Photo by Tom Rivers

John Robinson, left, and his friend Doug Hamlin, right, ride adaptive use bicycles along West Bank Street in Albion on July 1, 2014. The duo and their supporters rode the Erie Canal and stopped in Albion to visit The Arc of Orleans County. They will be back Tuesday morning at 11 for a program at the former Grammar School on East Academy Street.

The Arc provides services at the former school for senior citizens and people with disabilities.

Robinson will leave Medina in the morning and head to Albion. Robinson was born without full arms and legs. He is riding an adaptive bicycle from Tonawanda to Albany.

This is the third year Robinson is making the trip along the 363-mile-long Erie Canal.

Robinson has made the trek to show people that disabled residents can achieve big dreams, too.

Robinson also brings a message seeking job opportunities for disabled residents. Whether in sheltered workshops or other jobs in the community, Robinson said people with developmental disabilities have skills that can be used in the workplace.

Photo courtesy of GCC – Genesee Community College honored the following high school students in GCC’s Advanced Studies program: First row, from left: Emma Snyder, Emily Radford, Taylor DeSimone, Erin Tiede, Abigail Bleier and Megan Saile. Second row: Theodore Benjovsky, Daniel Kocher, Tania Arellano, Trevor Noon and Dylan Servos. Third row: Victoria Giglia and Megan Bullard.

Press Release, GCC

BATAVIA – Genesee Community College honored 22 high students from across Western New York as finalists for Outstanding Scholar Awards in GCC’s Advanced Studies program.

The awardees were honored at a ceremony and reception in the Stuart Steiner Theatre at Genesee’s Batavia campus.

Advanced Studies is part of the College’s ACE program, or Accelerated College Enrollment, and allows high school students the opportunity to earn college credit from Genesee while attending class within their high school.

High school teachers approved as Genesee adjunct faculty teach all Advanced Studies courses. Some of the most enterprising young students earn enough transferable Advanced Studies credit to enter their first year of college as sophomores.

This year’s Outstanding Scholars Award program featured a keynote address by Tim Tomczak, GCC’s professor of psychology and the director of the GCC’s Social Sciences department. He is a two-time SUNY Chancellor’s Award winner.

In his address to the ACE scholars, Professor Tomczak discussed his experiences and struggles in finding a path in life. Despite a discouraging start to his education as a young boy, he found his niche through the help of a concerned guidance counselor who found him an opportunity to take some college courses while in high school.

“I was one of the original ‘ACE’ students,” he said. “I liked college so much that I wanted to find a job that would let me stay there for the rest of my career.”

His address encouraged students to “keep being scholars – individuals who are passionate about learning new things and taking their thinking to higher levels.”

The 22 finalists were selected from more than 165 nominations in the five subject areas of mathematics, science, social science, foreign language and English. As in years past, a committee of academic professionals from GCC selected the following award winners, listed by school within their subject areas:

ENGLISH
Abigail Bleier, Notre Dame; Emma Snyder, Keshequa; Gabriella Giunta, Gates-Chili; Emily Radford, Holley; and Madhuri Vihani, Attica.

FOREIGN LANGUAGE
Austin Morgan, Pioneer; Hannah Smart, Pavilion; Tania Arellano, Kendall; and Alexandria Barber, Letchworth.

MATHEMATICS
Daniel Kocher, Alden; Olivia Marchese, Notre Dame; Jack Mann, Keshequa; Theodore Benjovsky, Albion; and Michael Safford, Perry.

SCIENCE
Dylan Servos, Alden; Abigail Bleier, Notre Dame; Megan Bullard, Caledonia-Mumford; Taylor DeSimone, Holley; and Erin Tiede, Warsaw.

SOCIAL SCIENCE
Victoria Giglia, Alden; Megan Saile, Batavia; Megan Bullard, Caledonia-Mumford; Trevor Noon, Newfane; Taylor DeSimone, Holley; and Sierra Greene, Letchworth.

Christopher Scharping writes Word War II novel based on Medina family

Photos by Tom Rivers

ALBION – Medina native Christopher Scharping is pictured with a copy of his latest book, “We Regret To Inform You,” a World War II-based novel that is based on a Medina family.

