Photos and information courtesy of Niagara County Soil and Water Conservation District: A team from Lyndonville won the Niagara-Orleans Envirothon on Wednesday. The team was from Mrs. Wronski’s class, and students included Maddie Baker, James Giarla, Molly Ingersoll and Jocelyn Mack.

LEWISTON – A team from Lyndonville Central School was first among 12 schools and won the Niagara-Orleans Envirothon on Wednesday at the Bond Lake Park Nature Center in Lewiston.

The team was from Mrs. Wronski’s class, and students included Maddie Baker, James Giarla, Molly Ingersoll and Jocelyn Mack.

The team from Lyndonville also won the Oral Presentation, Current Issue, and Soils portions of Envirothon.

Twelve teams of high school students competed from Albion, Brockport, Christian Academy, Lewiston-Porter, Lockport, Lyndonville, Medina, Newfane, Niagara Academy, Niagara Falls, Niagara Wheatfield, North Tonawanda, Royalton Hartland, Starpoint, Wilson, Niagara Career & Technical Education Center, and Orleans Career & Technical Education Center.

Teams of four to six students in grades 9-12 were tested on wildlife, aquatics, forestry, soils/land use, and a current environmental issue.

This year’s current issue is Renewable Energy for a Sustainable Future.  Students had to develop a theoretical plan for a school district to help reach renewable energy goals and present for a panel of judges to grade.

The overall winners for Niagara County are from Niagara Orleans County Career and Technical Center. They are from Mr. Kaplewicz’s class, and students include Alex Achtziger-Hughes, Samantha Maciejewski, Miles Manns and Alyssa Nagel.

Roy-Hart’s team from Mr. Sweeney’s class won the Aquatics portion, students included Cayla Burch, Mackenzie Diamond, Vanessa Grant, Joshua Kennedy, Clara Wojciechowski and Adam Yanicki.

A second team from Niagara Orleans Career and Technical Center won the Forestry and Wildlife portions. Students included Shane Beaton, Devin Carney, Cole Handrich, Dakota Ward and Ava Vanoni.

The overall county winners will move on to represent their county at the NYS Envirothon later this month at SUNY Cortland.

A special thank you to this year’s event sponsors M&T Bank, NewRoyal Orchards, and the NYS Forest Owners Association – Niagara Frontier Chapter for providing breakfast, lunch, and Envirothon shirts for the students.

Exams and proctoring were provided by the Aquarium of Niagara, NYS Department of Environmental Conservation, Iroquois National Wildlife Refuge, and both Soil and Water Conservation Districts from Orleans and Niagara counties.

Vic DiGiacomo of the NYS Soil and Water Conservation Committee came to discuss future conservation careers and opportunities with students.

The Niagara-Orleans Envirothon is a yearly event for county high school students presented by Niagara County Soil and Water Conservation District and Orleans County Soil and Water Conservation District.

Envirothon is an environmental competition on different aspects of natural resources.  It gives students hands-on experience and knowledge of the environment to understand how to protect and manage the natural resources around them.

For more information about Envirothon visit www.envirothon.org or www.nysenvirothon.org.

To participate next year please reach out to the Niagara County Soil & Water Conservation District at (716) 434-4949 ext. 4 or email Katherine.pfeifer@ny.nacdnet.net.

Provided photo: Brooke Wells of Lyndonville, a student at Niagara County Community College, is recognized with SUNY’s highest honor for Academic Excellence by John B. King Jr. (left), chancellor; and William Murabito, president of NCCC.

LYNDONVILLE – A local resident has received the State University of New York’s highest honor for academic excellence.

Brooke Wells, daughter-in-law of Jim and Valerie Wells of Lyndonville and a nursing student at Niagara County Community College, was recognized April 11 for her outstanding traits of leadership, campus involvement and community service.

Brooke will complete her registered nurse degree at NCCC in May. While a student in the rigorous registered nurse program, she has served as vice president of the Student Nurses’ Association. She also organized collection drives for Niagara Falls Gospel Mission, Caroline House, Oishei Children’s Hospital and Niagara County Sheriff’s office’s domestic violence unit. In addition, she has facilitated guest speakers and fundraisers with bake sales at the college.

“This was such a wonderful surprise,” Valerie said.

