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(From left, chemistry instructor Rafael Alicea-Maldonado, Ph.D, named Employee of the Month, College President Stuart Steiner, and Phyllis Washburn, Student of the Month.)

Genesee Community College has named Le Roy resident Phyllis Washburn the Student of the Month for April.

She is a nontraditional student pursuing a dual degree in Criminal Justice and Business. She not only excels in the classroom, but also in service to the college community. She is a supervisor of the Student Safety Patrol (SSP) and puts in countless hours scheduling SSP members, coordinating events and leading activities. She is highly respected by her classmates, is a good listener, and provides carefully crafted commentaries in the classroom.

Washburn is originally from Rochester. She quit high school in 1971 and earned a GED in 1981. She completed a little college at that time, but didn't have time to complete a degree with four children at home and a full-time job.

Now that her youngest is also attending Genesee, she decided it was a good time to finish her degree.

"I realized it was time for me to finally get a degree in something," Washburn said. "GCC is close to home and tuition is reasonable. Once I got here, I realized this was the best place. With the smaller class sizes and the amazing teachers, I was able to achieve everything I had hoped I could."

She completed a Criminal Justice degree in December with a 3.89 GPA. She is now working on a Business Administration degree and currently holds a 4.0 GPA. She will complete that degree this coming December. Phyllis hopes to one day own her own private security company.

She has been named to the President's List every semester since her return to school. She is a member of Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society. She received the Student Safety Patrol Service Award and the Gsell Memorial Scholarship. She has also been selected for Who's Who in Universities and Colleges and she is the president of the Criminal Justice Club.

"At GCC I feel like I have a whole new family. I have been so lucky to meet and become friends with so many wonderful people here," Washburn noted. "The fact that this is a small school gives me that opportunity. I believe that the atmosphere here at GCC gives a student an extraordinary opportunity to succeed."

Phyllis is married to her husband of 38 years, Waylen C. Washburn Sr. They have five children: Jennifer Downard (Richard) of Greenfield, Ohio; Waylen C. Jr. (Candy) of Hamlin; Ryan (Dawn Kenyon) and Daniel of Le Roy; and Aaron (Elysia) of Byron. She has seven grandchildren, Steven, Richard II, and Jonathan Downard and Ashley, Trinitty, Virginia and October Washburn.

Genesee Community College has named Rafael Alicea-Maldonado, Ph.D, Employee of the Month for April.

Since joining the Genesee faculty as an instructor of Chemistry more than 10 years ago, he has contributed significantly to the college community. He earned his doctorate, recently participated in the Genesee Leadership Academy, and is currently serving on the College's Strategic Plan Committee.

Three years ago, Alicea-Maldonado became an advisor to Genesee's chapter of Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society (PTK), and he has taken that responsibility very seriously. He is a positive mentor for the students of PTK, and he communicates regularly about PTK's activities and events.

Additionally, he has served on many search committees, participates in college governance, and is a vital member of the GUSTO! team. He helps plan the annual faculty retreat and has been a faculty leader in encouraging his colleagues to attend commencement.

Alicea-Maldonado is originally from Naguabo, a small city on the east coast of Puerto Rico and moved to Buffalo in 1994. He earned his undergraduate degree in Chemistry from University of Puerto Rico. Before coming to Genesee in 2000, he taught in Puerto Rico as well as at the University of Buffalo where he earned his doctoral degree. He currently teaches several chemistry courses for the college.

He earned the Matter-Tyler Teaching Award from the Department of Chemistry at the University of Buffalo in 1996, the SUNY Chancellor's Award for Teaching Excellence in 2005, the Phi Theta Kappa Horizon award in 2008 and the Phi Theta Kappa Paragon award in 2009.

"My favorite part of working at Genesee Community College is the daily interaction I have with the students and my fellow faculty members," Alicea-Maldonado said.

In his spare time he enjoys traveling around the world. He has traveled to many different countries including Jordan, Egypt, Costa Rica, and most recently, he spent spring break in Spain.

Oakfield High School graduate Jason Kirkum was selected as Keuka College Athlete of the Week for the week ending April 24.

The junior baseball player, who is a pitcher/designated hitter, led the Storm to a 4-5 week overall and a 4-4 week in conference action.

On the mound he made two starts, going the distance each time, and collecting 15 strikeouts in just 13 innings pitched. He went 1-1 overall and had a 6.23 ERA while holding hitters to a .263 batting average.

At the plate, he led the Storm’s offense with a .429 batting average (9-for-21) while ripping a double, knocking in four runs, and scoring four of his own. He also walked four times to post a team-high .520 on-base percentage.

The Alfred C. O'Connell Library at Genesee Community College has awarded eight student poets in its Ninth Annual Student Poetry Contest.

The eight winners include a diverse set of students, from many campus centers and from many age groups. Winners were Kiley Conklin, April Cipolla, Andrea Louis, Richard Seitz, Kelly M. Johnson, Matthew Bouwens, Sadie Popham, and Jessica Veltre, whose poem "Look at March" won First Place. It reads:

Follow the crooked tips of the trees,

Exposed and undressed, waiting for leaves.

