Savanah Freeman, a Le Roy High School senior, needed to complete 15 hours of community service for graduation and contacted me as Le Roy Municipal Historian with an idea.  

Savannah had painted store windows in Batavia and thought that maybe she could paint some windows in Le Roy.  

I suggested that Savanah work on some ideas about the solar eclipse that could be put in the front windows of the Le Roy Town Hall.   

Savannah showed me some of her artwork and immediately I knew that Savannah had the talent to design some unique murals, but wondered whether there was enough time to get them completed in time.  

Savannah had never worked on anything that big, but she was excited about the prospect.  

We decided it would be best for Savannah to paint the murals on huge pieces of paper so she could work on them at home.  

In two weeks, Savannah completed two large murals. One was a brightly colored mural with the Le Roy Village Hall on one side, and the other was a black-and-white image of the solar eclipse barn on the Fort Hill Farm on Route 19.  

Savannah says these murals are the biggest pieces of art she has ever done, but she has enjoyed the challenge of working on something new. She only wished that she had had more time so she could have added more detail. 

Savannah worked on the designs and sketched them out on paper, and then she called for some help from her friend Ariana Dinehart to do some of the painting.  

Both girls said they learned a lot about Le Roy history, especially about the Village Hall which is a focal point of the large color mural.  

The girls are best friends and attended school in Rochester before moving to Le Roy in August.  They said that the move to Le Roy has been the best thing that has happened to them. 

“Everyone in Le Roy — the teachers and the other students — have been so wonderful,” Savannah said.

Savannah, who is related to the Lathan family, points out that her family has “been here forever.” 

Savannah says that her mother has had the biggest influence on her art.  

“She has done every form of art in some way or another, and she has shown me that I can make a career out of something I love to do,“ Savannah said.

On Thursday, Savannah’s two murals were put up in the Town Hall windows. Almost immediately, folks gathered outside to take a look at the unique murals. They will be on display until the end of April.

Then they might be included in the school’s art show. Savannah says, “I definitely would love them to go somewhere where they won’t collect dust.”

Will Savannah watch the eclipse? 

“I am really stoked to see the eclipse,” she said “I don’t plan on going anywhere just because of how many people are coming to see it, but I will definitely be hoping for no clouds so I can sit in my backyard and watch.” 

Le Roy Jr.-Sr. High School presents "Chicago," a teen edition of the musical, this Thursday, Friday, and Saturday.

All show times are 7 p.m. Performances are in the school auditorium.

Tickets at the door are $15 for adults and $12 for students and senior citizens.

The music is by John Kander, book by Fred Ebb.

The cast includes Aubrey Puccio as Velma Kelly, Anna Long as Roxie Hart, Ethan LaBarbera as Fred Casely, Jameson Zitz as Sergeant Fogarty, Kira Ryan as Matron "Mama" Morton, Judge Biviano as Amos Hart. 

The artistic director is Jacqueline McLean, Joe Kusmierczak is the co-director, and the choreographer is Jessica Pcioneck.

For more information on the production, click here to read the program.

Photos by Howard Owens.

Luce scored 11 points in the second quarter, hitting a trio of three-pointers to give the Knights a 30-21 halftime lead.

Le Roy went on to win 61-43.

Luce finished with 11 points.  Merrit Holly scored 28 points and had 11 rebounds.  Matthew Hockey scored nine points and had three assists.

The Knights are now 4-0 on the year.

The Oatkan Knights won their record-setting 16th sectional title at SUNY Brockport on Saturday with a 27-14 win over Attica/Alexander in Class C.

The Blue Devils opened the scoring in the first quarter with a Joseph Parkhurst 31-yard field goal (one of two FGs for Parkhurst), but Le Roy answered quickly with a Drew Strollo four-yard run for a TD followed by the PAT from Jack Currin. Le Roy held the lead the rest of the way, with Tony Piazza scoring twice and Tommy Condidorio capping things off with a two-yard run.