Dr. Julie Woodworth, professor of nursing at NCCC, said, “Brooke has dedicated many hours to her studies in pursuit of her RN degree. She has exemplified the traits of compassion, clinical judgement and empathy in her clinical practice. In addition, she has immersed herself in the NCCC community and has organized those activities and dedicated her time the community. Brooke’s recognition with the SUNY Academic Excellence honor is well deserved.”

Outside of school, Brooke completed an internship program, getting real life experience in healthcare. As a result, she received an EXCEL Certificate of Excellence award from Rochester Regional Health.

After graduating from NCCC, Brooke will be entering the Nursing Residency Program at Strong Memorial Hospital’s Emergency Department.

Provided photo: Dr. Michael Weyrauch (Orleans/Niagara BOCES Director of Continuing Education, Career and Technical Education and Instructional Services), Susan Diemert (Literacy Specialist) and Colleen Osborn (Board of Education President) accept the Magna Award in New Orleans.

Press Release/Orleans/Niagara BOCES

MEDINA – The Orleans/Niagara BOCES was one of the grand prize winners in the 29th annual Magna Awards program sponsored by the National School Boards Association’s flagship magazine, American School Board Journal.

This year, the Magna Awards recognize school districts and their leaders for their innovative, out-of-the-box thinking to address district challenges. Members of the NSBA Board of Directors Awards Committee selected the winners from district submissions.

“The Magna Awards spotlight innovative programs that are making a difference for students and the communities where they live,” said NSBA Executive Director and CEO Verjeana McCotter-Jacobs. “From providing incarcerated individuals with essential job readiness training and hope for the future to preparing students for the ever-evolving landscape of careers through specialized programs, each of our grand prize-winning programs exemplifies the transformative power of education. These award winners serve as shining examples of what can be achieved when creativity and dedication intersect in the pursuit of excellence.”

There were three grand prize-winning programs and Orleans/Niagara BOCES won in the Under 5,000 enrollment.  The local BOCES was recognized for their Corrections Literacy and Job Skills: A Second Chance program provides incarcerated students and adults the opportunity to take classes and training to increase their chance of employment after release at Niagara County Jail. (You can view a movie about the jail program at this link: https://youtu.be/S24fyIe8Cac.)

Representatives Orleans/Niagara BOCES Board of Education – President Colleen Osborn, Literacy Specialist Susan Diemert and Director of Continuing Education, Career and Technical Education and Instructional Services Dr. Michael Weyrauch – were presenters at NSBA’s Annual Conference in New Orleans in April and were featured in the 2024 Magna Awards video. All winners will be highlighted in the April issue of ASBJ at www.nsba.org/asbj.

Founded in 1940, the National School Boards Association’s (NSBA) purpose is to ensure each student everywhere has access to excellent and equitable public education governed by high-performing school board leaders and supported by the community.

With members spread across the United States, the Virgin Islands, and Canada, NSBA is the only national organization representing school boards. Along with its member state associations and member public school districts representing locally elected school board officials serving millions of public school students, NSBA believes that public education is a civil right necessary to the dignity and freedom of the American people and that each child, regardless of their ability, ethnicity, socioeconomic status, identity, or citizenship, deserves equitable access to an education that maximizes their individual potential.

Provided photo: from left include Colleen Osborn (Orleans/Niagara BOCES Board of Education President), Tricia Andrews (NYSSBA Area 1 Ambassador), Bill Rakonczay and Nicole Goyette (Orleans Career and Technical Education Center Principal).

Press Release, Orleans/Niagara BOCES

MEDINA – Orleans Career and Technical Education Center’s Advanced Manufacturing and Engineering teacher Bill Rakonczay was recognized by the New York State School Boards Association at the Orleans/Niagara BOCES’ Board of Education meeting on April 10.

Mr. Rakonczay was presented with the prestigious award: Champions of Change. The award was created by NYSSBA to highlight the positive programming that brings change to students, communities and the school districts of New York.

Mr. Rakonczay was brought to their attention through E-Clips and an article that was written about him and his program. A committee chose Mr. Rakonczay’s program and Clarence School District Board of Education member, Awards and Recognition Committee member and NYSSBA Area 1 Ambassador Tricia Andrews came to the board of education meeting to present a recognition banner to Mr. Rakonczay.

