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Press release:

Prominent local businessman and Army veteran John Dwyer, who has served Genesee Community College for many years in various leadership roles, was honored recently with GCC's Alpha Medal of Service Award.

Individuals honored with an Alpha Award are selected for their extraordinary philanthropic support of GCC programs and goals, and serve as an inspiration not only to students, but to the greater community, according to Rick Ensman, GCC's head of development and external affairs.

"John's commitment and enthusiasm is inspiring," Ensman said. "He believes deeply in the mission and programs of the college, and never misses an opportunity to tell GCC's story and advocate for our students."

Among his many accomplishments at the college, Dwyer served as president of the GCC Foundation for four, one-year terms and worked tirelessly on all foundation committees, chaired the campaign that supported construction of the Student Union and helped steer the fundraising campaign for the Conable Technology Building, which serves the business community through The BEST Center (Business and Employee Skills).

Dwyer's commitment to service also reaches deeply into the broader community. During the past 40 years, he has served on numerous economic development committees, including the GLOW Workforce Investment Board and the Genesee County Local Development Corporation; he has volunteered his time and expertise to guide the Genesee County Industrial Development Agency and the Batavia Associated Retailers Board; and he has shared his knowledge and civic pride with a number of public, school and religious associations, including the Children's Home Association, Notre Dame High School, and the Buffalo Catholic Diocese.

A Batavia resident, Dwyer retired as president of Thomas & Dwyer, Inc., Retail Shoe Stores and executive director of the Genesee County Industrial Development Agency in recent years. The Alpha Medal of Service was bestowed during GCC commencement ceremonies on May 20.

GO ART! is kicks off its new workshop series "Embracing Innovation" with "Marketing and Best Practices for Social Media" -- at 9 a.m. on Thursday, June 14, at GO ART!

This workshop will feature two professionals from Genesee Community College: Kevin Manne, new media specialist and Shirley Verrico, art gallery director. It is targeted for nonprofit organizations, cultural groups and individual artists.

GO ART! is located at Seymour Place, 201 E. Main St., in Downtown Batavia.

GO ART! recently received a grant from the Rochester Area Community Foundation to present a series of workshops, entitled “Embracing Innovation,” offering a variety of technical assistance.

“Social media can be a valuable resource for your business or organization,” Manne said. “It’s no longer just for college students or teens looking to make connections with friends.

"Your group or business should also have a presence and voice in social media to connect with new customers, employees and potential partners. And, the majority of sites and tools are free to use and have great potential reach, making them invaluable for marketing – with the right plan.”

GO ART! members are free to attend this workshop. There is a nominal fee for non-members or organizations wishing to attend: individuals - $10; organizations (maybe bring up to three people) $20.

Light refreshments will be available. The workshop will be approximately two hours.

Please register in advance by calling 343-9313 or email info@goart.org

Future “Embracing Innovation” Workshops:
 
Aug. 21: Fundraising and Development for the Small Town Organization presented by Mark Peterson, president and CEO of Greater Rochester Enterprise.
 
Oct. 16: Business Planning with the Artist in Mind presented by Sam Campanella, SBDC certified business advisor, GCEDC
 
January 2013 (date TBA): Volunteerism and Board Development
 
(date TBA) Engaging Youth: Preserving the Past with our Future

The Batavia Lacrosse Club is pleased to announce its third annual Youth Lacrosse Camp from June 27 to July 19. There will be no session on July 4.

The camp is from 6 to 7:30 p.m. on Wednesdays and Thursdays at Van Detta Stadium.

Students entering grades two through seven are eligible to participate. They will work with current coaches and players to learn the fundamentals of "the fastest game on two feet."

There are three payment options*:

1) $50 -- Covers registration and entrant gets to keep a lacrosse stick, ball and Batavia Lacrosse jersey;

2) $30 -- Covers registration and entrant gets to keep a reversible lacrosse jersey;

3) $10 -- Covers registration.

*No athlete will be turned away due to financial limitation.