This is Scharping’s fourth novel and the latest self-published book is nearly 500 pages. It is based on a husband and wife who have one son, who enlists in the military as a pilot. The son and his crew would be listed as Missing in Action. They flew a B-17 bomber as part of an 8th Air Force mission over Czechoslovakia. The novel details the father’s efforts to find his son.

Scharping is retired from the Air Force. He worked 16 of his 21 years with the Air Force as a historian.

Scharping visits with a childhood friend, Wayne Litchfield, during the book-signing event at Bindings Bookstore in Albion this evening.

Scharping lives in Panama City, Fla. He hadn’t been home to Orleans County in about three years. He is in town for his niece’s graduation at Byron-Begren.

Scharping is working on a fifth book, this one about bootleggers at Point Breeze and Orleans County during Prohibition.

He said he is looking to move back to the area.

Provided photo – A reception was held this afternoon at the Orleans County Public Safety Building honoring Patricia Morrisey, a retiring teacher with the Albion Central School District. She taught inmates in the county jail for 30 years. She is pictured with Scott Wilson, the jail superintendent.

ALBION – It may not seem like a dream job for a teacher, but that is how Patricia Morrissey describes her part-time job the past 30 years at the Orleans County Jail.

She worked with young inmates, ages 16 to 21 who hadn’t graduated from high school but wanted to work towards earning a General Equivalency Diploma.

Morrissey helped the students learn the fundamentals in math and reading, and many of the students were motivated to get their GED.

Morrissey is retiring from the job. Today she was recognized at a reception at the Orleans County Public Safety Building.

Morrissey worked with small class sizes, sometimes only two to five students. Sometimes as many as 15.

“It was a very unique situation, working in that kind of setting,” Morrissey said today. “I enjoyed every minute of it.”

Morrissey worked for the Orleans-Niagara BOCES for the first 13 years before her employer became Albion Central School, which is responsible for offering an education to people up to age 21 if they haven’t graduated.

Morrissey said the younger inmate population has shrunk over the years. She remembers when they were as many as 40 students over the course of a school year. This year she had 15 students for stints of the school year. Some of those inmates may be in the jail for a few weeks.

Morrissey connects with students’ teachers and tries to keep the students on track for earning school credits. Other students focus on earning a GED, which is now the Test Assessing Secondary Completion, a more rigorous test than the GED, Morrissey said.

Many of the students have done well in the smaller class setting, with a focus on mastering the basics in math before moving on to algebra and even trigonometry.

“You’re their cheerleader,” Morrissey said. “You get them to believe in themselves because you’re working with kids who often haven’t been successful in school.”

Morrissey worked in the jail three hours daily from Monday through Friday.

Many of her students earned GEDs, and Morrissey helped point some of them to college.

“I certainly became attached to a lot of them,” she said. “There’s no question that for many kids this was their redemption. It provided them with a second chance.”

Provided photo

BARRE – Dale Ostroski, center, was recognized on June 3 for a 20-year attendance award at the School for Highway Superintendents, which is co-sponsored by the Association of Towns of the State of New York in Albany, and the Cornell Local Roads Program in Ithaca.

Ostroski is pictured with David Orr (left), director of the Cornell Local Roads Program, and Russell Page, president of New York State Association of Town Superintendents of Highways and Superintendent of Highways.

The Annual School for Highway Superintendents, or Highway School, is a conference attended by about 700 participants, the majority being local highway and public works officials. The Highway School features topics related to all aspects of highway care and maintenance.

The Cornell Local Roads Program provides training, technical assistance, and information to municipal officials and employees responsible for the maintenance, construction, and management of local highways and bridges in New York State.

Ostroski is retiring on Dec. 31 as Barre highway superintendent.

Keith Palmer

ELBA – The Elba Central School has picked Keith Palmer, an Albion resident and a principal at Pembroke High School, to serve as its next district superintendent.

Palmer, a former school administrator at Kendall, is set to start at Elba on July 1.

“I look forward to working with the Elba Board, faculty, students and community to develop strong relationships as we work together to deliver the district’s vision and mission,” Palmer said. “Our first priority is the education of our students as we focus on curriculum and instruction. This will enhance our students’ academic achievement as we work together to meet the district’s academic and financial goals.”

Palmer is currently the principal of the Pembroke Central High School, where he has served since 2003. Previously, he was assistant principal at the Kendall High School, a position he held for 12 years.