Over a two-year period in his class, students are exposed to Computer Numerical Machining, Computer Aided Design and Welding Technologies.  Students experience how technology interacts in a real manufacturing environment in labs and local industries.  His students have manufactured parts for the International Space Station with NASA’s HUNCH program.

“I am so honored to have received this award,” said Mr. Rakonczay.  “I love what I do and this recognition means the world to me. I am looking forward to many more years of teaching at BOCES.”

Mallory Kozody, left, and MacKenzie Fiorito will represent Orleans County at the Empire Girls State program.

Two high school juniors in Orleans County have been selected for the Empire Gurls State program from June 30 to July 6 at SUNY Brockport.

Mallory Kozody of Albion and MacKenzie Fiorito of Holley have been picked for the program, which is run by the American Legion Auxiliary. Anna Hess from Lyndonville has been named an alternate.

Classified as an “Action Program,” Empire Girls State focuses on providing students with the opportunity to participate in hands-on workshops highlighting the process of government, running campaigns, writing bills and other political activities.

As part of the program, participants become citizens of a fictional 51st state where they are in charge of building and establishing their own government.

According to the American Legion Auxiliary, the program “endeavors in one week to instruct the young women attending about the privileges of the vote, how political parties are formed and how leaders are chosen and elected to fill the various offices – it serves to instill in them the duties, privileges, rights and responsibilities of the American Citizenship as they actually participate in the process.”

BATAVIA – There 216 students from Genesee Community College named to Provost’s List. Students honored on the Provost’s List have maintained part-time enrollment and earned a quality point index of 3.75 (roughly equivalent to an A) or better.

The following from Orleans County made the list:

• Megan Gentile of Holley
• Jason Grager of Lyndonville
• Luca Pylypiak of Lyndonville
• Anthony Moule of Lyndonville
• Brent Oliver of Medina
• Dominique McKinley of Medina
• Jenna Wildschutz of Medina
• Valerie Busch of Medina
• Adam Lindberg of Medina
• Leah Knab of Albion
• Kobe Pugsley of Albion
• Kaitlin Simons of Albion
• Autumn Husfelt of Albion
• Krista Lefrois of Albion
• Barbara Lamka of Albion
• Meganne Moore of Albion
• Erin Harding of Holley
• Jacqueline O’Grady of Holley
• Evangeline Cooper of Kent
• Jacqueline Santiago Garcia of Waterport

ROCHESTER – The following students were named to the Dean’s List at Rochester Institute of Technology for the fall semester of the 2023-2024 academic year. Full-time degree-seeking undergraduate students are eligible for Dean’s List if their term GPA is greater than or equal to 3.400; they do not have any grades of “Incomplete”, “D” or “F”; and they have registered for, and completed, at least 12 credit hours.

• Jacob Corser of Albion, who is in the mechanical engineering technology program.
• Conner Hollenbeck of Albion, who is in the mechanical engineering technology program.
• Nathanael Strong of Albion, who is in the packaging science program.
• Reg Chuhi of Holley, who is in the computing and information technologies program.
• Sierra Apicella of Holley, who is in the studio arts program.
• Kyle Kuehne of Kent, who is in the software engineering program.
• Sydney Wilson of Lyndonville, who is in the software engineering program.
• Alanna Holman of Medina, who is in the human-centered computing program.
• Isaac Becker of Waterport, who is in the robotics and manufacturing engineering technology program.

Buffalo State University and Hamilton College have announced students from Orleans County made the Dean’s List for the fall semester.

The following had GPAs of at least 3.5 and were full-time students, making the Dean’s List at Buff State:

• Alexis Creasey of Albion, majoring in Psychology
• Nicolina Creasey of Albion, majoring in Speech-Language Pathology
• Hannah Heil of Medina, majoring in Fashion and Textile Technology
• Isabel Ramsey of Medina, majoring in Graphic Design
• Emily Schoolcraft of Medina, majoring in Childhood Education

Hamilton College in Clinton, NY announced that Jonathan Pietrafesa of Medina made the Dean’s List with a GPA between 3.5 and 4.0. Pietrafesa is a senior majoring in cinema and media studies.