For more information go to <http://www.batavialacrosse.com> or call Coach Joe Hussar at 343-2480, ext. 7429.

Press release:

Once again, Genesee Community College will welcome middle school aged-students to participate in the annual summer Sport and Wellness Experience. The popular weeklong camp focuses on helping children develop the skills and mindset necessary to compete in various sports, but also to help them appreciate the value of good health and wellness habits.

"We are going into our third year of this camp and it has really been a lot of fun," says GCC Health and Physical Education Director Rebecca Dziekan. "The kids have been great and the feedback has been so positive. Combining a variety of different sports with a little education on some important wellness topics provides a nice experience for all the participants."

GCC's Sport and Wellness Experience runs one full week and each day is filled with a well-rounded lineup of activities and great collection of contemporary topics that face young adults today, including but not limited to bullying, relationships, alcohol and drug abuse.

The program runs from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. July 23-27, with all activities taking place on the Batavia campus at One College Road. Participants have full access to GCC's new athletic facilities including the new turf soccer field, Fitness Center, Anthony B. Zambito Gymnasium and the tennis courts. The $120 cost covers instruction in tennis, soccer and volleyball as well as all of the educational discussions, a daily lunch in the college cafeteria, and a program T-shirt. A variety of GCC instructors lead the classes and discussions with guest speakers also sharing their expertise.

"The program in the past two years have 'wowed' both the student participants as well as their parents, and many attendees return for a second year," Dzeikan said. "From experiencing the college's high-end athletic facilities to the working with coaches and staff, we believe the program offers everyone involved a very engaging and fulfilling experience."

To learn more about the camp, and to download a registration form, visit this Web site: http://www.genesee.edu/gcc/wellness/.

Press release:

The best and brightest sixth-grade math and science minds in the GLOW region were honored during an awards breakfast at Genesee Community College today.

In February, school districts across the Genesee, Livingston, Orleans and Wyoming county region nominated 70 students for the inaugural cohort of the Math Science Preparatory Program at GCC. Embedded within the competitive application process was an opportunity for two students to earn a full scholarship to Math Science Preparatory Program at GCC for their first year in the program.

Two students were selected from among 21 Scholar of the Year finalists to win the first-ever award, and all the finalists were recognized today (May 29, 2012). The scholarship winners and 2012 Inaugural Math Science Scholars of the Year are Triton Adamski of Pembroke Central School, and Kiera Gross of Pavilion Central School.

Triton earned the highest score in the competition by performing exceptionally well on the competitive placement examination (placing into college-level mathematics). Combined with his excellent classroom grades in math and science, a thoughtful essay on the role of LEGOS ® in the better understanding of math and science, and an educational Powerpoint presentation, Triton clearly earned top honors. Triton also received awards for reading and character, and has been asked to tutor younger students in reading and math. He is an active member in team sports, his school's band, and the SADD club at Pembroke. Triton's mother, Denise Adamski, told the ACE program that he is looking forward to a wonderful and challenging experience at Genesee Community College.

Kiera demonstrated an exceptional understanding of the scientific method with her essay about the use of crash-test dummies in safety experiments. An active sixth grader at Pavilion Central School, Kiera is a member of PageTurners, as well as Sixth-Grade Band and Chorus. Kiera is also a black stripe belt at Cain's Taekwondo Academy, where she is a member of SMAC Competition Team and GOLD (Guidance on Leadership Development) Team. She also helps run craft activities for kids in grades one through four in Kids Count Sunday School and Vacation Bible School at Akron Free Methodist Church. She is a Cadette Girl Scout and a member of 4-H. She enjoys caring for animals, camping, and making her own science experiments.

ACE program specialist Karlyn M. Finucane says she and other members of the GCC ACE team are looking forward to working with all of the students who were nominated for the Math Science Preparatory Award throughout the next several years.

"While the inaugural cohort was limited to 48 students, the overall quality of the applicants and overwhelming interest expressed by the community for this type of program has prompted the research and development of several additional math and science enrichment opportunities to meet the educational needs of our region's top performing students," says Finucane.

