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Jamming on the Streets

By Robin Walters

 

The Care-A-Van Band has been busy already this season. The band goes out to the streets every Thursday evening for the weekly cook-outs with the ministry. The band is made up of community members who have a heart to share their musical talents with others. The band is also receiving invitations to perform at other venues.

Care-A-Van Ministries received a huge blessing this week from Rose at Roxy's Music Store here in Batavia. The band was in need of speakers.When the ministry went to Roxy's to purchase speakers, Rose donated two Peavy 15" speakers with horns!

Thank you Rose and to everyone who continues to support the ministry and helps be a blessing to others. Be sure to stop by one of the cookouts and enjoy "jamming" with the band!

A "Wilde" weekend in Batavia

By Gretel Kauffman

This weekend, the Batavia Players will bring to the stage a much-loved play by one of Britain's wittiest writers: "The Importance of Being Earnest," which is among Oscar Wilde's best-known works. The satire is centered around the mistaken identities of best friends Jack Worthing and Algernon Moncrieff after both assume the name "Ernest" for their own romantic advantages, and it backfires in a surprising plot twist.

"I like his literature," says director Justin Soble of Wilde. "He's famous for comedies in which he satirizes society. And I like British comedy. It's kind of my acting niche. So when the chance came up to direct it, I jumped." 

This is Soble's first time directing, although he is no stranger to the stage. This will mark his 20th theater production, many of which have been with the Batavia Players.

His first directing experience hasn't exactly been a perfectly smooth one, as several weeks ago the show experienced a surprising plot twist of its own: a change in venue. "Earnest" had been scheduled as the first show to be performed in the Batavia Players' new black box theater on Harvester Avenue, but the theater wasn't finished on time. The new venue is John Kennedy School.

"It's definitely different because a black box has three sides, and a proscenium setup only has one," explains Soble. "It was going to be the perfect size. But we realized two weeks ago that we weren't going to be able to do it there, and we started coming here last week. It's very different."

Charles Smith (pictured above with Katelyn Rogers), who has the role of Jack, says that although it "took a couple rehearsals to switch over," overall it is "easier to do the proscenium style because people rarely do black box."

Smith, an 18-year-old Batavia homeschooled senior, is sharing the stage with his 16-year-old brother Matthew, who is playing Algernon. The two have appeared in numerous local theater productions, most of them being with Shakespeare in Springtime and Go Art! Summer Youth Theater. Both agree that they enjoy playing opposite each other onstage.

"It makes it a whole lot easier," says Matthew. "All the stuff we do all day, every day at home, we do onstage." 

What makes it even more natural is the similarity of their characters to their real life personalities.

"My character is very serious and reserved," says Charles. "He doesn't like to have fun."

"And I'm the opposite," adds Matthew.

"That's how it is in real life, too," explains Charles.

Performances will be at 7:30 p.m., Thursday through Saturday, at John Kennedy School, 166 Vine St. in Batavia. Tickets are $10 general admission and $8 for students and seniors. Tickets are available to purchase online at www.bataviaplayers.org, at the door, or by calling 1-866-967-8167.

Chicken BBQ Friday to benefit wheelchair athletic competition for veterans

By Billie Owens

Local wheelchair-bound veterans need your help to attend the 30th annual National Veterans Wheelchair Games.

Starting at 2:30 p.m. on Friday, May 21, there will be a take-out chicken BBQ at Clor's Market in Batavia to help them pay for the trip.

The "Games with Heart a Mile High" will be held this summer in Denver, Colo.

Venue change for Batavia Players' production of "The Importance of Being Earnest"

By Billie Owens

Batavia Players present their spring production of Oscar Wilde’s "The Importance of Being Earnest" this week. Show time is 7:30 p.m., Thursday through Saturday, May 20-22.

PLEASE NOTE: The venue has changed to John Kennedy School, 166 Vine St., in Batavia. (It was earlier planned for the Players' New Harvester Theater.)

