Albion honor grads urged to be open to ‘whatever comes next’
Photos by Tom Rivers: Laurence’ Walker was among 37 honor grads recognized during an Academic Honors Convocation Dinner on Monday at Hickory Ridge Country Club. The honored students are all graduating with cumulative grade point average at 90 percent or higher. Walker is shown shaking hands with members of the Board of Education and school administrators.
Jamie (Chappius) Edwards served as keynote speaker Monday during the dinner. “Don’t be afraid of what comes next,” she said.
FANCHER – The 37 students from Albion graduating with a 90 percent of higher grade point average all have big plans for the future.
However, they shouldn’t think success is only possible following a narrow path. Jamie Lee (Chappius) Edwards, a 2007 Albion graduate, told the soon-to-graduate seniors that she went to college to become a kindergarten teacher.
The job market was tough for teachers a decade ago so she switched her major to nursing. But she didn’t feel like that was the right career for her.
She earned a bachelor’s degree from the University of Buffalo and then a master’s in higher education administration. She works for Genesee Community College in Batavia as a career services specialist.
She showed pictures of her closest classmates from 2007, with their career goals at the time and what they are currently doing. Everyone of her closest friends found a career that differed from what they were expecting at the end of their senior years in high school.
One classmate, Jeremy Reamer, is a New Hampshire police officer. Kit Lyman wrote a book and is working in Boston as an inbound consultant. Morgan Eastlack started her own wedding videography business. Joshua Kirby started his own health and wellness company in Washington. Kerri McKenna Richardson runs an agriculture program for the Genesee Valley Educational Partnership in Batavia.
“Be open to whatever comes next,” Edwards said.
Katie Mann receives her honor cords from her mother Christine Mann and father Scott.
The honor grads include: Nicholas Arieno, Rose Arnold, Kari Ashworth, Emilie Barleben, Lauren Becht, Kastriot Bela, Emily Blanchard, Shannon Broda, Sierra Chudy, Jillian Doyle, Nicole Eldred, Owen Foos, Elizabeth Furmanski, Celeste Hoffman, Jared Hollinger, Megan Leight, Mackenzie Luft, Joseph Madejski, Bailey Maier, Katherine Mann, Isabella Prest, Jacqueline Quintana Aragon, Shelby Restivo, Vivian Rivers, Donato Rosario, Karina Rosario, Katherine Rustay, Yasmeen Shabazz, Samuel Slick, Skyler Smith, Clara Stilwell, Angela Tarricone, Catherine Thom, Emma Wadhams, Laurence’ Walker, Savanah Wirth and Stephen Zayac.
Owen Foos is congratulated by his parents, Sherrie and John Foos.
Nikki Eldred shakes hands with the Board of Education members. This is the eighth time Albion has done the convocation dinner. Students and their families like the special dinner that is off campus, district officials said.