In alphabetical order, students nominated by their school districts in Genesee County for the Math Science Preparatory Program include:

•    Triton Adamski, Pembroke Central School *◦§

•    Landon Bish, Oakfield-Alabama Middle School *

•    Logan Cadieux, Oakfield-Alabama Middle School *◦§

•    Kim Davis, Pavilion Central School ◦

•    Cassandra DeLelys, Elba Central School ◦

•    Trevor Fitzgibbon, Alexander Central School *◦§

•    Samantha Gibbs, Alexander Central School

•    Cassidy Graham, Alexander Central School ◦

•    Kiera Gross, Pavilion Central School *◦§

•    Cameron Hausfelder, Alexander Central School *

•    Gabrielle Havens, Batavia Middle School *

•    Kelsey Hilburger, Elba Central School ◦ *

•    Madison Hoerbelt, Batavia Middle School

•    Lauren Hume, Alexander Central School ◦

•    Ethan Hutchins, Batavia Middle School *◦§

•    Tara Jagodzinski, Pavilion Central School *◦§

•    Logan Kellogg, Oakfield-Alabama Middle School

•    Jora Kusmierski, Alexander Central School

•    Jay Lewis, Batavia Middle School *

•    Nathan Loria, Batavia Middle School ◦ *

•    Michal Lullo, Batavia Middle School *

•    Joseph Marchese, Batavia Middle School

•    Aaron Michalak, Batavia Middle School *◦§

•    Christa Moscicki, Batavia Middle School

•    Madison Murray, Batavia Middle School ◦

•    Jason Normandin, Pavilion Central School ◦ *

•    Callee Norton, Elba Central School ◦

•    Anand Patel, Batavia Middle School *

•    Benjamin Pflaumer, Elba Central School ◦

•    Justina Pruski, Oakfield-Alabama Middle School ◦ *

•    Lauren Reding, Oakfield-Alabama Middle School ◦ *

•    Erik Scharlau, Alexander Central School

•    Kylie Schlagenhauf, Oakfield-Alabama Middle School ◦

•    Jordyn Schmidt, Batavia Middle School

•    Trevor Schoonover, Pavilion Central School ◦

•    Chloe Schrier, Pavilion Central School ◦

•    Edward Skalny, Batavia Middle School *◦§

•    Benjamin Slenker, Alexander Central School *◦§

•    Job Smith, Alexander Central School ◦

•    Ethan Stone, Pembroke Central School *◦§

•    Nicholas Ventola, St. Joseph's School *◦§

•    Grace Vogler, Pembroke Central School *◦§

•    Moira Werner, St. Joseph's School ◦

•    Emma Whalen, Pavilion Central School ◦

•    Claire Zickl, Batavia Middle School *◦§

•    Bethany Zwolinski, Pembroke Central School ◦

Key:

* Accepted for Math Science Preparatory Program

◦ Nominated for Math Science Scholar of the Year Award

◦§ Award Finalist

On Sunday, the Hugh O’Brian Youth Leadership New York West Seminar concluded its three-day program, naming Adam Weaver, a sophomore from Batavia High School, an Outstanding Future Leader. As part of this recognition, Weaver received a $1,000 scholarship to be used at the college of his choice. Weaver was one of only two students awarded with this honor.

From June 1-3, 120 high school sophomores from across the western region of New York state attended New York’s premier youth leadership program – Hugh O’Brian Youth Leadership New York West Seminar or HOBY (pronounced ho-bee) – at the University of Rochester.

Now in its 29th year, the primary focus of this year’s seminar was to shed light on bullying in light of the tragic regional and national events that unfolded over the past year, garnering significant attention at the local, state and federal levels. Over the course of the three-day seminar, students learned critical life skills and underwent intensive panels, workshops, speakers and community service activities.

On Friday, students had the opportunity to listen to the Rodemeyer family (from Williamsville) share their story in memory of their son Jamey who took his life in 2011 due to bullying. Weaver was chosen to receive this honor based on personal essays, surveys and interviews in addition to her participation over the weekend.

