The students matched with apprenticeship programs from local companies are all "first-round draft picks," said Chris Souzzi, VP of business and workforce development for the Genesee County Economic Development Center, on Tuesday at a signing celebration.

Getting time to meet and talk with the people who hire workers at local companies is a valuable experience for soon-to-graduate seniors, said Chris Suozzi, VP of business development at the Genesee County Economic Development Center.

Suozzi and Karyn Winters, director of the Genesee County Business/Education Alliance, put together a job fair for graduating seniors from the region and local businesses at BOCES on Friday.

 The job fair was open to both BOCES seniors and non-BOCES students.

"We're excited that the companies are here, meeting, and trying to recruit the seniors who are going to be graduating here shortly," Suozzi said. "As we all know, everybody needs workforce."

The event is a chance for high school students to practice interview skills as well as learn about employment opportunities in Genesee County.

"A lot of them, as you know, may not have a job yet," Suozzi said. "They don't even have a part-time job. So they use so soft skills today, where their eye to eye with a company."

Photos by Howard Owens.

Press release:

Ten participants from the third annual Genesee Valley Pre-Apprenticeship Program graduated from this year’s six-week paid training program. The “boot camp” style program is an earn-while-you-learn model which pairs in-class instruction at the Genesee Valley BOCES in Batavia and on-the-job training at several local advanced manufacturing companies. 

The Genesee Valley Pre-Apprenticeship Program was created in 2021 to assist companies in the greater Rochester and GLOW Region (Genesee, Livingston, Orleans and Wyoming counties) with recruitment and training for one of the region’s largest industries. Participants graduated from the program with 96 hours of state-of-the-art mechatronics training and more than 100 hours of on-the-job experience at advanced manufacturing at companies in Genesee, Livingston and Monroe counties. 

“This program continues to train workers of all ages, skill levels and abilities for a wide array of high-demand careers in advanced manufacturing,” said Bob Coyne, Executive Director of the Rochester Technology and Manufacturing Association (RTMA). “The ‘Genesee Valley Boot Camp’ is an incredible partnership between industry, academia and workforce development partners in our community.”

The Genesee Valley Pre-Apprenticeship Program includes hands-on simulation training for a variety of available careers; including electromechanical trades, construction materials manufacturing, agricultural manufacturing and more. In addition to the classroom time, participants received paid, on-the-job training and a fast-track opportunity for a full-time career with local manufacturing companies.

“Enabling students to acquire hands-on skills training without incurring any costs, the Genesee Valley Pre-Apprenticeship Program stands as a pivotal workforce enhancement,” remarked Jon Sanfratello, Director of the Instructional Program at Genesee Valley BOCES. “This remarkable training initiative forges a career pathway that effectively addresses workforce employment demands. Such practical skills development serves as a shining illustration of our dedication to aiding GLOW regional students and current employees while also meeting the precise needs of our local business community.” 

"The BEST Center at Genesee Community College remains grateful for the funding provided by SUNY DOL and its Reimagine Workforce Preparation Training Program that provides resources for high-demand training for industry-recognized credentials like the Genesee Valley Pre-Apprenticeship Program", said Jennifer Wakefield, Executive Director of Workforce Development, "We look forward to continued collaboration in this program to expand opportunities for increased pre-apprenticeship and apprenticeship training." 

Training was provided at no cost to the students and companies due to grants secured by Genesee Community College’s BEST Center, Genesee Economic Development Center and the Workforce Development Institute.

Participating employers for the 2023 program include Oxbo, United States Gypsum, Triton Mechanical, Goforth Electric, Diamond Packaging, Arctic Refrigeration, Maris Systems Design and more.

“This year’s Genesee Valley Pre-Apprenticeship Program offered students a unique opportunity to discover their career path and their future without the burden of college debt. Thanks to our participating employers, students have been introduced and empowered to succeed in these in-demand careers through instruction and on-the-job training,” said Chris Suozzi, Vice President of Business and Workforce Development, Genesee County Economic Development Center.

Press Release:

After a meeting with an advisor at Genesee Community College, Kyle Stefan entered the Genesee Valley Pre-Apprenticeship Program with an open mind.

Stefan, a Pavilion High School graduate, believed he made the right decision to join the Batavia-based workforce program well before the six weeks of paid on-the-job training and instruction were complete.