General admission tickets are $10. Students and seniors pay $8. You can buy tickets online at < www.bataviaplayers.org> or at the door. Or you can also buy tickets by calling 1-866-967-8167.

Wilde's most popular play, which he characterized as "a trivial comedy for serious people," premiered on Valentine's Day in 1895 at London's St. James Theatre.

It is set in England during the late Victorian Era and is filled with witty dialogue and satirizes some of the societal foibles and hypocrisy of the day. Much of the humor is derived from two of the male characters maintaining fictitious identities to escape unwelcome obligations and the confusion that ensues.

Found Kitten

By Jeremiah Pedro

Found black female kitten with white spot on chest.

found on Manhattan ave on saturday 15 may 2010

call 585-297-0853

Mothertime Marketplace at St. Joe's Memorial Day weekend

By Billie Owens

Expecting a baby? Do you have a baby? Do you have kids? Then Mothertime Marketplace is where you need to be this Memorial Day weekend!

You can shop for your children's needs and save hundreds of dollars. The seasonal children's consignment sale is jam packed with gently used children's items at unbelievable prices.

The sale event will be held Memorial Day weekend at St. Joe’s School, at 2 Summit St., Batavia. Doors will be open to the public from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturday, May 29. On Sunday, the hours are 8 a.m. to noon.

Both days will also feature a 50-percent off sale on select merchandise from 8 to 11 a.m. There will be "Fill a Bag for $7" on both days from 11 a.m. to noon.

Consignors at the sale can earn up to 75 percent of their sales. The average consignor earns about $350 (the highest seller at the fall sale earned $1,200). There is nothing too big or too small to sell at the sale, which will feature outdoor play equipment, hundreds of name-brand children’s clothing from sizes newborn to 12 youth, high chairs, maternity clothing, bouncy seats, tricycles, bath supplies, shoes, books, etc.

The organizers are expecting about 50 to 60 sellers. There is still time to register as a consignor. Go to www.mothertimemarketplace.com and click on "Batavia Sale" to register to sell your gently used children's items and make some money!

Shoppers can expect to find clean, gently used children’s items priced 50 to 75 percent below retail prices. The best part is that everything is organized by age and gender.

Parking is free, admission is $1 per adult. Children can attend for free.

For more information, please go to www.mothertimemarketplace.com or contact Jessi Boardman at (716) 560-0557.

Batavia Rotary Club Annual Fly-In Breakfast

By Pamela LaGrou

Sunday, June 20th mark's the Batavia Rotary Club's Annual Fly-In Breakfast.  The highly anticipated breakfast fundraiser is set to take place at the Genesee County Airport from 7 am - Noon.  Tickets cost $6.00 for adults, $4 for children ages 4-12 and free for children under 4 years old.  Tickets can be purchased from any Batavia Rotary Club member.  The menu includes eggs, sausage, pancakes, juice, coffee, tea and milk.  The Batavia Rotary Club raises money for community, national and international projects as well as annual scholarships for area youth.

Event Date and Time
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'Showtime Horse Show' at Batavia Downs

By Daniel Crofts

The 4th annual Batavia Showtime horse show has courses for families and people of all ages featuring horse (and pony) jumpers and hunters. It will take place at the infield of the Batavia Downs Casino, at 8315 Park Road., Batavia, and will run from 7:30 a.m. until 5 or 6 p.m.

There are three sets of four-day shows on these dates:

  • Thursday, May 20 through Sunday, May 23
  • Thursday, June 17 through Sunday, June 20
  • Thursday, June 24 through Sunday, June 27

Refreshments and bleacher seating will be available. Admission is free and open to the public. For more information, contact Lizabeth Keller at 820-7889 or visit www.tsgequineevents.com.

