devion toured the studio with his mentor, Paul Graham. The pair was matched as part of Connections, a mentoring program within our Volunteer Department that matches committed adults with teens who will be leaving residential care. The teens in the program typically have no other stable adult in their lives to provide guidance as they transition to independent living and navigate the world of employment, education, and financial responsibility. Connections sponsor SAG-AFTRA arranged for Devion’s NBC tour.