“I would have never found my passion for a career in HVAC if it wasn’t for the pre-apprenticeship program,” said Stefan, one of ten students graduating on Aug. 24. “There’s no way to know if there is something you like to do without trying. I am able to apply what I learn in a classroom setting to my work at Arctic Refrigeration and find out this is a career I would like to pursue.”

For the third consecutive year, the Genesee Valley Pre-Apprenticeship Program has welcomed students from diverse backgrounds, levels of education, and career experiences with an opportunity to jump-start successful careers.

During the program, participants attend morning classes in the Genesee Valley BOCES classroom, training with $700,000 of mechatronics equipment funded in part by a Genesee County Economic Development Center grant. In the afternoons, and for a full day on Fridays, students apply the lessons they learn at employers in Genesee, Livingston, and Monroe counties.

“I really enjoyed the freedom to use the equipment and materials to build things and you learn and go at your own pace,” said participant Bradley Burdett. “I would recommend this program to anyone because there are a lot of opportunities. It’s beyond just a classroom education as we are learning and experiencing life lessons.”

Burdett, an Attica High School graduate, enrolled in the program on the recommendation of program instructor Rich Monroe after teaching Bradley for two years at BOCES. With student participation at Genesee Valley BOCES increasing since the launch of GLOW with Your Hands in 2019, Genesee County Economic Development Center Vice President of Business and Workforce Development Chris Suozzi sees the program as the next step in empowering students to take the future into their own hands. 

“The pre-apprenticeship program offers a unique opportunity for students to discover their career path without the burden of college debt,” said Suozzi. “The jobs this program introduces students to provides them with a promising opportunity to enter into the workforce in the in-demand careers in our region.”

The Genesee Valley Pre-Apprenticeship Program has grown annually since its inception in 2021. This year’s students joined pre-apprenticeship tracks at USG, Arctic Refrigeration, Turnbull Heating and Refrigeration, Radec Electric, Go Forth Electric, and OXBO. 

The program and experience with Radec Electric have supported a career change for Darlene Robare-Kessler of Fairport. Robare-Kessler said she appreciates the safe learning environment and mix of classroom and real job experience.

“I love the hands-on aspects of working with manufacturing equipment and the program has helped align my experience in the food and beverage industry giving me another side of the manufacturing industry to explore,” said Robare-Kessler. “(The program) is empowering me to gain practical skills that I will be able to utilize within the workplace and hopefully throughout my career.”

Press Release:

The Annual Celebrate Agriculture Dinner took place on March 25, at the Alexander Fire Hall. This event is held every year to celebrate Genesee County's leading industry, agriculture. The highlight of the evening was a delicious meal featuring locally produced foods prepared by the Culinary Arts Students from the Batavia Career and Technical Education Center. 

The collaboration between the Chamber's Agricultural Committee and the Culinary Arts Program, led by Chef Tracy Burgio and Denise Kaus, was a success. The Genesee County Chamber of Commerce approached Chef Tracy Burgio to cater the dinner, knowing that it would be a culinary challenge eagerly embraced by her students she happily accepted. The dinner was open to the public.

The Celebrate Ag Dinner is organized by various partners, including the Genesee County Chamber of Commerce, Cornell Cooperative Extension of Genesee County, Genesee County Soil & Water Conservation District, and Genesee County Farm Bureau. Local farms and businesses donated food grown in the county for the dinner. Chef Burgio, along with the Culinary Arts students, worked together to plan and practice the menu, which featured food products sourced from Genesee County farmers.

"Seeing the students flawlessly produce the meal, with as many attendees that were present was incredible. The operation was not only impressive, the meal was absolutely delicious and highly memorable.  We are thankful for Chef Tracy and Denise, as well as all of our local partners that made the event possible.  Without their support and the food donations, this event could not happen.  A well done collaborative effort for those in our Agricultural community, leaders in education, and students in the culinary arts,” said Genesee County Chamber of Commerce President Brian Cousins.

On June 1, representatives from the Genesee County Chamber of Commerce will visit the Batavia CTE Center to meet with the Culinary Arts students, Chef Burgio, and Kaus. During the visit, they will present a check to the Culinary Art Club as a token of appreciation.

Press Release:

The Digies, a yearly conference and festival organized by the School Library Service, which is part of Genesee Valley BOCES, aims to enhance the connection between digital media across various educational levels, from Pre-K-12 schools to higher education and professional institutions. The Digies showcases the talent and potential of students through an annual festival, attracting entries from the region.

Congratulations to these creative students!