Chicken BBQ to benefit Ryan Wolcott this Tuesday

By Gretel Kauffman

From 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. on Tuesday, May 18, the Elba school and community will be holding a chicken BBQ to benefit Elba High School student Ryan Wolcott.

Elba and Byron-Bergen faculties, students, and friends of Ryan and the Wolcott family will be serving food in the Elba Central School cafeteria. Eat in or take out. Tickets will be $9 at the door, and $8 pre-sale (available at the school). All proceeds will go to the Wolcott family.

There will also be a spaghetti dinner to benefit Ryan on June 6 at the Elba Rec Hall, which will feature several local bands.

Here is a brief bio of Ryan, written by his mother, Jody Wolcott.

Ryan is a 10th grader at Elba Central School; he was born with Wiscott-Aldrich Syndrome. It is a rare immune deficiency similar to "The Boy in the Bubble."

He was treated with a bone-marrow transplant when he was 2 years old and has ongoing complex care. The most debilitating complication is that he has chronic obstructive lung disease or C.O.P.D. He struggles to breathe and is dependent on oxygen from a tank or concentrator. He has other medical and physical challenges that affect his stamina and mobility and depends on a scooter to get around.

Ryan was the Elba-BB football team water boy when he was able and was the honorary Elba Basketball team water boy this year. He likes to listen to music, play the Wii, watch movies, and has learned to depend on his friends for support.

NY-Penn League seeks online votes to pick 'All-Time Team'

By Billie Owens

The New York-Penn League, in its 72nd year, is the oldest continually operated Class A league in Minor League Baseball and this year fans will have the chance to help select the league’s All-Time Team.

The New York-Penn League All-Time Team will be chosen by fan voting online at www.VoteNYPL.com through Aug. 1. In addition to choosing players at each position, fans will also have a voice in picking a manager of the team.

More information can be found at www.newyork-pennleague.com.

The NYPL All-Time Team will be unveiled at the league’s All-Star game in Staten Island on Aug. 17.

“This league has such a great history and it’s something we wanted to celebrate”, said league president Ben J. Hayes in a news release.

“Over 2,400 players who have played in the NYPL have gone on to appear in Major League Baseball, from Hall-of-Famers like Jim Rice and Tony Perez to present day stars such as Ryan Howard, Johan Santana and C.C. Sabathia.

"Back in 1960 the Geneva (NY) Redlegs had both Tony Perez and Pete Rose on the same team”, Hayes said. “You wonder if fans, at the time, knew how successful they would be? Probably not, since the team actually finished in last place.”

The New York-Penn League All-Time Team is presented by the 300,000 members of CSEA-New York’s leading union.

“CSEA is proud to be associated with the New York-Penn League and its rich history in our region,” said CSEA President Danny Donohue. “CSEA is marking our Centennial Anniversary in 2010, which makes it natural to be involved in a project that provides historical perspective.

"CSEA’s centennial provides a chance to reflect on where we’ve come from and how we can become better in the future – it’s a lot like what the New York Penn-League is all about.”

GCC's 2009 picture book wins Platinum Award in international competition

By Billie Owens

A Genesee Community College publication has earned top honors in an international competition recognizing excellence in traditional and emerging media.

The College's 2009 picture book won a Platinum Award at the 2010 Hermes Creative Awards. The Association of Marketing and Communications Professionals, an organization consisting of several thousand marketing, communication, advertising, public relations, media production and free-lance professionals, oversees this annual competition, which drew about 3,600 entries last year.

College Recruitment Communications Specialist Hal Legg developed the picture book, which earned recognition in the publications/brochure category, in conjunction with Buffalo-based Forest Productions & Photography. As the college's flagship recruitment publication, the picture book is designed specifically for use during face-to-face visits with prospects at high schools.

"It was a fairly ambitious project from the start," says Legg. "Our goal was to produce a piece that instantly resonates with 16- to 18-year-olds. I think you really have to wow them because there's so much competition among colleges for this group's attention."

