Most completed their college work through GCC’s STEM enrichment program

Press release and photo courtesy of Genesee Community College

BATAVIA – Genesee Community College celebrated its 54th annual commencement ceremony on May 21 with a group of 15 students from area high schools and homeschools deserving special mention.

They completed their GCC degree requirements concurrently with their high school diplomas or New York State Equivalents. These 15 graduates participated in the fourth annual cohort of the College’s Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) enrichment program through GCC’s Accelerated College Enrollment (ACE) Office.

These high achieving individuals include the following: Alexander Wright (Perry), Chase Graham (Alexander), Corden Zimmerman (Byron-Bergen), Elizabeth McCarthy (Batavia), Elli Schelemanow (Byron-Bergen), Jordyn Tobolski (Oakfield), Katarina Luker (Alexander), McKenna Johnson (Oakfield), Megan Zakes (Medina), Rebecca Clemens (Lyndonville), Samantha Nusstein (Attica), Sarah Volpe (Elba), Sophie Fulton (Batavia), Zachary Neal (Homeschool), Bethany Faben (Homeschool) and Markus Faben (Homeschool). Emily Harling (Albion) did not take part in the STEM Enrichment Program, but did earn a GCC degree alongside her high school diploma.

The STEM Enrichment program began in 2012 allowing the students to start their college studies as early as the seventh grade. In addition to their traditional schoolwork, they enrolled in college level coursework each year taking advantage of many academic opportunities and successfully completing all of the rigorous challenges of an associate degree.

“Once again this year, we are delighted to celebrate the achievements of our STEM program students who have worked hard to earn GCC degrees along with their high school diplomas or the New York State Equivalent, in the case of our homeschooled students,” said Ed Levinstein, associate dean of GCC’s ACE program. “I commend their hard work and dedication to their studies, as well as the excellent contributions they make to GCC’s classes and college community.”

Genesee Community College’s 54th annual commencement was held in-person at the Richard C. Call Arena and featured special guest Keynote Speaker Daniel P. Ireland, president of United Memorial Medical Center in Batavia.

College recognizes other staff for achievement during past year

Photo courtesy of GCC: The 2022 SUNY Chancellor Award winners at GCC are, from left: Rachel A. Czechonski, Karen K. Wicka, Esq., Florence A. Radley and Thomas W. Kinsey. Absent: Lina M. LaMattina, Ed. D.

Press Release, Genesee Community College

BATAVIA – Genesee Community College held its fifth annual Employees Serving Beyond Expectations ceremony on May 17 when the college formally honored the many outstanding achievements of GCC’s faculty and staff.

Among the highest honors were recognizing the recipients of the prestigious 2022 State University of New York (SUNY) Chancellor’s Award for Excellence, which includes the following:

• Award for Excellence in Adjunct Teaching – Rachel A. Czechonski, Adjunct Instructor
• Award for Excellence in Classified Service – Florence A. Radley, Financial Aid Clerk Typist
• Award for Excellence in Faculty Service – Karen K. Wicka, Esq., Criminal Justice Professor
• Award for Excellence in Professional Service – Thomas W. Kinsey, Institutional Research and Planning Reporting Analyst
• Award for Excellence in Scholarship and Creative Activities – Lina M. LaMattina, Ed. D., Director of Business Programs, Assistant Professor

“The past few years at Genesee Community College have been unlike any other years we have been through,” GCC’s President James M. Sunser said. “Like our students, GCC faculty and staff have continually adapted to provide the best possible campus environment. For that reason, it is important for all of us to recognize our achievements in serving beyond expectations.”

In addition to the SUNY Chancellors Awards, the “Serving Beyond Expectations” ceremony also recognized 31 employees with extensive years of service with benchmarks of 10, 15, 20, 25 and 30 years of service to GCC. The college also recognized individuals in seven unique categories of service known as the “Cougar Awards,” which were awarded in the following areas:

• Innovation Award for one who’s implemented idea made a positive impact on GCC – Karlyn M. Backus, Registrar
• Cougar Salute for a supervisor or manager consistently demonstrating GCC’s core values – Shelitha W. Williams, Vice President for Student & Enrollment Services
• Inclusive Excellence Award for a significant role in embracing the diversity, equity and inclusiveness of the campus community – Madeline E. Reichler, Community, Equity & Diversity Specialist
• Rookie of the Year Award for the outstanding achievements of a new staff member – Allison McAdoo, Student Financial Services Advisor
• Spirit and Community Award for exemplary school spirit – Deborah A. Erion, Student Success Coach
• President’s Award for the efforts and services of an individual in support of the college’s mission and strategic priorities – Macy A. Reyngoudt, Counselor
• Teamwork Award for superior performance by a department or cross functional team –Campus Safety – Erik L. Anderson, Alex C. Brownlie, David P. Childs, Gregg A. Evans, Edgardo Guzman, Randal J. Henning, Brenda D. Hoffman-Case, David J. Lester, Joseph D. Meacham, Elizabeth A. Mills, Allison R. Parente, Daniel J. Wendling, Hunter S. Webster and Stephen P. Wise

The Cougar Award nominees were kept secret until the awards ceremony and recipients were named live during the event.

Seven staff who retired after September 1, 2021 were acknowledged by the college president. They include: Ricky Bezon, Michele Bokman, Donna Ehrhart, Daniel Hoffman, Raymond Strzelecki, Gail Schnabl and Eileen Wekenmann.

Lastly, but no less important, the “Serving Beyond Expectations” ceremony recognizes the numerous accomplishments and contributions made by GCC’s faculty and staff throughout the past academic year.

The number and breadth of these achievements exemplifies the quality and compassion that seems near endemic across all departments and divisions at GCC. Thirty-nine members of GCC’s staff, and many of them with multiple honors and recognitions, are listed under the general awards category.

From Athletic Director of the Year to professional association officers, to serving as a presenter or a member of the US Coast Guard Auxiliary, from furthering their own education to membership on local community committees and boards, and even a costume designer, GCC employees are an active collection of top-notch professionals motivated by passion, patriotism and the idea of making the community a better place to live and work.

Andrew Cary of Holley, who is assigned to the Company B, 152nd Brigade Engineer Battalion, has received a promotion to the rank of 1st lieutenant on April 15.

Major General Ray Shields, the adjutant general for the state of New York, announced the promotion of the member of the New York Army National Guard in recognition for capability and for additional responsibility and leadership.

Army National Guard promotions are based on overall performance, attitude, leadership ability, and development potential.

Press Release, Author’s Note

Provided photo: Kate (Schirmer) Messner recently was honored with the Empire State Award for Excellence In Literature for Young People.

MEDINA – Acclaimed children’s author and Medina native Kate (Schirmer) Messner has won the prestigious Empire State Award for Excellence In Literature for Young People presented by the New York Library Association.

The Empire State Award is given annually and was first presented in 1990. It is a one-time award presented to a living author or illustrator currently residing in New York State.

The award honors a body of work that represents excellence in children’s or young adult literature and that has made a significant contribution to literature for young people. Youth Services librarians throughout the state submit nominations to an awards committee. The committee makes a decision that is then approved by the YSS Executive Board.

Messner, who lives on Lake Champlain with her family, will visit Medina on May 24 at 7 p.m. for an in-person signing and discussion at the Author’s Note bookstore, 519 Main St. In advance of her visit, she has provided free recorded school visits for students in grades PreK-3 and grades 4-8 which schools may utilize to share Messner’s presentations with their students.

The author grew up in Medina and graduated from Medina High School in 1988. She has penned many titles for young readers including award-winning picture books like Over and Under the Pond, The Brilliant Deep, and Rolling Thunder; novels that tackle real-world issues like Chirp, Breakout, and The Seventh Wish; mysteries and thrillers like Capture the Flag, Eye of the Storm, and Waking Up Missing; the Fergus and Zeke easy reader series; and the popular chapter book series Ranger in Time about a time-traveling search and rescue dog and History Smashers, books with fun, well-researched fast history for kids who wants the truth in an engaging and entertaining way.

Messner’s books are often selected for community-wide reads like the One School, One Book Program. Her books are often included on prestigious notable and best lists such as the New York Times Notable, Junior Library Guild, IndieBound, and Bank Street College of Education Best Books. Her novel The Brilliant Fall of Gianna Z. won the E.B. White Read Aloud Medal and her science picture books have been finalists for the American Academy for the Advancement of Sciences/Subaru SB&F prize for excellence in science writing.

Photo courtesy of Grimble family

ROCHESTER – William Grimble of Albion is shown with his parents, Melinda and Allen, after William received his PhD on Friday in imaging science from the Rochester Institute of Technology.

