Holley senior Bella Thom earns degree at GCC; Cavan Bennage named ‘outstanding senior’
Provided photos: (Left) Bella Thom graduated on Saturday from Genesee Community College, about a month before Holley’s commencement. (Right) Cavan Bennage was inducted into the National Society of Leadership and Success at GCC.
Press Release, Holley Central School
HOLLEY – Two Holley seniors recently earned impressive distinctions.
Bella Thom on Saturday graduated from Genesee Community College with an associate’s degree in advanced science.
Aside from taking advantage of Holley’s college precalculus course offering during her senior year, she independently enrolled in and completed both online and in person classes GCC over the past two years.
“My mom really pushed me to do this,” Thom said. “She is my biggest inspiration and support. It has been a challenging process, but something that I do not regret doing.”
With over 60 completed college credit hours, she will attend D’Youville University in the fall as an incoming sophomore where she will study to become a pharmacist. She will graduate from Holley High School on June 29 in the Top 10 of her class with National Honor Society honors, the Seal of Civic Readiness, an Advanced Regents Diploma and as a three-time Genesee Region All Star soccer player.
“Bella is an incredible young lady,” said Holley Middle School/High School Social Worker Samantha Zelent. “To watch her manage the workload of both her senior year and her GCC classes has been amazing. It has taken a ton of determination and planning on her part. It is not very common to see students demonstrate this level of proactiveness and accomplish a feat such as earning a college diploma before graduating high school.”
Holley senior Cavan Bennage was recognized by the Monroe County Council of Superintendents as a 2024 Outstanding Senior at the 29th Annual Dr. Michael C. O’Laughlin Outstanding Senior Recognition Dinner on May 8.
One senior from each school in Monroe County, as well as Holley and Kendall in Orleans County, is selected for this honor based on their scholarship, leadership, service and character.
“Cavan represents the best we have at Holley. He’s an excellent musician, athlete, student, and an even better person. He’s a tremendous young man with a very bright future,” said Holley CSD Superintendent Brian Bartalo.
Bennage on May 7 also was inducted into the National Society of Leadership and Success (NSLS) at Genesee Community College. NSLS is the largest leadership honor society in the country. Students are selected for membership based on academic standing or leadership potential, and less than five percent of students nationwide receive nominations. He plans to transfer this membership to the Rochester Institute of Technology chapter where he will be attending in the fall to study engineering.