So when Forest Productions & Photography's president approached him to ask about entering the publication in the competition last fall, Legg was flattered.

"The idea that our picture book was good enough to compete in the Hermes Awards was proof enough for me that we'd done a good job," he says.

Winning its highest accolade exceeded his expectation.

"An award of this magnitude is certainly surprising," says Legg. "Of course, I always set out to do solid work, but contributing to a piece that's one of the best of the best-well that's quite special. I hope it's rewarding to everyone at the college who played a role in creating the picture book, especially our students."

Genesee's picture book is one of just 27 projects worldwide to earn a Platinum Hermes this year in the publications/brochure category. Other winners include airplane manufacturer Cessna, energy producer Con Edison, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Louisiana and the Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport in Arizona.

"I guess we're in some pretty good company, here," says Virginia Taylor, Ph.D, Genesee's vice president for student and enrollment services. "When you look at some of the firms involved in other winners' projects -- big ad agencies from major cities -- it's gratifying to be on par with what industry leaders are doing creatively."

For further information or for a copy of the 2009 picture book please contact Hal Legg at 343-0055, ext. 6380.

Memorial Day service location moved due to contruction project

By Billie Owens

United Memorial Medical Center is proud to serve as the Genesee County War Memorial. Due to construction at the North Street Hospital site, services for the annual remembrance have been temporarily moved to The Jerome Center at 16 Bank St., Batavia.

Memorial Day will be observed at the flag on the Bank Street campus at 9:30 a.m. on Monday, May 31. The names of over 280 Genesee County soldiers who lost their lives in World Wars I and II, the Korean War, and the Vietnam Conflict will be read aloud and flags honoring the memory of each soldier will be placed in the ground.

Members of Batavia Concert Band will perform the National Anthem. Refreshments will be served in the Jerome Center Conference Room immediately following the event. The public is welcome and encouraged to attend.

The original monument was removed from the hospital when work began on the addition of a 44,000-square-foot surgical unit. The embossed plates listing the names of those who died in service were carefully wrapped and placed in storage.

A thorough review of the monument deemed it unsalvageable due to weathering and a committee was formed to develop plans for a new monument.

Committee members include Ron Koniezny of J. Leonard Mc Andrew Funeral Home; Hal Kreter, Director of Genesee County Veterans’ Services; Jim Neider of the Joint Veterans’ Council; veteran Dan Waterman, Assemblyman Steve Hawley and Colleen Flynn from United Memorial.

Baseball league's charity offers scholarships

By Billie Owens

The Class-A Short-Season New York-Penn League and its member clubs announced that the league’s philanthropic arm, the New York-Penn League Charitable Foundation, will award over $10,000 in scholarships this summer to deserving high school graduates from the league’s 14 markets.

The 2010 NYPL Scholarship Program is open to any graduating senior from a public or private high school, who has been accepted at any two or four-year college or university, vocational or technical education institution or program.

The scholarship is based on academic performance and other criteria. Applicants must have a minimum GPA of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale, and also be engaged in extracurricular activities.

The program has been expanded in 2010 to include not only three winners of a $2,500 scholarship, but also 11 new awards of $250 each for books. The addition of the new awards ensures that the Charitable Foundation will be able to assist one student in all 14 NYPL markets.

Applications are available by contacting your local New-York Penn League club or by visiting the “ABOUT” section of the official NYPL website:

<http://www.newyork-pennleague.com/>.

Deadline to submit the application to your local NYPL team is June 30 and each team’s winner, including the three $2,500 scholarship recipients, will be selected in late July and honored at a game in August.

The New York-Penn League and its 14 member clubs created the New York-Penn League Charitable Foundation, a 501(c)(3) charitable organization, in 2003. The mission of the Foundation is to provide focus and support for the collective and individual charitable and community efforts of the New York-Penn League, its Clubs, and their staff. In 2009, the total contributions by the League and its clubs exceeded $827,000. Those contributions included cash, food, game tickets, merchandise, and other goods and services.