William graduated from Albion in 2013 and then went to the University of Rochester, majoring in physics and astronomy with a mathematics minor. He graduated from the U of R in 2017, and then started at RIT.

He is planning to apply for postdoctoral programs over the summer while he finishes his dissertation and prepares to defend it before summer is over.

Press Release, GCASA

Genesee/Orleans Council on Alcoholism and Substance Abuse continues to be recognized as one of the state’s “best companies to work for.”

For the fifth consecutive year, the New York State Society for Human Resource Management (NYS-SHRM) has included the Batavia-based substance use treatment, prevention and recovery agency on its list of Best Companies to Work for in New York. GCASA also has an office in Albion at 249 East Ave.

GCASA was one of 23 companies selected in the medium employers’ category (100-249 employees) for 2022. Additionally, 27 small employers (15-99 employees) and 25 large employers (250 or more employees) were honored at a reception last month in Albany.

“It is truly an honor to be selected for a fifth straight year,” said GCASA Executive Director John Bennett. “We were one of four agencies certified by the Office of Addiction Services and Supports, with the other three in the large employer category, and we actually ranked higher than those other three. This is a testament to our employees, who have shown remarkable resilience and commitment to their profession over a challenging last couple of years.”

To be considered for participation, companies had to fulfill the following eligibility requirements:

• Be a for-profit, not-for-profit business or government entity;
• Be a publicly or privately held business;
• Have a facility in the state of New York;
• Have at least 15 employees working in New York; and
• Must be in business a minimum of 1 year.

Companies from across the state entered the two-part survey process to determine the Best Companies to Work for in New York. The first part consisted of evaluating each nominated company’s policies, practices, philosophy, systems and demographics. This part was worth approximately 25 percent of the total evaluation.

The second part consisted of a survey to measure the employee experience. This part was worth approximately 75 percent of the total. The combined scores determined the top companies and the final rankings.

Best Companies Group managed the overall registration and survey process in New York and also analyzed the data and used their expertise to determine the final rankings.

For more information on the Best Companies to Work for in New York program, visit www.BestCompaniesNY.com.

Provided photo: Patrick Riviere speaks on set with Broadway veteran Mary Ellen Ashley, who is the focus of a documentary produced and directed by Riviere.

Press Release

BUFFALO – Albion native and Niagara University Graduate Patrick Riviere has just learned that his award-winning documentary film, Just a Broadway Baby: Mary Ellen Ashley has been named an “Official Selection” at the Inaugural Upstate NY Film Festival to be held June 3 – June 9 at Eastern Hills Cinema in Williamsville. The film is slated to screen as part of BLOCK 16 on June 6th at 5:30PM.

Patrick Riviere

The film follows the career and life of Mary Ellen Ashley (formerly Mary Ellen Glass) who made her Broadway debut at the age of 5 in An Innocent Voyage. She would follow that with a role that was created just for her in the original Broadway production of Annie Get Your Gun with Ethel Merman.

Ashley grew up with the show and would go on to play all of the younger Oakley sisters and stay with the production for the entire run. But Broadway was not her only success. She was on radio, early Television, films, Las Vegas, her own club act and a plethora of Regional Theaters (including ArtPark) playing the most beloved leading ladies numerous times: Dolly Levi, Mame Dennis, Mama Rose…the list goes on. She would return to Broadway in the original production of Yentl starring Tovah Feldshuh. For eight decades she has graced the stage and screen and she met Riviere when they co-starred in the World Premiere of Family Dinner Off-Broadway over a decade ago.

The film won “Best Picture” at its World Premiere at The Oregon Documentary Film Festival in January. Riviere himself was awarded “Best Director of a Documentary Short” from The Vesuvius International Film Festival in Italy and the “Indie Soul Special Recognition Award” from The Boston International Film Festival (BIFF).

The official movie poster for Just a Broadway Baby: Mary Ellen Ashley

The film was also a nominee for Best Documentary Film at Green Mountain International Film Festival and Texas Short Film Festival. The film has also screened at Dam Short Film Festival. In addition, the Theatre on Film and Tape Archive (TOFT) at the New York Public Library for the Performing Arts has invited the film to become a part of its permanent archive.

Riviere hails from Albion and graduated with honors from Niagara University where he was known for his roles both on the Niagara U main-stage and at ArtPark (most notably as Action in West Side Story, Che in Evita and Ali Hakim in Oklahoma).

