Provided photo: Pictured from left in front include Katie Dunning, Lauren Wiley, Tikera Ralands and Nina D'Arcangelo. Back row includes teacher Debra Dittmer, RN, Arianna Chiappone, Danielle Walker, Brennen O'Connor, Ashleigh Brownlee, Emily Koerner and teacher Roxanne Burke-Smith, RN.
Posted 14 March 2023 at 4:36 pm
Press Release, Orleans/Niagara BOCES
LOCKPORT – At a ceremony on March 8, Orleans/Niagara BOCES celebrated the accomplishments of Ashleigh Brownlee, Arianna Chiappone, Nina D’Arcangelo, Katie Dunning, Emily Koerner, Brennen O’Connor, Tikera Ralands, Danielle Walker and Lauren Wiley.
The nine adult learners graduated from the Licensed Practical Nursing (LPN) program at the Lockport Community Education Center.
Health Sciences Coordinator Diana Petrizzo, RN had this to say about the rigorous 13-month program and its graduates.
“This program requires much focus, dedication and commitment,” she said. “These graduates chose to enter the nursing profession at a critical, much needed time…a global pandemic. While many were isolating from others, they chose to reach out, to help others. Some of them were already health care workers and witnessed so many leaving the field, but instead of leaving, they stepped up and asked, ‘What more can I do?’”
The graduates thanked their instructors Debra Dittmer, RN, Roxanne Burke-Smith, RN, Diane Stauder, RN, Nicole Zglinicki, RN and Haley Alfieri, RN along with the support staff that helped them get through the program.
“When I reflect on this class, the thing that immediately comes to mind is teamwork,” Petrizzo said. “They all wanted to see each other succeed and they provided support to each other along the way. This class displayed amazing perseverance, tenacity, commitment and leadership skills.”
For more information on the Spring LPN programs offered at the Lockport Community Education Center and the Niagara Falls Workforce Training Center, go to the Orleans/Niagara BOCES website under Education and Programs (Adult/Continuing Education).
Spc. Samuel Maryjanowski of Medina serving with the 10th Area Command, received the New York Guard Achievement Award, NYS Lifetime Service Award and the New York Pandemic Response Service Ribbon during recent unit training events between December 2022 and February 2023.
The New York Guard is a force of 500 uniformed volunteers, organized as a military unit, who augment the New York National Guard during state emergencies. They provide administrative and logistics support to the National Guard.
Members of the New York Guard supported flood control efforts along the Lake Ontario shoreline in 2019 and 2020 and have been part of the statewide Covid-19 pandemic response since March 2020.
Unlike members of the New York National Guard, New York Guard members do not have a federal military role and do not deploy outside the state. New York Guard members usually train in a volunteer status and are only paid when they are placed on state duty during emergencies.
People who have served in the military can serve in the New York Guard up until age 68. Those who have never served in the military must be between age 18 and age 55 to join.
By Ginny Kropf, correspondent Posted 25 February 2023 at 8:58 am
Provided photo: Candace Pitts holds her award as employee of the year.
MEDINA – Iroquois Job Corps has recognized a dedicated employee for her ongoing efforts toward guiding students throughout their journey at the Job Corps center in the Town of Shelby.
Candace Pitts was recently named the Job Corps “Employee of the Year” for 2022.
Her honor is a result of selflessly altering her work schedule to help with getting students to and from their work-based learning jobs, according to Jen Barr, senior administrative assistant at Job Corps.
Pitts has gone above and beyond to make connections with communities for partnerships for the work-based learning program, Barr said.
“Ms. Pitts often has lines of students waiting for her outside her door and she makes time to talk to each one individually to address all of their questions or concerns,” Barr said. “The results she has achieved are impressive. We are grateful to have her as our compassionate and caring teammate who is always willing to go above and beyond.”
Dr. Jeffery Kelly, a 1978 Medina graduate, won a prestigious award for his work in chemistry. (Photo from Scripps Research)
LA JOLLA, CA — Jeffery Kelly, PhD, the Lita Annenberg Hazen Professor of Chemistry at Scripps Research, has been awarded the distinguished 2023 Wolf Prize in Chemistry.
The honor recognizes Kelly’s research developing therapeutic strategies that amend misfolded proteins that toxically aggregate in the body—a hallmark of many severe diseases, including Alzheimer’s.
Kelly shares this award with Chuan He, PhD, University of Chicago, and Hiroaki Suga, PhD, University of Tokyo, for “pioneering discoveries that illuminate the functions and pathological dysfunctions of RNA and proteins and for creating strategies to harness the capabilities of these biopolymers in new ways to ameliorate human diseases.”