Pep Dog Rally offers family fun at stadium

By Billie Owens

You are invited to the very first pre-season "Pep Dog Rally" at Dwyer Stadium.

It takes place on Wednesday, June 16, just 3 days before the Season Home Opener (7 p.m. Saturday, June 19). Come out and get our Batavia Muckdogs PEPPED up for the 2010 season.

Gates open at 6. Admission is FREE and there will be fun for the entire family. There will be games for the kids, local Mascots, food concession for you to get your ball park favorites. The merchandise stands will also be open for you to gear up for the season and you will be the first to meet this year's players.

Tickets for this year's games will be available to purchase. There are many different packages to choose from or if you like, you can purchase the entire season and be entered in to various raffles.

One highlight of the evening will be the Homerun Derby. Come see the local personalities try to hit a homerun out of Dwyer Stadium! There will be prizes and raffles throughout the night! The players will be available to sign autographs and chat with fans.

Three GCC students receive SUNY award for excellence

By Billie Owens

Three students Genesee Community College has announced three students have been named 2010 recipients of the SUNY Chancellor's Award for Student Excellence. Colleen McKay, Lori Mould and Aiwen Yang all received the honor at an awards ceremony in Albany.

The Chancellor's Award for Student Excellence was created 13 years ago to recognize students who have best demonstrated and been recognized for the integration of academic excellence with accomplishments in the areas of leadership, athletics, community service, creative and performing arts or career achievement.

McKay, 20, will graduate in May from Genesee after earning a degree in Entrepreneurship. She is a valued member of the women's softball team and has been nominated twice by her teachers for Athlete of the Week honors. She is an active member of the GCCA and she is a natural leader to her peers.

She has maintained an outstanding grade-point average in her first three semesters at Genesee and has been named to the NJCAA Academic All American Team. Colleen is from Woodstock, Ontario, Canada and is a graduate of Saint Mary's Catholic High School. She currently runs her own business back home in Canada. Your Farm Market (YFM), a seasonal farmers market that she has been running and growing since she was 8 years old.

She enjoys her work with YFM because she gets to work outdoors, she is her own boss, she interacts constantly with her customers, and she takes pleasure in giving her community the opportunity to eat healthy, local food. When she graduates in May, she plans to return home to further develop YFM with possibly an on-site bakery, an educational component, and an on-farm location.

Mould is a double major, studying Communications and Media Arts as well as the Fine Arts. She earned her recognition as a SUNY Chancellor for her extensive volunteer activities at Genesee with the Student Government, The New Courier student newspaper, and WGCC radio station. Particularly noteworthy is her work in Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society as vice president of the Genesee chapter, and as the New York State Phi Theta Kappa historian.

Mould is one of two students who developed domestic violence/sexual assault seminars held in October. She's a non-traditional student, and went back to college after being out of an educational setting for 27 years. She was a single mom, working in the construction industry when she was in a debilitating automobile accident that left her with brain injuries. She could no longer do the physically demanding construction job, and as a result she decided to go back to school.

After more than a dozen surgeries, she is now flourishing as a college student. She has been on the President's List since she enrolled in the spring semester of 2008, has been named Who's Who Among College Students and was awarded the Peg Tiede Memorial Scholarship. She will serve as the Genesee's PTK president for the 2010-2011 academic year.

Yang, 24, is an international student originally from the Zhejiang Province in China. She moved to Madrid, Spain when she was 10 years old and graduated from Art High School in Madrid in 2004. She pursued a Fashion Design degree while in Madrid. She selected Genesee Community College after researching the SUNY system, and found that Genesee was a perfect fit for her to start her education in the United States.

As president of the International Student Organization, she has been working diligently to get her international peers involved in the Genesee community. She serves on the Student Government Association, the Global Education Committee, Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society and as a resident assistant at College Village, all while maintaining an excellent academic record.