Follow the water, not quite yet a stream,

But it trickles and traces each rock, journeying.

Gaze at the sky, it craves to be blue;

Silver still lingers, but there's hope in its hues.

Gaze at the ground, white succumbing to brown,

Green will come soon- Earth claiming its crown.

Hey all you Cub Scouts! The Seneca District is gearing up for the big Cubmobile Derby on Saturday, May 8. It will be held in the park across from the Alexander School parking lot.

Registration for the race begins at 9 a.m. Attendees should park in the school parking lot.

All registered Tigers, Wolves, Bears and Webelos I and II are invited to participate. Cost is $3 per car (if by check, payable to BSA Seneca District). Packs and Dens can race with multiple drivers.

There will be First-, Second- and Third-place awards in each division and one overall Best of Show award.

Cubmobile design information and other specifications for racers are available on-line at the website of the Iroquois Trail Council of Boy Scouts <www.itcbsa.org>.

Call event chair Bob Spiers for more information at 591-3384.

Community Action of Orleans & Genesee will hold its annual Community Appreciation Luncheon beginning at 11:30 a.m. on Monday, May 17 at the American Legion Hall in Albion.

The hall is located at 131 S. Main St.

The luncheon will highlight accomplishments of Community Action as well as services provided to residents of Orleans and Genesee counties. It will also provide an opportunity to say "thank you" by recognizing individuals and organizations for their continued support and generosity.

Cornell Cooperative Extension of Genesee County’s Master Gardeners will host the annual Garden Gala from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturday, May 22.

It will be held at the extension, 420 E. Main St. in Batavia. The plant sale will start promptly at 10, featuring indoor and outdoor plants, a chance auction, free soil pH testing and gardening advice by certified Master Gardeners. Refreshments will be available for a nominal fee.

Don’t miss your chance to pick up some great plants for your own garden.

For more information contact Amy Berry at 343-3040, ext. 106, stop by the office or visit online <http://www.genesee.shutterfly.com>.

Assemblyman Steve Hawley announced Monday that the Adelphi NY Statewide Breast Cancer Hotline & Support Program is conducting its annual Mother’s Day Mammography Campaign.

The organization is reaching out to New York women and asking them to help raise breast cancer awareness by getting a mammogram.

“As we celebrate Mother’s Day in the coming weeks, it’s important that we still remember how adverse a breast cancer diagnosis can be to a loved one,” Hawley said. “Raising awareness about breast cancer is essential for advancing treatment and prevention in our families and community.

"Even though the medical community has made great strides in breast cancer research, to date, the most effective way to fight breast cancer is early detection. I would encourage all women to help raise awareness for this cause by getting a mammogram this Mother’s Day.”

For more information about the annual campaign and to locate an accredited mammography facility nearby, call the Adelphi New York Statewide Breast Cancer Hotline & Support Program at 800-877-8077 or visit
<http://www.adelphi.edu/nysbreastcaner>.

Callers with limited income can also find out about low cost and free mammograms through the hotline.

The Batavia Society of Artists will have a Spring Show in the Gallery Room at the Richmond Memorial Library in Batavia from May 1-29. It is free and open to the public during regular library hours.

Genesee Community College has expanded eligibility for its Promise Plus Tuition Scholarship Program for GLOW high school and GED graduates.

Every graduate will receive a scholarship covering the cost of tuition for one or two college courses during the July 6 – Aug. 7, five-week summer session if they attended high school in Genesee, Livingston, Orleans or Wyoming counties.

Also, students who live in the four-county service area, including home-schooled students, who earned a GED Diploma in 2010 are also eligible for up to two tuition-free courses, regardless of age.

Graduates of the Royhart, Pioneer, Wayland-Cohocton, Honeoye Falls-Lima, Lima Christian, Akron, West Valley, Fillmore and Barker School Districts are eligible, too.

And high school graduates who attended high schools outside of the GLOW service area but have accumulated GCC college credits through the College's ACE Program are also eligible to participate.

Lastly, Job Corp GED recipients and students graduating prior to the beginning of the first module of summer classes will be considered for the tuition scholarships on a case-by-case basis.

Under the Promise Plus Scholarship Program, students outlined above can take up to two tuition-free summer courses at any of the college's seven campus locations including Albion, Arcade, Batavia, Dansville, Lima, Medina and Warsaw. The scholarship pays all tuition and fees and the student is only responsible for purchasing textbooks.

The credits earned can be used to get a head start on college and can be used not only at GCC, but will transfer to all State University of New York (SUNY) schools and most other colleges and universities as well.

The deadline for submitting the Genesee Promise Plus Scholarship Application is June 18. There is no limit to the number of students receiving these scholarships. The one-page application form is available at all seven GCC campus locations as well as on-line at <http://www.genesee.edu/promise>.

For more information contact <http://tmlanemartin@genesee.edu > or call 345-6800 or 1-866-CALL-GCC or stop in at any GCC campus.