“Receiving the Wolf Prize was a genuine surprise and is an immense privilege, especially considering all the incredible scientists who could have been chosen and who have been chosen before me,” Kelly says. “I am grateful to the remarkable scientists who selected me for this award, to numerous gifted trainees in my laboratory for their creative experimental contributions, and to my Scripps Research colleagues for cultivating the discovery culture that has made me a better scientist.”
In the award citation, the Wolf Foundation highlighted Kelly’s work in “developing a new and clinically impactful strategy to ameliorate disease caused by pathological protein aggregation.” Kelly has had a significant impact in understanding how proteins fold, misfold and aggregate in toxic quantities in the blood, the foundation noted, which leads to a host of severe diseases affecting both the cardiovascular and nervous systems.
With these key insights, Kelly and his lab have focused on translating their discoveries into therapies that can help alleviate these conditions. This includes the FDA-approved drug tafamidis (Vyndaqel® and Vyndamax®): a treatment that slows the progression of familial amyloid polyneuropathy (a neurodegenerative disease), and familial and sporadic TTR cardiomyopathy disease (a condition that ultimately causes heart failure).
“Kelly’s foundational research into protein folding homeostasis and novel therapeutic discoveries have made a global impact, which this award helps showcase,” said Peter Schultz, PhD, Scripps Family Chair Professor and President and CEO of Scripps Research. “His pioneering, multifaceted work—which is at the intersection of chemistry, biology and biophysics—has not only transformed the scientific world, but more importantly, has shaped the lives of countless patients.”
Kelly has won numerous additional awards and honors for his groundbreaking research in protein folding mechanics and multi-disciplinary therapeutic strategies. This includes the 2022 Breakthrough Prize in Life Sciences, the 2021 Royal Society Robert Robinson Award in Synthetic Organic Chemistry–SuFEx team, the Edward E. Smissman Award from the American Chemical Society and the 2016 American Institute of Chemists Chemical Pioneer Award, among many others.
Kelly earned his PhD in organic chemistry at the University of North Carolina and went on to Rockefeller University for postdoctoral work. He also graduated from Fredonia in 1982. He joined Scripps Research in 1997 and served as dean of the Skaggs Graduate School of Chemical and Biological Sciences from 2000 to 2008.
“I thank the Wolf Foundation for celebrating humankind’s quest for basic scientific knowledge and for creating an awareness in young people through this award that pursuing fundamental knowledge is fun and wholesomely addictive,” Kelly said.
Editor’s Note: Dr. Kelly is a 1978 graduate of Medina High School. He is the son of Janice Kelly-Mack and the late John W. Kelly. He heads The Kelly Laboratory at The Scripps Research Institute in La Jolla, Calif. He was recognized in 2003 in the inaugural group of distinguished alumni at Medina High School.
ALFRED – Six students from Orleans County were among the 901 Alfred State College students who earned dean’s list honors for their academic success during the fall 2022 semester.
The students from Orleans County include:
Jayce Ashton of Albion, a Note Dame High School graduate in Batavia
Julia Buck, Holley Senior High School
Ethan Kuhn, Kendall Jr-Sr High School
Reagan London, Lyndonville Central School
Joshua Smith, Kendall Jr-Sr High School
Jacob Thom, Albion Senior High School
Students must have completed at least 12 credit hours for the semester and earned a 3.5 grade point average out of a possible 4.0, to qualify for the dean’s list.
Interim Vice President for Academic Affairs Craig Clark, PhD is pleased to see the success. “Our students are learning real world skills through our hands-on approach. Congratulations to all that have achieved this academic success and I encourage them to continue to excel in our classrooms and labs.”
BUFFALO – Patrick E. Fitzsimmons, an Albion native, has been named a partner at Hodgson Russ LLP, effective January 1, 2023, the Buffalo firm announced.
Fitzsimmons is a litigation and cybersecurity attorney at Hodgson Russ and focuses his practice on white-collar criminal defense, privacy, and data security matters.
As a criminal defense lawyer, he represents individuals and companies facing criminal investigations and charges. In his privacy and data security practice, Fitzsimmons regularly counsels clients under an array of international, federal, and state privacy and data security laws.
He also assists clients in managing ransomware attacks and other data breaches and advises clients on breach notification obligations. Fitzsimmons currently serves on the Firm’s Security Committee.
A graduate of the University at Buffalo School of Law, Fitzsimmons served as an assistant district attorney in the Erie County District Attorney’s Office before joining Hodgson Russ.
Hodgson Russ attorneys facilitate business transactions around the world. As a full service law firm, Hodgson Russ utilizes multidisciplinary work teams to meet clients’ specific, often complex needs. Clients include public and privately held businesses, governmental entities, nonprofit institutions, and individuals. Hodgson Russ has offices in Albany, Buffalo, Greensboro, Hackensack, New York, Palm Beach, Rochester, Saratoga Springs and Toronto.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 14 December 2022 at 9:50 pm
Farms in GLOW region have top yields in 3 categories
Orleans County farmers have typically fared very well in the annual National Corn Yield Contest.