She even volunteered to teach Mandarin Chinese to college students as well as people from the community for this year's fall and spring semesters. She is a General Studies major and hopes to transfer to a four-year college to pursue a degree in International Relations. Her dream job would be working in the international arena where she could travel around the world and help people in need.

"These students have set a great example for current and future students of the college," said Virginia Taylor, Ph.D, vice president for Student and Enrollment Services. "They have prepared themselves for very bright and successful futures and the entire campus community is incredibly proud of all their accomplishments."

The three award recipients were among 228 students from 63 SUNY campuses recognized for their remarkable achievements. Recipients of this year's award have an overall GPA of 3.8 and records of significant contributions to their campuses and communities. At the ceremony, they each received a framed certificate and medallion, which is traditionally worn at commencement.

Riders for Corfu horse show need to sign up by May 20

By Billie Owens

Conrads Country Stable is hosting a Horse Show on Sunday, May 23 at their
stable on Route 33 in Corfu.
It is by the intersection of Read Road.

Riders are requested to RSVP to show manager Sara Urban by May 20 by contacting
her at 815-9486.

It is open to the public and viewing admission is free. There are many classes for both children and adults. This will be held at their indoor arena.

June 1-7 is National CPR/AED Awareness Week

By Billie Owens

June 1 through 7 is National CPR/AED Awareness Week. Are you trained to help when every second counts?

Imagine a warehouse filled with workers, a man grabs his chest and falls to the floor. A nearby coworker notices and has someone call 9-1-1. The medics are 10 minutes away.

Somebody starts CPR and somebody else goes for the AED (Automated External Defibrillator) machine. When paramedics arrive, the man is breathing on his own and is taken to the hospital. When an emergency strikes, time is critical.

By becoming trained, a person goes from a bystander to a trained, empowered and prepared individual who can take control of a situation.

You can sign up for this or any other health and safety class by contacting your local Red Cross office.

The Western New York Tri County Chapter of the American Red Cross now has three locations covering Genesee, Orleans and Wyoming counties. You can reach any of these offices by calling 343-6098.

Did you know...

  • After someone stops breathing, or the heart stops beating, he or she can survive for only four to six minutes before lack of oxygen results in brain damage or death. CPR can buy extra time for your loved one, until professional help can arrive, by artificially circulating oxygen to the brain.
  • More than 70 percent of all cardiac and breathing emergencies occur in the home when a family member is present and available to help a victim.
  • Over 1.5 million heart attacks occur each year and approximately 350,000 of these victims die before ever reaching a hospital.
  • Statistics show that the earlier CPR is initiated, the greater the chance
    of survival. It is estimated that 100,000 to 200,000 lives of adults and
    children could be saved each year if CPR was performed early enough.
  • Re-training and retention of CPR learning is a major requirement. Studies
    have shown that memory of CPR skills and knowledge tends to deteriorate as
    early as three months after training, even among highly trained professionals, including: doctors and nurses.
  • Approximately seven million adults and children suffer from disabling injuries in their own homes and backyards each year, resulting from accidents that may require CPR. Some of the common causes of "sudden death" include: electric shock, heart attacks, drowning, severe allergic reactions, choking, drug overdose and suffocation.
  • The country's No. 1 killers, a combination of heart attacks and accidents,
    claim a life every 34 seconds in the United States.
  • One in six men and one in eight women over the age of 45 have had a heart
    attack or stroke.
  • Approximately 45 percent of all heart attacks occur in people under age 65.
  • Cost-effective training, materials and instruction are provided at reasonable rates, whether you want one course or several. And because the American Red Cross is a non-profit organization, the dollars you invest in training go right back into your community to support lifesaving emergency preparedness and response programs.

Free E-scrap drive at O-A Central School's bus garage

By Billie Owens

Here's a free opportunity to help the Earth and get rid of old electronic junk. The Oakfield-Alabama Central School and the Boys Scouts of America will hold an e-scrap recycling event on Tuesday, May 18.

