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College's 'ACE' program honors four local students, eight teachers

By Billie Owens

Four Genesee County students were the finalists for Outstanding Scholar Awards in Genesee Community College's Advanced Studies program. The awardees were honored at a ceremony and reception on Wednesday, June 1, in the Stuart Steiner Theatre at the 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.

"We're pleased we could make this a special evening for our Advanced Studies students and their families," said Ed Levinstein, associate dean of the ACE program. "The students honored are some of the best and brightest students in our local region."

A total of 21 finalists were selected from 163 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 Genesee Community College selected the award winners, listed by subject area and high school:

  • English -- Alaina Chapman, Pembroke
  • Foreign Language -- Paige Radney, Pavilion
  • Mathematics -- Russell Marchese, Notre Dame
  • Science -- Paige Radney, Pavilion
  • Social Science -- Christina Mortellaro, Batavia

In addition to the students being honored for their academic achievements, 18 faculty members were honored for having 10 years of service teaching in the ACE program. Listed below are the eight Genesee County teacher honorees and their high schools:

  • Mike Silivestro Monroe, #1 BOCES  
  • Neal Jones Monroe, #2 BOCES
  • John Tomidy, Byron-Bergen
  • Barbara Harkness, Oakfield-Alabama
  • Jane Neff, Pembroke
  • Karen LaDuke, Alexander
  • Robert Mullen, Batavia
  • Olga Babich, Notre Dame

For more information about the Advanced Studies program at Genesee Community College, call 345-6801 or go to <http://www.genesee.edu/ACE.>

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