Palmer began his career in 1987 as a math and computer science teacher at North Warren Central School in the Adirondacks. He also taught at the Washington Correctional Facility located in Comstock for two summers in both 1988 and 1990.

Palmer holds a Bachelor of Arts from Houghton College, and a master’s degree from SUNY Plattsburgh. He holds three New York State Certifications – a NYS School District Administrator, a NYS School Administrator and Supervisor Certificate and a NYS School Business Administrator Certificate.

Palmer’s career encompasses a variety of leadership accomplishments including developing Professional Learning Communities to build school/family communication and maintaining effective relations with union leadership.

“The Board is confident in selecting Mr. Palmer to lead Elba Central Schools,” said Tony Zambito, president of the Board of Education at Elba Central School. “His professional background, along with a deep understanding of many aspects of educational leadership, makes him an excellent fit for the staff and students of the district. The search process narrowed the field to three excellent candidates. The board values all of the participation and input from stakeholders and community members and is committed and proud of this decision.”

Photo by Tom Rivers

ALBION – The lush plants, benches and birds are a peaceful attraction at the Martin-Linsin Residence, which serves terminally ill patients at 14080 Route 31 West.

The garden by the residence for Hospice of Orleans is now more accessible for residents and their families after a Boy Scout added a crusher-run path for his Eagle Scout project.

Randy Eblacker worked on the project last August through October. It is seeing lots of use now that the warm weather months have arrived.

Eblacker is in a Boy Scout troop in Albion where Dr. Tom Madejski has been a long-time volunteer. Eblacker was looking for an Eagle Scout project in the community, and Madejski suggested the project at Hospice.

“The sidewalk will let residents in wheelchairs go out and enjoy the really nice garden that they have,” Eblacker said.

Eblacker, a junior at Albion, said he has enjoyed his time in Scouts, attending camp-outs and learning skills, especially CPR and life-guarding.

The key to becoming an Eagle Scout is persistence, Eblacker said.

“It’s sticking with Scouting,” he said. “It’s a lot of merit badges. It’s a lot of work.”

It’s also a lot of fun. He has enjoyed the many trips with Scouts, especially a journey to Gettysburg.

Eblacker plans to help the troop next year as a junior assistant scoutmaster. He also plays varsity baseball and is a member of the National Honor Society.

“I definitely wouldn’t be the person I am today without Scouts,” Eblacker said. “There are a lot of opportunities in Scouts and it’s it made me active in my community.”

Photos by Tom Rivers – Mike Woodward, a member of the Self Advocate All Stars at The Arc of Orleans County, is pictured on the group’s float during Saturday’s parade in Holley. The All Stars won a first place award in the parade.

ALBION – They have marched in parades, washed cars, presented at County Legislature meetings and made other efforts to reach out to the community.

The Self Advocate All Stars in Orleans County have been recognized for their efforts by the Self-Advocacy Association of New York State. The western region of that association held a conference on Friday and honored the All Stars as the “Self Advocacy Group of the Year.”

“They have seen how active our group is,” said Jonathan Doherty, one of leaders of the All Stars. “We give back to the community.”

The group formed in 2006. One of its early goals was to rail against official government use of the “R-word.” The County Legislature in May 2010 passed a formal resolution, telling local, state and federal governments to no longer use the word “retarded” in describing people with developmental disabilities.

The R-word is a “vicious slang” that is insulting and hurtful to people with developmental disabilities and their families, legislators said in their resolution five years ago.

Jonathan Doherty walks in Saturday’s parade in Holley with the Self Advocate All Stars. He is holding the plaque for the award the group won the previous day in Niagara Falls.

Vickie Randall works for The Arc of Orleans County and serves as an advisor to the All Stars. She said the group raises its own money for trips and for attendance at regional conferences.

The All Stars have stayed passionate about participating in parades and being active in the community, Randall said.

“It’s very important for them to say to the community, ‘We’re here and we want to be a part of you,'” Randall said. “They have strived really hard to get the word out that they are capable and willing to be active in the community.”

The All Stars visit local nursing homes, cemeteries and are working on adopting a highway to clean the roadsides of trash.

For more on the Self-Advocacy Association of New York State, click here.