education

Deputy Howard Wilson started working as the school resource officer for Oakfield-Alabama Central School District at the end of January. The position was officially approved by the Genesee County County Legislature last week, and Friday we got a chance to talk with Wilson about his new job.

Here's a press release from the Sheriff's Office:

Genesee County Sheriff William A. Sheron Jr. is pleased to announce that as a result of the collaboration between the Genesee County Legislature, Oakfield-Alabama Central School Board and the Genesee County Sheriff’s Office, the assignment of a School Resource Officer has been approved.

Deputy Howard O. Wilson V has been selected by the Oakfield-Alabama Central School District as its School Resource Officer. Deputy Wilson is a five-year veteran of the Sheriff’s Office. He was hired as a Correction Officer in 2014 and then appointed to Deputy Sheriff in 2016. During his tenure, he has earned three Commendations.

"The Oakfield-Alabama School District and Board are proud to have Deputy Sheriff Howard Wilson serve as our School Resource Officer," said Superintendent John Fisgus. "We look forward in creating a positive working relationship with him as he will serve to help and assist our students and community in many different facets.

"Thank you to the Genesee County Sheriff's Office for this agreement.”

Sheriff Sheron indicated that his goal has always been to establish a School Resource Officer in all county schools to ensure the safety and protection of the students and faculty.

“With the assignment of Deputy Wilson in the Oakfield-Alabama Schools, we are that much closer to our goal," the sheriff said. "Although the cost associated with placing a School Resource Officer in the schools is significant, I believe the safety and security of our children should be of the utmost precedence.”

Superintendent John Fisgus, Undersheriff Brad Mazur, Sheriff William Sheron, Deputy Howard Wilson, and Legislator John Hilchey.

Press release:

On Tuesday, Feb. 26, the fourth through sixth grades in the Byron-Bergen Central School District hosted special guests as part of their Black History Month celebration.

Olivia Kim, adjunct professor at the Rochester Institute of Technology, shared her experience with the Frederick Douglass sculpture project and “Discover Douglass” self-guided walking tour.

Kim sculpted the 6’7” monument of Douglass out of more than 200 pounds of clay to commemorate the 200-year anniversary of Douglass’ chosen birthday, Feb. 14, 1818. From her mold, 13 statues were completed and placed around Rochester.

The students learned about the complex process to create each of the statues as well as the significance Douglass holds in the Rochester community.

Community educator and choreographer Marcus Bowens shared the history and global influence of hip-hop. Hip-hop originated in New York City in the 1970s and has since spread around the world influencing diverse cultures. Bowens is a Master hip-hop dancer.

“Dance is a form of celebration and expression,” Bowens told the students. “Dance is contagious.

He then led the students in a celebration of hip-hop through a choreographed danced in which everyone participated.

Miriam Tardy, Siomara Caballero, and Hannah Catalino, all Byron-Bergen Senior High School students, introduced the students to the real life characters portrayed in the movie "Hidden Figures."

Their introduction included an overview of segregation and an interactive activity. Students and staff shared something that they were proud of and noted that "Hidden Figures" features real people who were not credited for the vital role they played at NASA until many decades later.

“Don’t let your accomplishments be hidden,” the three presenters concluded.

The day ended with a special screening of "Hidden Figures."

Photos and video courtesy of Gretchen Spittler, Byron-Bergen Communications specialist.

File photo from Tech Wars at GCC in 2012.

Press release:

Anyone interested in watching teams of teens and young adults embrace, engage and enjoy all facets of new and existing technology should come to Genesee Community College Batavia Campus for the 12th Annual Tech Wars on Thursday, March 14.

More than 750 students from 24 regional school districts will be competing in 30 different events and hands-on activities that use technology of all kinds.

New to Tech Wars this year is STEAM Jam @ Tech Wars! (STEAM stands for Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Math). STEAM Jam is a way for students in third through fifth grades around the GLOW region to be exposed to the opportunity of Tech Wars once they reach middle school.

STEAM Jam students will have their own competition including activities with building/engineering, circuit and robotic/coding challenges. Part of their day will be to tour and observe the multiple venues and competitions of Tech Wars, and plan for future participation when they enter middle and high school.

The main Tech Wars event matches area middle and high school students against each other in many competitions including the Robotic Tractor Pull, Catapults and SUMO Bots in the gymnasium, the Regatta in the Aquatics Center, and Bridge Designing in the central Forum.

Also a favored feature is Battlebot Soccer where high school students design and build a remote control robot to compete in a soccer match.

Tech Wars is hosted by the College's ACE (Accelerated College Enrollment) Program for students in the GLOW (Genesee, Livingston, Orleans and Wyoming counties) region.

The event brings area middle and high school students to GCC's Batavia Campus where teams of students work collaboratively to demonstrate their technical expertise through innovative, mind-expanding competitions.