The final score for AA came in the waning seconds, a 30-yard pass from Trent Woods to Sam Strzelec.

Strollo rushed for 134 yards on 23 carries.  Piazza carried 20 times for 88 yards.

On defense, Strollo had five tackles, D.J. O'Geen, five plus a sack, Piazza, four, and Connor Hegeman, four.

Attica/Alexander did not submit stats.

The Batavia Blue Devils and Le Roy Oatkan Knights capped Soccer Saturday with a Girls Soccer game that ended with a 3-2 OT win for Batavia.

The boys lost their OT game to Wilson/Early College 3-2.

"It was a wonderful night for our boys and girls senior soccer players," said Roger Hume, head coach for Batavia. "Le Roy didn’t make it an easy win."

In the nightcap, Batavia started the scoring early in the first half with a breakaway run and finish by Ella Shamp, with an assist from Jaimin MacDonals.  

Le Roy scored the next two goals, leaving it senior Ella Radley to tie up the game with two minutes left.  

Batavia came out strong in OT, and senior Anna Varland finished the game with a goal five minutes into the first OT.  

"Batavia did a fantastic job coming back from two goals to one to make this its 12th win of the season," Hume said.  

The Blue Devils remain undefeated.

The Batavian did not receive scoring stats from Le Roy.  Le Roy is  9-4-1 on the year.

The girls' next game is Monday away at Livonia.

In the boys' game, goals were scored by Quintin Cummings, assisted by Troy Hawley, and Troy Hawley, assisted by Rylan Bohn.

 Batavia’s record is now 8 wins and 5 losses on the season.

To view more photos or purchase prints, click here.

The Le Roy Oatkan Knights improved to 3-0 on the season with a 36-16 win over Lyons/Sodus on Friday at Hartwood Park.

Tony Piazza rushed for 152 yards on 20 carries and a TD. Tommy Condidorio was 5-10 passing for 110 yards and a TD. Jackson Fix had four receptions for 86 yards. He also rushed for a pair of touchdowns. Holden Sullivan had two sacks and four tackles.

Also on Friday:

• Batavia lost to Honeoye Falls/Lima, 21-14.  Bronx Buchholz 11-24 passing for 139 yards, one TD and one interception. Mekhi Fortes had 16 carries for 155 yards and a touchdown. He had six tackles on defense. Cole Grazioplene five catches for 54 yards and a TD.
• Attica/Alexander beat East Rochester/Gandada, 21-18.

Photos by Steve Ognibene

To view or purchase prints, click here.

Le Roy celebrated its seniors on the first day of school with donuts before the doors opened at Le Roy High School this morning.

Photos courtesy Le Roy Central School District.

When the Class of 2023 began its public education journey, Taylor Swift had just released her first #1 album, "Fearless," which would go on to win a Grammy in 2010.

Principal David Russell mentioned Swift during his opening remarks, also noting that when the Class of 2023 began classes at Wolcott Street School, it was the year the Saints won the Super Bowl, Spain won the World Cup, and "Kings Speech" was named best picture.

Now Taylor Swift is as big as ever, celebrating her success on her Eras Tour, and the Class of 2023 has been through some eras, as speakers in Le Roy at the high school graduation noted on Saturday.

Rylee Burns started her art journey for fun when she was younger, and she intends to keep it that way.  Being an artist is not her career ambition.

After her graduation from Le Roy High School on June 24, she will head to SUNY Geneseo to major in chemistry.

"I really, really enjoy science, and I want to be a forensic scientist after college," Rylee said. "So, in thinking about starting that journey, I decided to start with chemistry."

A lot of students pour through a school district's music program, but only a few of them put in the effort, show dedication, and develop the skills necessary to carry on with their music education after graduation.

It's incredibly rewarding when a student follows that path, said Matthew Nordhausen, who teaches 5th and 6th-grade band in the Le Roy Central School District as well as serves as the district's primary percussion instructor.