Student Name(s)/Project Title/School District

Audio - PreK-3

• 1st - Ares Kohlerman/The Pika Podcast/Geneseo CSD

Audio - 7-9

• 1st - Megan Kinney, Tori Halpin/Concerned about Political Polarization?/Avon CSD
• 2nd Aydan VanDekken, Elisha Swift, Panagiotis Kolokouris, Nick Fries, Ryan Diddio/US Citizenship: Rights and Responsibilities Podcast/Avon CSD

Audio - 10-12

• 1st - Gadge Savastano/Feilde/Mount Morris CSD
• 2nd - Matthew Domzalski/Island Breeze/Orchard Park CSD
• 3rd - Earl Kipler III/Evolution/Orchard Park CSD

Interactive PreK - 3

• 1st - Jace Jordan, Scott Solis Berger/Dogman the Video Game/Letchworth CSD
• 2nd - Donnie Anderson, Layla Bailey, Amelia Braley, Norah Chesnes, Cash Coyne, Arianna Crotser, McKenzie Cullinan, Andrew DeCarlo, Connor Freeman, AJ Heeres, Anthony James, Remington Knapp, Desire Maynard, Olivia Miller, Addie Nardi, Westley Paganin, Gracelyn Potter, Coltin Ranalli, Chole Ventura, Zack Walworth/Habitats and Animal Adaptations/Avon CSD
• 3rd - Brooklyn Bannister, Bailey Granger, Briea Moore, Emah Powers, Ariana Sardina, Abby Stephens, Kendall Tucci, Lincoln Bowes, Maxon Logsdon, Grant Mead, Zack Moon, Jase Osterman/Monster Story Writing/Pavilion CSD

Interactive 4-6

• 1st - Teagan Heeb/One Wild Space Adventure/Letchworth CSD
• 2nd - Owen Lugo/Road Dodger video game/Alexander CSD
• 3rd - Maria Kipphut/Meow Machine/Livonia CSD

Interactive 7-9

• 1st - Alexander Haywood/Masked (Demo)/Town of Webb UFSD
• 2nd - Ayden Midkiff/Steam Tractor/Pembroke CSD
• 3rd - Brenna-Lynn Marleau/Jupiter's Quest/Town of Webb UFSD

Interactive 10-12

• 1st - Mya Button, Wes Morrell, Morgan Moses, Kyle Worden/Student Media Arts Collective/Wayland-Cohocton CSD
• 2nd - Karli Hy/Photo Web Portfolio/Geneseo CSD
• 3rd - Christopher Doody, Evelyn Northrup, Kylie Conway, Liam Campbell, Keean Cummins, Lauren Kingsley, Karley Zinkievich/Pavilion Gopher Pride Instagram/Pavilion CSD

Graphic Arts - PreK - 3

• 1st - Layla Price/Layla Price Self Portrait/Avon CSD
• 2nd - Rayna Marciniak/Rayna Marciniak Self Portrait/Avon CSD
• 3rd - Wyatt Vetter/Wyatt Vetter's playground/Avon CSD
• 3rd - Ashley Dechau/Ashley Dechau's Playground/Avon CSD

Graphic Arts 4-6

• 1st - Alice Szustakowski/STEAM Award/Alexander CSD
• 2nd - Christy Succes/Aurora Shadows/Livonia CSD
• 3rd - Andrew Klancer/Emoji Art/Pavilion CSD

Graphic Arts 7-9

• 1st - Isabella Ehrman/Self Portrait/Southwestern CSD
• 2nd - Bennett Antonucci/Andy Warhol style Self Portrait/Geneseo CSD
• 2nd - Olivia Mower/Portrait of Ellie from the Last of Us/Alexander CSD
• 3rd - Madeline Ingraham/Rush-Henrietta District Calendar Cover/Rush-Henrietta CSD

Graphic Arts 10-12

• 1st - Skylar Wilson/Hands With Water/Pittsford CSD
• 2nd - Molly Chittenden/Fleeting Time/Pembroke CSD
• 3rd - Lukas Ladd/Enduring Issues/Alexander CSD

Video PreK - 3

• 1st - Annie Tuttle/Dog Stuffy Commercial/Geneseo CSD
• 2nd - Paisley Emerson-Kunes/Polar Bears/Livonia CSD
• 3rd - Nathan Sedore, Henni Baughman/Fiestas Patrias in Chile/Livonia CSD