The students arrive at GCC at 8:30 a.m. with the competitions scheduled to run from 9:30 a.m. - 12:15 p.m. followed by the awards ceremony at 12:30.

Students participate in a variety of challenges, many in groups of two or more. Some competitions involve bringing projects they've been working on to GCC, while others provide a more spontaneous opportunity or "mystery" event where materials and directions are shared that day.

The winning Tech Wars 2019 logo, designed by Dylan Duffy from Dansville High School is a great example of the creativity and hard work that happens well in advance of the overall program.

"Tech Wars is a great opportunity for students and instructors to work together toward a common goal," Ann Valento, GCC Career Pathways program specialist said. "It fosters an atmosphere of encouragement and teamwork and the hard-work of each participant is acknowledged and appreciated. It is simply a fun way for students to realize and tap into their talents!"

In addition to the Battlebot Soccer competition listed above, there are 29 other events to challenge students in an array of technologies. The 2019 Middle School events include: Catapult, CO2 Car Challenges, Logo Design, Mystery Project, Paper Airplane, Rube Goldberg, Sculpture and Tower.

The 2019 High School events include: Battlebot Soccer, Bridge Design, Architectural Design in CAD, CO2 Car Challenges, King of the Hill, Logo Design, Mystery Project, On Site CAD Project, Regatta, Reverse Engineered CAD Drawing, Robotic Tractor Pull Limited and Unlimited, Sculpture Event, Skimmer Car, SUMO Bots and Trebuchet which must launch a projectile at a given target 40 feet away. 

For the rules and details on all these competitions, click here.  

Tech Wars is supported by significant sponsorships. The Gold Sponsors this year include: Liberty Pumps, Turnbull Heating & Air Conditioning, Northeast Industrial Tech Inc., Graham Corporation and Amada Tool America Inc.

"Without the generosity of our sponsors and volunteers, the dedication of our area technology teachers and the commitment of our participating students, this event would not be possible," Valento said. "We are grateful for all."

The ACE Program's Career Pathways helps students explore career options and make a smooth transition from high school to college and ultimately to professional careers. Tech Wars is among several dynamic programs giving students the opportunity to learn hands-on, often in business settings and with industry professionals.

For more information, please contact Ann Valento, Genesee Community College Career Pathways program specialist at 585-343-0055, ext. 6316, or amvalento@genesee.edu.

Press release:

From soon-to-be high school graduates to first-time adult college students; military veterans to full-time employees; local residents to international prospects; computer geeks to the digitally challenged; and career enthusiasts of every persuasion -- Genesee Community College will have its doors open this spring welcoming potential new students of all ages, backgrounds and academic interests. In total, GCC has 15 different events on its Spring Visits calendar, which is a notable record of its own. 

"Genesee Community College, especially with our new facilities and success coaches at the main campus in Batavia, really is the number one value in educational opportunity in Western New York!" said Shelitha Williams, Ph.D., vice president for Student and Enrollment Services.

"I've worked in other institutions and traveled extensively, and I'm proud to make this claim. This spring, we hope anyone who has even the remotest thought of a college education or is seeking a new focus in life will come see us!"

The 2019 Spring Visits GCC calendar includes the following events at the Batavia Campus:

Major Exploration Days:

• Friday, March 8 - Business, Science and Technology
• Friday, March 22 - Law, Criminal Justice and Human Services
• Friday, March 29 - Health and Physical Education
• Friday, May 3 - Creative Arts, Education and Liberal Arts

The Major Exploration Days all begin at 8:45 a.m. with registration and a continental breakfast before hearing presentations by Admissions, Financial Aid and Student Activities. Guests will then have a campus tour including the new Richard C. Call Arena and the Student Success Center.

From there they will meet the faculty, current students and success coaches related to their academic major.

Finally, those interested can tour College Village seeing the newest housing opportunity, namely the renovation of Birch Hall into the "communal" living facility featuring single bedrooms surrounding the large, centrally located and shared kitchen and bathrooms. 

• Spring Open House -- Saturday, April 6, 8:30 a.m. - 1:30 p.m. -- This is GCC's Spring 2019 "signature" event providing prospective students and their families the chance to gain broad insight about GCC's robust services for student success. Presentations or interactive conversations with Admissions, Financial Aid, Career and Transfer Services, Student Success Center, Athletics, Student Activities and College Village will be among the many opportunities. Full campus tours will be provided, and to commence the Open House, GCC's theater majors will perform excerpts from "ENCOUNTERS" and "The Lamp is the Moon," two of GCC's performing arts events this spring.

Campus Tours and Group Information Sessions 

• Thursday, Feb. 28, 12:30 - 2 p.m.
• Tuesday, April 16, 12:30 - 2 p.m.
• Thursday, April 18, 12:30 - 2 p.m.

In just 90 minutes, visitors will hear the highlights of GCC's many programs and services, as well as the enrollment process. They can also enjoy a one-hour walking tour with a College Village option for those interested in living on campus.