“As alumni of the program, we understand and believe in the lasting difference that this program makes in both the life of a young person – like Adam – and in their community,” said Jeremy Gerevics, HOBY New York West co-chair. “This interactive and encouraging environment allows participants to develop leadership skills and to begin thinking critically about the issues that will impact their futures. By giving them the tools they need to be empowered to go back to their schools and communities with skills and the confidence to make a difference, they do take on new initiatives to be leaders in their communities. Congratulations to Adam and all of our ambassadors – the HOBY New York West Class of 2012. We welcome them to our HOBY family.”

Andrew Lipnicky, of Basom, was named to the Deans' List at Florida Institute of Technology for the spring semester, which ended in May. He is pursuing a bachelor's degree in Astronomy and Astrophysics.

To be included on the Deans' List, a student must complete 12 or more graded credits in a semester with a semester grade-point average (GPA) of at least 3.4.

Florida Institute of Technology was founded at the dawn of the Space Race in 1958. It is the only independent, technological university in the Southeast.

Michael Slack, son of Jane Slack, of Bergen, has enrolled for Fall 2012 admission at Rochester Institute of Technology. He will study Film and Animation in RIT's College of Imaging Arts and Sciences and is a 2010 graduate of Byron-Bergen High School.

Slack has been awarded an RIT Trustee Scholarship and an RIT Phi Theta Kappa Scholarship.

Rochester Institute of Technology is internationally recognized for academic leadership in computing, engineering, imaging science, sustainability, and fine and applied arts, in addition to unparalleled support services for deaf and hard-of-hearing students.

Press release:

LIFT Summer Program is a summer day camp for children ages 5-10 with special needs such as: sensory processing disorders, learning disabilities, Asperger’s, OCD, ODD, pediatric bipolar disorder and ADD/ADHD as well as siblings of children with special needs. This is our third summer providing services for children with special needs.

Camp days are 12:30-5:30 p.m. Mondays and Fridays with extended hours available. The recommended donation is $3.50/hour.

Children will participate in activities that will work on sensory processing, fine and gross motor coordination as well as social and life skills. Additional classes include art, theater, music, math, reading and writing.

Camp takes place at the East Pembroke Grange Hall and will start June 29 and will end Aug. 17. Children are welcome to attend some or all of the camp days.

For more information, please call Laura Kauppi at 233-6155 or email Liftschoolofmusic@gmail.com

The Genesee-Orleans Regional Arts Council’s 34th annual family event “Picnic in the Park” takes place this Fourth of July. 

The festivities run from Noon until 5 p.m. on Wednesday, July 4th, in historic Centennial Park at Richmond and Ellicott avenues in Batavia. As is tradition, the “Picnic in the Park” is kicked off by the Batavia Concert Band performing on the Main Stage at Noon.

This year’s “Picnic in the Park” includes all-day musical entertainment, arts and crafts show, folk arts programs, food vendors, children’s activities, and much more. Admission is free.

Please call GO ART! at 343-9313, email info@goart.org, or visit <http://www.goart.org> for more information. Applications are still available for artists, crafters, food vendors or nonprofits wishing to have a booth.

Press release:

The Richmond Memorial Library is excited to present this year’s children’s Summer Reading Club theme, “Dream Big, READ!”

The 2012 Summer Reading Club is open to all children through 6th grade. During the Summer Reading Club, children can win prizes by reading books or having books read to them, attending programs and playing games.

Programs include; Lego Club, Erin Hunter Book Club, Science Club, both day and evening story times, and special performances every Friday afternoon during Summer Reading Club. Throughout the summer come explore the Children’s Room, which will be decorated with a nighttime theme of stars, camping and nocturnal animals.

Registration starts June 18th. Sign up for Summer Reading Club on Saturday June 23rd during our "Sign Up Extravaganza" and receive a special souvenir cup.

For more information, call the library at 343-9550. ext. 4, or visit our Web site at  <http://www.batavialibrary.org>.