Video 4-6

• 1st - Caden Montesano, Evan Vetter, Keaton Griffiths/The Booner's Solve/Avon CSD
• 2nd - Gracie Stroud, Gianna Zidanich, Emelia Honan/Santa's Delivery/Avon CSD
• 3rd - Noah Wheeler, Ethan Heeres, Dylan Jimenez-Rodriguez/The Corn Escape/Avon CSD

Video 7-9

• 1st - Ari Arnold/How to Build a Fire (featuring Harry and Ron)/Avon CSD
• 2nd - Benedict Lickona, Noah Lantz, Albert James Parker, Daniel Aforismo, Hayden/Long Break and Build/Rush-Henrietta CSD
• 3rd - Keith Giardina/Animated Cart Wheel/Rush-Henrietta CSD

Video 10-12

• 1st - Adriana Ochoa/Fetch/Pittsford CSD
• 2nd - Charlie Ritter/Dots/Pittsford CSD
• 3rd - Ethan Taft/Rotoscope GIF/Dansville CSD

Press release:

The brand new nursing lab at Genesee Valley BOCES Adult Education program is designed to provide students with a realistic hospital environment where they can practice and enhance their nursing skills. The lab has various types of high, mid, and low-level simulation mannequins.  Each sim has different features and functions that can be controlled by an iPad. For example, high-fidelity mannequins can blink, breathe, have bowel sounds, and produce various heart sounds, providing students with a realistic experience of caring for a real patient.

The sims lab allows students to practice a head-to-toe patient assessment as well as emergent situations that can occur during a shift.  The updated lab helps them to prepare for their clinical rotation experiences, which in turn prepares them for the workforce. The lab features large patient screen monitors that give the students a look at their patients' vital statistics, and it sets off an alarm showing abnormal readings, which tells students they need to react.  

The lab also has a special simulator called a "mom stimulator," which can simulate the process of childbirth and postpartum complications such as hemorrhaging. This simulator can be operated manually or through an automated system, providing students with a comprehensive learning experience. There are a lot of things students don’t get to experience in their clinical rotations but are now able to simulate in this new lab. 

In addition to these simulation mannequins, the lab has new equipment, such as IV machines and feeding pumps, to give students a more comprehensive understanding of working with medical equipment.  Students have the chance to practice their skills on mannequins which helps prepare them for a job in the medical field. The nursing lab is set up for students to practice different procedures, such as practicing straight catheterization, wound care, and practicing medication administration. 

Overall, the nursing lab provides students with a safe and realistic environment to learn and practice their nursing skills. With the help of this lab and experienced instructors, students can gain valuable hands-on experience that will prepare them for the challenges of working as licensed practical nurses.

The Genesee Valley BOCES LPN program is a 1200-clock-hour program, certified by the New York State Education Department, and is designed to prepare graduates for the NCLEX-PN Examination for licensure as a Licensed Practical Nurse. Graduates of the program receive a certificate of completion of licensed practical nursing. The LPN Program has a 90 percent passing rate for the NCLEX exam.   

Press release:

The Finger Lakes Youth Apprenticeship Program (FLYAP) held its annual “Signing Day” ceremony at the Genesee Community College’s BEST Center on Thursday, March 9, 2023. Nearly 40 students from the Batavia Campus of the Genesee Valley BOCES signed up for job shadows and paid co-ops at a dozen advanced manufacturing companies in the region.

“Students from the Genesee Valley BOCES in Batavia are already receiving some of the best career and technical education training in the classroom which is preparing them for the 21st-century workforce,” said Rich Turner, RTMA Director of Workforce Development. “The Finger Lakes Youth Apprenticeship Programs compliments these students’ classroom training by connecting seniors and juniors to a one-of-a-kind job shadow or paid co-op at manufacturing companies across the region.”

The Finger Lakes Youth Apprenticeship Program was created in 2018 and is the first youth apprenticeship program for students interested in manufacturing in New York State. FLYAP partners with every BOCES and Career and Technical Education high school throughout the greater Rochester and Finger Lakes region.

“We are so very proud that through Genesee Valley BOCES and our relationships with amazing business partners, students receive experiences that will lead them into successful careers,” added GV BOCES Batavia Campus Executive Principal Rachel Slobert. “Whether it is a job shadow or paid internship, these opportunities allow students to get real-world experience prior to graduation.”

FLYAP is a program of the Rochester Technology and Manufacturing Association (RTMA) and is supported by Monroe Community College (MCC) and the Genesee County Economic Development Center (GCEDC). The Finger Lakes Youth Apprenticeship Program is also supported with funding from the Rochester Gas & Electric Economic Development Grant and Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. Foundation.