It will be from 1 to 7 p.m. in the school's bus garage, located at 7001 Lewiston Road in Oakfield.

Items accepted: computers (laptops, desktops), computer hardware, monitors, printers, scanners, network equipment, circuit boards, wiring & cabling, business machines, typewriters, fax machines, mailing equipment, cash registers, microwave ovens, batteries and rechargeable batteries, power supplies (under 10 lbs.), personal copiers, electronic scrap, PDA’s, VCR players, DVD players, IPODS, cell phones, calculators, stereos, keyboard & mouses.

Televisions are accepted for $5 each.

Please note NO florescent lamps, kitchen or personal appliances (refrigerators,
toasters, hairdryers, ect.) or car batteries will be accepted.

NO businesses or agencies can donate. Only individual households.

GC Fair Queen Pageant seeking contestants

By Billie Owens

Contestants are wanted for the Genesee County Fair Queen Pageant. She will reign at the fair July 20-24.

Females interested must be ages 15-18, grades 10 through 12, and residents of Genesee County. To enter the pageant, you need to submit an application by June 15.

Contact person is pageant coordinator Victoria Rippel. She can be reached by e-mail at victoriarippel@yahoo.com or by postal mail at 19 Mix Place, Batavia, NY, 14020. Phone is 813-5570.

The pagaent is sponsored by the Genesee County Agricultural Society.

GCC to offer study trip to Costa Rica next spring

By Billie Owens

Next spring, Genesee Community College will offer an immersion trip to Costa Rica to study the Central American rain forest. The tour is open to all students as well as community members who are interested in learning and studying the ecology and conservation methods of Costa Rica.

Participants will have the chance to earn college credit while learning about ethnobotany, elementary botany, ecology and earth science during this nine-day ecological tour.

The tour will be led by Genesee biology professor Maureen Leupold, who has studied the rain forests of Costa Rica on two previous college trips. Students who enroll, will earn three college credits while studying the stunning ecological terrain of Costa Rica, including volcanoes, rain forests and beaches.

Participants will travel throughout the country exploring various plant and animal habitats, experiencing the vibrant cultural traditions of the Costa Rican people and discovering how inhabitants of this diverse country are trying to conserve and protect their ecological wonderland.

The study tour starts in San Jose, the capital and cultural center of Costa Rica and continues on to the Arenal Region where students will visit a biologically diverse theme park, an active volcano, natural hot springs, biological research station and waterfalls.

The tour will continue on to Monteverde where students will visit an ecological reserve, explore rain forests, plant trees, view a canopy tour of a rain forest and attend a lecture. Participant will also experience the Central Pacific Coast and the Manual Antonio National Park. The tour closes in the Puntarenas region where students will visit a coffee plantation before returning to San Jose for their departure home.

"This is an incredible opportunity for the students here at Genesee Community College," professor Leupold said. "We strive to offer these types of hands-on learning opportunities for students at the community college level. This ecological and conservation tour is true experiential learning at its finest."

Students enrolling in the tour for college credit will register for BIO114 and be graded on a daily trip journal they are required to keep while on the tour, as well as online exams, a major research paper, oral reports, and discussions both online and in person.

The course and immersion trip is in the distance-learning format in which course material will be available online throughout the spring semester. Participants on the study tour will meet for a pre-departure seminar one month before the tour.

The Costa Rica immersion trip will run March 9-17, 2011 and is open to all. However, seats are limited to the first 24 participants. The cost for this tour is $2,227 plus airfare, with an optional insurance fee of $135. Participants who enroll for college credit in BIO114 Rainforest Biology will also pay the appropriate tuition fees for full- or part-time enrollment.

For further information on cost, registration and details, please contact Maureen Leupold at 343-0055, ext. 6394 or <http://maleupold@genesee.edu>.

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