Last year, Adam Kirby of Albion won for top yield in the state with a yield of 293.1 bushels in the strip, min, mulch, ridge – till non-irrigated category. Kirby also won in 2019, and 2020.
Kludt Brothers in Kendall won the state title in 2009 and 2010, and finished fourth in the country in 2009 with 295.9 bushel yield.
The results of the National Corn Yield Contest were announced on Tuesday and no farm in Orleans made the leaderboard, but several entries from the GLOW area were among the biggest yields.
Matthew Swede of Piffard in Livingston won the conventional non-irrigated category with a yield of 284.0 bushels. Lance Rovers of Crazy in Clinton County won the no-till non-irrigated category with a yield of 265.3 bushels.
Ryan Swede of Pavilion in Genesee County is tops in the strip, min, mulch, ridge-till non-irrigated category at 282.2 bushels. Thomas W. Jeffres of Wyoming in Wyoming County is first in strip, min, mulch, ridge-till irrigated at 257.9 bushels, and Paul Campbell of Nichols in Tioga County won conventional irrigated with 246.4 bushels.
For more information on the contest, and results from other states, click here.
123 people have now completed program highlighting strengths and challenges in community
Provided photos: Members of the 2022 Class of Leadership Orleans celebrate their graduation last Thursday at the White Birch in Lyndonville. Pictured include front row, from left: Faye Conley, Miranda Bennett, Marlene Seielstad, Jennifer Hill-Young, Patricia Neuman and Becki Gibson. Back row: Susan Howard, Natasha Wasuck, Cyndi Stumer, Jerry Pasnik, Michele Chatfield, Tim Elliott, Benjamin Jones, Jim Doyle, Gloria Brent, Matt Holland, David Warren, Katie Leach, Jennifer Ashbery, Katrina Chaffee, Dawn Borchert and Wayne Wadhams. Missing from photo include Mindy Frasier and Christopher Cappetta.
Press Release, Leadership Orleans
LYNDONVILLE – The Leadership Orleans program held its 5th annual graduation ceremony on Thursday at the White Birch Golf Course.
Leadership Orleans is a year-long education program focused on building leadership skills while exposing participants to the necessary knowledge, experiences and people that make Orleans County work.
Its mission is to create the nucleus for investment in the community through continuing education, volunteerism, and networking to enhance leadership potential throughout our region.
The 2022 Leadership Orleans Class included 24 individuals from a wide array of sectors in our communities, from agriculture to manufacturing, education to government, small business owners to nonprofit service providers.
With this class, the number of those who have completed the program since its inception in 2018 and become LO alumni totals 123.
This year’s graduates include:
Jennifer Ashbery, Principal, Albion High School
Miranda Bennett, Bookkeeper, Town of Shelby
Dawn Borchert, Director, Orleans County Tourism
Gloria Brent, President, MDS Consultants
Christopher Cappetta, CFO, Harris Seeds, Garden Trends, Inc.
Katrina Chaffee, Director of Community Services, Community Action of Orleans & Genesee
Cyndi Stumer, Deputy Commissioner, Orleans County DSS
Wayne Wadhams, Board Member of O/N BOCES and President of Albion Board of Education
David Warren, Board Member, Kendall Central School District
Natasha Wasuck, Owner, The Lockstone & Tinsel
(Left) Renee Hungerford, executive director of Community Action, accepts the award for alumna of the year. (Right) Paul Pettit, public health director for Genesee and Orleans counties, was recognized by Leadership Orleans with the “distinguished leader” award.
In addition to honoring the LO2022 graduates, the evening’s agenda involved several special awards:
First Impression (voted by class) – Torrey Dairy Farm
Presenter of the Year (voted by class) – Elissa Smith (LO21)
Alumna of the Year – Renee Hungerford (LO21)
Distinguished Leader of the Year – Paul Pettit
The program was kicked off with a welcome by former NYS Assemblyman Charlie Nesbitt, comments by Orleans County Legislature Chair Lynne M. Johnson, followed by LO Steering Committee Chair Kelly Kiebala and LO Program Director Skip Helfrich. 2022 LO Class Comments were presented by Miranda Bennett and Susan Howard.
The Leadership Orleans program is thankful for the support of its sponsors: Orleans County, Talis Equity, Barre Stone Products, Baxter Healthcare, Bentley Brothers, Brigden Memorials, Brighton Securities, Brian Bourgraf, Christopher Mitchell Funeral Homes, Claims Recovery Financial Services, Friends of Steve Hawley, Holley Rotary Club, Kast Farms, Medina Area Partnership, Medina Sandstone Society, Orleans County EDA, Orleans Ford, Takeform Architectural Graphics, Watson Enterprises, and Western New York Energy.