“The students at the Genesee Valley BOCES and our region’s career and technical education centers are entering the manufacturing and skilled trades workforce with career-ready skills and experiences,” said Chris Suozzi, GCEDC Vice President of Business & Workforce Development. “The Youth Apprenticeship Program builds on those experiences with a direct pathway to rewarding careers at our region’s employers.”

To date, more than 400 high school juniors and seniors and nearly 150 businesses have participated in the program. in addition to the students’ work experiences, most take college-level courses at no charge through a dual enrollment agreement between participating schools and MCC. Entering this year, participants have taken more than 350 classes.

The next FLYAP “Signing Day” ceremony will be on Tuesday, March 14 at the Orleans Niagara BOCES in Medina, Orleans County. Additional programs can be found at www.flyap.org; or you can contact FLYAP at info@fingerlakesyouthapprenticeship.org or (585) 510-4278.

To view photos, click here.

Photos by Steve Ognibene

Rich Turner Director of Workforce Development, Rochester Technology and Manufacturing Association

Chris Suozzi, Genesee County EDC – STAMP VP Business & Workforce Development

Karli Houseknecht - Tambe Electric

Hunter Meyers - Tambe Electric

Robert McCarthy - Grahams Corporation

Students left to right Bradley Burdett - Maris Systems Design, Bailey Burdett - Nortera Foods and their parents

Press release:

Over 450 local high school students had the opportunity to explore their career options at a local job fair held on February 28th at the Batavia Career and Technical Education (CTE) Center, which is part of the Batavia BOCES campus. The event, organized by the Genesee County Business/Education Alliance (Genesee County BEA) was open to all high school seniors in the area and featured a variety of local businesses looking to hire new talent.  

“The Genesee County BEA is proud to partner with Genesee Valley BOCES, Genesee County Economic Development Center, and GLOW with Your Hands to promote future career opportunities for our graduating seniors.  Many seniors have not finalized the next phase of their lives post-graduation, and the Graduating Senior Job Fair provides students the opportunity to speak with potential employers about their job openings and what training/apprenticeship programs they provide at no cost to the student.  The possibilities are endless!  Equally as important is introducing employers to CTE teachers who are teaching technical skills to the future workforce, and we witnessed several teachers and businesses exchanging contact information.  Hopefully, we will see new business partnerships developing as a result of this event,” explained Karyn Winters, director of the Genesee County Business Education Alliance Director.  

Erica Gibson, Graphic Arts Teacher, led her class into the job fair and was excited to see what opportunities were available for her students.  “There are a lot of jobs in our area, and you don’t have to go somewhere else to make money. I saw a lot of students talking to different companies, and it made me happy to see them engaging with employers,” explained Gibson.  

Some of the businesses that attended the job fair included Liberty Pumps, HP Hood, Batavia Downs, OATKA, and Six Flags Darien Lake. These companies represented a diverse range of industries, from manufacturing and gaming to food production and entertainment.

During the event, students had the chance to speak with representatives from various companies and learn more about the types of jobs available. Many of the businesses had information booths set up with flyers and brochures describing their job openings and requirements.  Students left with information from different companies and were eager to follow up with these businesses in the future.  

Senior Rocco Mika from Batavia Central School is in the Metal Trades program at Batavia CTE Center.  Rocco explained he is currently learning Welding and Machining but he is more interested in pursuing a career in Welding.  “I was looking forward to the welding opportunities.  A lot of students don’t get these opportunities, and a lot of kids don’t put themselves out there, but it’s easier to put yourself out there with these events,”  said Rocco.

Computer Information Systems Student Donte Marsceill from Batavia Central Schools is only a junior, but he also attended the event to see what it was about.  “I think this is a good opportunity to get out there and a step forward for searching for a job after school.  As of now I plan on going to college to earn a degree but this is something I now consider as well,” said Donte’.  

Shaina Snyder, a senior at Attica Central Schools, who is enrolled in the Medal Trades program, is interested in the machining aspect of her program.   “The job fair lets students get a view of what they can do after high school.  I would like to get a job and go right into the work field.  I really want to be a cnc machinist,” explained Shaina.    

Batavia CTE Center offers a range of programs designed to prepare students for careers in various fields, including healthcare, technology, and construction. The job fair provided students with a valuable opportunity to learn more about the local job market and connect with potential employers.

