By Elisabeth Costanzo Stewart

For the past two years, Sydney and Peyton Kelly have started their days at dawn. Packed and in the car by 6:45 a.m. sharp, the mother-daughter duo embark on their 45-minute commute to SUNY Broome. After pulling into the south entrance of campus, they share a quick hug and kiss before heading off to their respective classrooms – Sydney in the dental hygiene wing of the Decker Health Science Building, and Peyton in the preschool room in the B.C. Center. In a matter of weeks, however, Sydney and Peyton will  establish a new routine. The Kelly Girls are set to graduate, with Sydney bound for a fulfilling career as a dental hygienist and Peyton off to the big world of kindergarten. While both Kellys can’t wait to see what the future unfolds, they will always appreciate the unique opportunity that allowed them to attend their Community’s College together.  

The Kelly Girls’ journey to SUNY Broome begins with Sydney (Burritt) Kelly. After a brief stint in Dunedin, FL, the Burritt family relocated to central upstate New York. There, Sydney fully embraced country-living in the hamlet of Cincinnatus. After graduating from Cincinnatus Central School, Sydney spent three semesters at Onondaga Community College, taking various general education courses without an official plan.

“I had no idea what I wanted to do, and didn’t want to keep taking classes without a specific goal,” Sydney reflected. “I was young and wanted to travel and explore my options. I thought about becoming a flight attendant, but I needed to be at least 21. I didn’t want to wait, so I considered the path of entering the military.”

To everyone’s dismay, Sydney enlisted in the Navy in 2016 as a Master-at-Arms (E3 MA). Stationed at a naval submarine base in Kings Bay, GA, Sydney and her fellow MA’s clocked 14+ hour shifts keeping the peace across the 16,000-acre community. Occasionally, Naval MA’s collaborated and cross-trained with the Marine Corps Security Force Regiment. During a tactical BearCat SWAT vehicle training, Sydney met Patrick Kelly, a Marine from Mississippi. 

Though initially hesitant to date a Marine (the Navy and the Marines are their own version of the Capulets and Montagues), Sydney was pleased to find a Facebook message in her inbox from Kelly, casually asking what time they needed to be in class. That Facebook message turned into a “let’s go fishing” first date, which led to their marriage in 2019. 

“When Sydney needed to see a pediatric patient in the clinic, Peyton happily hopped into the chair.” Photo Credit: Matt Ebbers

Just as the newlyweds began to plan for their future, military life intervened. Patrick was transferred to a company at 29 Palms, a Marine Corps base in San Bernardino County, California, while Sydney remained stationed in Kings Bay, GA. As they prepared to spend months with a country in between them, they discovered that Sydney was expecting their daughter, Peyton. The following year was a blur, with highlights including Sydney driving from Georgia to California in a U-Haul at nearly nine months pregnant. But the end result was a united couple and the birth of a beautiful little girl. 

With their respective military contracts officially fulfilled, and a longing to be near family, the now three Kellys piled into another U-Haul and returned to Cincinnatus.

Back in New York, Sydney found herself at a crossroads. Though she initially envisioned that her post-Naval career would be in law enforcement, motherhood changed her perspective.

“Now I was Peyton’s mom, and I didn’t want to enter a field that could potentially take me away from her,” Sydney reflected. “Motherhood, plus years of maturity, gave me the guidance that I didn’t have when I first went to college as an 18-year-old. I now knew that I wanted to enter the healthcare field. I knew I that I wasn’t cut out to be a nurse, but instead was meant to be a hygienist.”

Sydney enrolled at SUNY Broome as a Health Sciences: A.S. student to complete the prerequisites needed to become a strong applicant for the College’s highly competitive Dental Hygiene: A.A.S. program. After powering through her biology, chemistry, and math courses,  she was accepted into the Dental Hygiene program’s Fall 2023 cohort. 

Thanks to her her G.I. Bill benefits and scholarships from the SUNY Broome Foundation, Sydney was able to fully cover her tuition, as well as a portion of her supplemental materials and dental instruments. 

With her acceptance letter in tow, and her financing in order, the only thing left for Sydney to arrange was childcare for then two year old Peyton. As a health sciences student, Sydney could balance Peyton’s care between her husband, her parents, and herself. But, the rigor of the dental hygiene program, coupled with the Monday through Friday, nine to five structure of her classes, labs, and clinicals, meant that an official childcare plan would need to be in place before the semester began.

In passing, Sydney overheard a conversation about the B.C. Center, SUNY Broome’s on-site licensed child care program. The B.C. Center, which caters to SUNY Broome students, faculty/staff, and members of the surrounding community, offers full and part-time child care to accommodate academic schedules. It was just what the Kellys needed, with the added perk of being directly next door to the College’s Dental Hygiene Clinic. 

The Kelly Girls enjoying a walk around their soon-to-be alma mater! Photo Credit: Matt Ebbers

“The B.C. Center has been such a blessing for all of us,” Kelly said. “As a SUNY Broome student-parent, we received first priority for Peyton’s placement at the Center. It was such a relief to know that she was in a loving and nurturing learning environment just steps away from me. We couldn’t have asked for a better arrangement.”

And so the Kelly Girls took on SUNY Broome together. Sydney tackled classes in oral pathology and dental pharmacology, while Peyton dove into sensory play and hands-on learning. Occasionally, their SUNY Broome worlds intersected. When Sydney needed to see a pediatric patient in the clinic, Peyton happily hopped into the chair. 

“I never want to disrupt her peaceful day at the B.C. Center,” Sydney explained. “But I find ways to still see her throughout the day. My favorite study spot is the set of picnic tables directly above the B.C. Center. I can watch her play with her friends without her noticing me.” 

Mother’s Day will be a touch more eventful for the Kelly Girls than in previous years. Before indulging in breakfast in bed and fawning over an array of Peyton’s hand-made cards and artwork, Sydney will spend the weekend sitting for both her simulated patient (manikin) clinical exam (Commission on Dental Competency Assessment, CDCA) and her written National Dental Hygiene Board Examination. But all these milestones in May mean that their next chapters are closer than ever! Next up, the B.C. Center’s Graduation Ceremony on May 16, 2025 and SUNY Broome’s Commencement Ceremony on May 22, 2025. 

Are you a parent considering enrolling at SUNY Broome? Learn more about the College’s on-site licensed child care center. The B.C. Center | BC Center

Update: Sydney passed both exams for licensure! Congratulations, Sydney!

Learn more about Peyton Kelly below! Photo Credit: Matt Ebbers

 

Meet Miss Peyton Kelly

  • Age: 4.5
  • When I Grow Up: “I want to be a builder/worker!”
  • Favorite Part of the B.C. Center: “I love to play with my friends!”
  • Favorite Pastimes: “Swimming, fishing, and catching butterflies.”
  • Favorite Colors: “Red and orange.”
  • Favorite Thing About Mommy: “She loves me!”

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