In Buffalo he has performed at Studio Arena in Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat and several years ago co-starred as Gangster #1 in the Kleinhans/Buffalo Philharmonic Concert of Kiss Me Kate! starring Michele Ragusa.

He won a Gold Telly Award for his starring role in an Attorney Tom Spark’s Commercial which debuted during Super Bowl LII (2018) in the Providence, RI and Western MA Markets on NBC and was renewed for a fifth year in January. He is also a director, playwright and arts administrator and his play, The House of Nunzio, was named “Festival Winner” at The Barnstable Comedy Club in 2020. This film marks his directorial debut. He now resides on Cape Cod.

Editor Laird Odgen also hails from Albion and is the Creator and Executive Producer of “Captain Stargood” which brought him to collaborate with Riviere again after they had performed together in High School in My Fair Lady, many years earlier. Odgen approached Riviere about voicing two of the characters in the puppet based sci-fi spoof, which is currently available on-line.

More information, including the official trailer for the film can be found by visiting justabroadwaybabymea.com.

Photos and information courtesy of Orleans/Niagara BOCES: From left include the Culinary ProStart team of Grace Hodkin (Newfane), Melanie Nagel (Newfane), Troy Kelly (Medina) and Angelo Soliday (Medina). The team won $5,000 which will be used to fund their trip to the national competition.

The Culinary ProStart team of Troy Kelly, Angelo Soliday, Melanie Nagel and Grace Hodkin brought home the first place trophy to the Orleans Career and Technical Education Center from the NYSRAEF (New York State Restaurant Association Educational Foundation) ProStart Invitational.

The competition was held March 25-26 at the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, New York where the team, taught by Chef James Atzrott, competed against several other teams from New York State.

The Orleans/Niagara team was handpicked because of their good grades, attendance and professionalism. The students showcased their knowledge, passion, creativity and skills in front of educators and industry leaders and the public at the event.

The team created their own menu and wowed the judges with beetroot gnocchi with lemon ricotta and walnut crumble, curried cod with mussels and raspberry cranachan which is a Scottish dessert.

“It was an awesome experience for them,” said Chef Atzrott. “They worked very hard and they were very emotional when they won.  We were all ecstatic.”

The team won $5,000 which will be used to fund their trip to the national competition where they will compete on May 6-8 in Washington, DC.

Pictured from left include Sawyer Braley (ON BOCES), Isaiah Reading (KenTon BOCES), Tyler Gibas (Ellicotville BOCES), Collin Hoffman (LaGuidice BOCES), Thomas May (ON BOCES) and Jenette Grizer (Ellicottville BOCES).

Two Orleans/Niagara BOCES students took home the top prizes at the Niagara Frontier Weld Off this past weekend.

Welding students Sawyer Braley (Albion), a senior at the Orleans Career and Technical Education Center, and Thomas May (Niagara Wheatfield), a junior at the Niagara Career and Technical Education Center, placed in the top six at the competition.

There were 27 students at the event, which was held at Northland Training Center in Buffalo on March 26th. The students competed for $950 cash prizes and a $1,000 scholarship.

The event included raffle giveaways, hands-on demonstrations with Dynabrade and the world acclaimed metal sculpture, Barbie the Welder, who gave an inspiring speech to the crowd.

According to the American Welding Society, the industry will encounter a shortage of about 300,000 welders by 2024. Orleans/Niagara BOCES is doing its part getting the next generation of welders prepared for the future.

Two Orleans County residents are among the 227 new state troopers who graduated today from the 210th session of the Basic School of the New York State Police Academy.

Kelsey Schmitt of Albion and Kyle Allen of Medina were recognized during a ceremony at the Empire Plaza Convention Center in Albany.

Ann Bates, a former Orleans County resident and Holley Central School graduate, also is a new state trooper. She now lives in Elmira.

“These men and women we welcome into the New York State Police today have worked and trained extremely hard for six months and have dedicated themselves to protecting the people of New York State,” Governor Kathy Hochul said.  “I commend these new Troopers for their commitment to public service and making our state a safer place for those who live, work and travel through New York. I wish them luck as they start their careers and continue the 105-year-long tradition of the New York State Police.”

The graduates completed 26 weeks of training. They were selected from a list of more than 1,700 candidates, and now will report for field duty on March 31. For the following 10 weeks, the new troopers will be evaluated under a field-training program supervised by senior Field Training Officers.