Overall, the job fair was a success, with many students leaving the event feeling more informed and better prepared for their future careers. The BEA plans to continue hosting job fairs in the future, with the hope of providing even more opportunities for local students to explore their career options.

For some students, it might just be a game, but for Elba senior Cameron Havens, Scholastic Bowl meant a whole lot more.

An avid fan of “Jeopardy,” first with Alex Trebeck and more currently familiar with host Ken Jennings, Havens was ready to take down the competition. The Bowl finals Thursday evening put Elba Central in the ring with contenders Batavia City and Pavilion Central schools.

“I thought that Pavilion had taken the lead, and so, when I saw one of our teammates, he put his hand over his mouth like, surprise, wait, hold up,” Havens said after the conclusion of the series at the BOCES Batavia campus. “And then I saw them draw the 300 there, then my heart just, I just relaxed. I’m a senior, it’s a nice way to go out.”

Elba took first place with 300, followed by Pavilion with 290, and Batavia in third with 240.

This was the 32nd year of Scholastic Bowl, and it began in January. Student teams verbally battle for that top position by answering a variety of questions about geography, history, music, literature, science, arts, current events and other assorted topics.

Aerianna Cintorino, an Elba sophomore and newcomer to the game, said that she learned a good piece of advice to use in these situations.

“I also do masterminds, so learning that it's okay to answer because you won't get points taken off. So even if you think it's incorrect, you might be correct. So just say it. Don't be afraid to push your buzzer,” she said. “You may get trigger-heavy at some point in time, but it's fine. There were a few times that I kind of shocked myself that I was right.”

Ian Keberle, a senior at Elba who plans to pursue agribusiness in college, admitted that his team had one major strategy. It began during practice sessions of questions with other school districts.

“Our strategy is to not answer any of them to kind of subvert expectations for the other team. And then we come into the actual competition, and we just hammer it,” Keberle said. “So that's probably our main strategy.”

You know the lightning round? That’s when a team gets to answer a series of questions all at once to pick up several points. That wasn’t Batavia’s strongest moment, senior Jack Pickard said.

“Definitely the lightning round, where it was all the bays and sounds like I don’t even know what the sound was. So that was definitely difficult. Sounds, like it’s like a body of water or something. So yeah, that definitely stumped us,” he said.

He and his fellow teammates wore black shirts and pants, topped off with black sunglasses.

“Really, our goal was to be as intimidating as we could be,” senior Noah Pickard said. “Obviously, that didn’t work. But now we had a lot of fun doing it. We did it last year, and I walked out, and it’s just a thing that we decided to do again. It’s a tradition, and hopefully, it carries on.”

Like many of his fellow students, Noah participates in other extracurriculars, including track and cross country, which he plans to continue at Oneonta State College this fall.

Each team of students is guided by at least one coach that works with them throughout the year to prepare for and get through the annual Bowl. Elba's coach was Aaron Balko, Andy Kiebala was coach for Batavia, and Timothy Mapes was coach at Pavilion. Mapes said he looks forward to seeing the progress of future teams.

“We had practice each week, varying students would show up. We actually have quite a few students who are part of the program. And then we kind of bring our top four, top three competitors to each of the competitions,” he said. “But overall, throughout the school year, I think, you know, I'm really proud of how we performed in each of the events, sometimes coming from behind to win, sometimes dealing with adversity from not winning, and then just, you look at the championship round, and it came down to the final question, only losing by one point.

“This is also the second year that we've come in second place. So we're going to try to keep building off of this momentum going forward,” Mapes said. “I think it's a great opportunity for them to show off their knowledge, show off the things that they have learned throughout the school year, both the school year and in previous school years, and also have a chance to interact with other students from other schools who have a common interest that they have.”

Steve Cole, coordinator of enrichment services, presented the first, second and third place plaques and emphasized to students that “you really do a great service by representing your school so well, so you should be proud of yourself.”

Organizers for Scholastic Bowl include Cathy Preston, Kathleen Jursted and Stephanie Groff.

Top Photo: Elba Central School was the champion team in this year's Scholastic Bowl, featuring students Aidan McClurg, Ian Keberle, Aerianna Cintorino, Tim Kilner and Cameron Havens; Batavia came in third place, with Elijah Abdella, Jack Pickard, Ian Harmon, and Noah Pickard; and photo above, second place team of Pavilion, with Coach Sydney Pelton, students Jordan Eggleston, Evan Sidhu, and Grace Slocum, and Coach Timothy Mapes. Photos by Joanne Beck.