Skip Helfrich, director of Leadership Orleans, welcomes the class and guests to the graduation program.
In addition, the program sincerely benefits from the leadership of its director, Skip Helfrich, and its Steering Committee: Kelly Kiebala-Chair, Delano Alvarez (LO19), Jackie Dunham (LO20), Ellen Eaton (LO19), Nadine Hanlon (LO18), Jerod Thurber (LO19), Kathleen “Kitty” Maerten, Charlie Nesbitt, Laura Olinger, Paul Pettit, Barbara Shine, Lisa Tombari (LO18) and Patrick Weissend (LO18).
During her acceptance speech as presenter of the year, Elissa Smith (principal of Lyndonville Elementary School) challenged audience members to “…imagine an issue or problem plaguing your work or community. Really think of something difficult.”
She then paused to allow all to have time to think, and then followed up with, “The answer to solve that issue is in this room. Collaborate with those outside your sphere; join forces with the alumni network for Leadership Orleans to find and leverage resources; or lobby to change policies and procedures.”
Congratulations to all the graduates of the Leadership Orleans Class of 2022!
SPENCERPORT – Joshua Padlick has been named a winner of the 2022 Carl J. Schaefer Memorial CTE Teacher Candidate Award presented by the NOCTI Board of Trustees. Padlick is a Monroe 2-Orleans BOCES career and technical education (CTE) welding teacher.
This award recognizes an outstanding CTE teacher or CTE teacher candidate. Criteria for the award includes an application describing personal goals, work experience, awards/honors received, professional memberships and leadership and community service activities.
Padlick has served as a welding instructor at WEMOCO Career and Technical Education Center in Spencerport for the past eight years. He has also offered his expertise as a Subject Matter Expert for NOCTI’s welding micro- credentials over the past two years.
In addition to teaching, Padlick is a SkillsUSA advisor, a chair for the department’s shared decision making team and the president for the Rochester American Welding Society (AWS) chapter. Since taking the AWS role, he has expanded both the chapter’s board and overall membership.
“Josh is an outstanding teacher who is active both inside and outside of the classroom,” said Theresa Alampi-Cortez, WEMOCO assistant principal and nominator. “Since he came onboard at our school, the welding program has grown significantly. Josh’s students enjoy his energy and sense of humor and learn greatly from his expertise and feedback. Josh forges great, lasting relationships with his students and he always gives 100% effort to whatever he is doing.”
Padlick received a personalized award and $500 to be used toward tuition, room and board, books, or any other educational-related expense.
The Carl J. Schaefer Memorial Award was established in 2013 to honor Dr. Carl J. Schaefer. As a lifelong champion in CTE, he gained national recognition as a CTE educator and author. He was also one of NOCTI’s founding fathers. This memorial award is a tribute to Dr. Schaefer’s memory.
NOCTI is the nation’s largest provider of industry partner certifications and industry-based credentials for career and technical education programs.
Provided photo: Todd Eick (second from left), a Medina agricultural teacher, was honored by the National Association of Agricultural Educators for his exemplary performance and dedication to agricultural education.
Press Release, National Association of Agricultural Educators
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA – Todd Eick, an agricultural educator at Medina, is one of six agricultural educators nationwide who received the 2022 National Association of Agricultural Educators Ideas Unlimited award.
The awards were presented during the 2022 NAAE Convention, which was Nov. 29 through Dec. 3, in Las Vegas.
The NAAE Ideas Unlimited award is presented to NAAE members to recognize them for their innovative ideas that optimize student success and development. The Ideas Unlimited Award is sponsored by National Geographic Learning | Cengage Learning.
Eick received this award for his Blackout Poem lesson plan. To celebrate Ag Literacy Week, Eick collaborated with his school district’s English department to promote ag literacy with his high school students.
Utilizing ag-based magazines, Eick’s students create a Blackout Poem, a form of poetry that uses another authors words, in their written order, to create something else.
For this past year, Eick provided articles to his that were related to growing their own food, but challenged them to select words to create a poem that focused on the theme of hunger. The unused words are then blacked out or colored out to leave just the desired text. Eick has found that this project drastically increases the reading comprehension of his students.
NAAE is the professional organization for agricultural educators with over 8,000 members nationwide. The organization advocates for agricultural education, provides advancement through professional development for agricultural educators, and works to recruit and retain agricultural educators in the profession. NAAE offers a variety of programs and services to support this three-pronged mission.
The mission of NAAE is “professionals providing agricultural education for the global community through visionary leadership, advocacy and service.” NAAE is headquartered in Lexington, Ky.