Targeted Academic Information Sessions 

For those pursuing a career in healthcare, attending a specific information session is often a mandatory step in the application process. For this reason, different healthcare divisions are offering their own Info Sessions as outlined below:

Physical Therapist Assistant in the PTA Lab in room A208

• Wednesday, Feb. 27, 2:30 - 3:30 p.m. 
• Wednesday, March 20, 2:30 - 3:30 p.m. 
• Wednesday, April 3, 2:30 - 3:30 p.m. 
• Wednesday, April 17, 2:30 - 3:30 p.m.
• Wednesday, May 1, 2:30 - 3:30 p.m.
• Monday, May 6, 2:30 - 3:30 p.m.

Nursing - Non-LPNs Only in the Med Tech Building -- second floor

• Monday, March 18, 12:30 - 2:30 p.m.
• Wednesday, May 22, 12:30 - 2:30 p.m.
• Wednesday, June 12, 4:30 - 6:30 p.m.

Advanced Placement (LPN to RN) Only in the Med Tech Building -- second floor 

• Wednesday, Feb. 27, 4 - 6 p.m.
• Tuesday, March 26, 9 - 11 a.m.
• Thursday, April 11, 1 - 3 p.m.
• Wednesday, May 8, 9 - 11 a.m.
• Monday, June 10, 4 - 6 p.m.

Veterinary Technology in T119A

• Thursday, Feb. 28, 12:45 - 2 p.m.

Register online for any of GCC's Spring Visits here. For more information about any of the Spring Visit events, contact GCC's Admissions Office at 585-345-6800, toll free at 1-866-CALL-GCC or email Admissions@genesee.edu. For online, door-to-door driving directions click here.

To tour GCC remotely, click here for a 360 degree virtual online campus tour!

Submitted photo and press release:

Karl Steffenilla, a Batavia Career and Technical Education (CTE) Center student enrolled in the Building Trades Program, was recently awarded a $500 School-to-Work scholarship from the Electrical Association, a Rochester-based nonprofit dedicated to promoting the electrical trades. Karl is a senior from Pavilion Central schools.

Rich Monroe, Batavia CTE Center Building Trades instructor, described Karl as "an extremely dedicated and dependable student who is detail-orientated and eager to learn." 

After graduation, Karl's plans include applying to IBEW Local 86, the local Electricians' Union.

"I'm honored to receive this scholarship," Karl said. 

In photo, from left, are: Rich Monroe, Karl Steffenilla, Jon Sanfratello, executive principal, and Catherine Bennett, assistant principal.

About the CTE Center

The Batavia Morris Career and Technical Education Center, located in Batavia, is a program of the Genesee Valley Educational Partnership. The Partnership operates as a Board of Cooperative Educational Services offering shared programs and services to 22 component school districts located in Genesee, Wyoming, Livingston and Steuben counties in New York state.

Press release:

Tops Family Markets and Dole Packaged Foods LLC are excited to launch the third annual Learning Garden contest granting two elementary schools in either Upstate New York, Vermont or Northern Pennsylvania a Captain Planet Foundation Learning Garden. The contest will begin Sunday, Feb. 17 and will run until Saturday, March 16.

Tops shoppers can enter their school for a chance to win by visiting topsmarkets.comor https://captainplanetfoundation.org/contest/topsmarkets/and filling out the contest application. Two lucky schools will win a comprehensive Learning Garden complete with lesson kits filled with supplies, a schoolyard garden, fully equipped garden cooking cart, and strategies for summer garden maintenance.

The Learning Garden program provides a context for multidisciplinary learning, ranging from Nutrition and Science to Social Studies, Math, and Language Arts. Students benefit by expanding their palates, taste-testing healthy foods, and learning about food origins.

“Dole is very excited to be partnering with Tops Friendly Markets again to bring two lucky schools Learning Gardens. It is so important for children to learn about where their food comes from and develop healthy eating habits at an early age,” said Larry White, vice president -- Sales, Dole Packaged Foods. 

“So many subjects can be taught in the garden and hands-on garden learning is an excellent way to support student understanding of natural systems, food origins, and healthy eating,” said Leesa Carter, president & CEO of Captain Planet Foundation.

“Captain Planet Foundation is dedicated to ensuring that kids are armed with an understanding of the natural world in which they live, and we are thrilled to be partnering again with Tops and Dole Packaged Foods to provide two lucky schools in with Project Learning Garden.”

“Tops Friendly Markets is excited to partner with Dole and the Captain Planet Foundation for a third year. We are committed to supporting educational excellence and the hands-on garden and curriculum is an integral part of the conversation when teaching kids learn where their food comes from,” says Diane Colgan, senior VP of Marketing & Decision Support, Tops Friendly Markets. “We encourage every elementary school to consider entering for their chance at winning this great free resource.”

About Dole Packaged Foods

Dole Packaged Foods LLC, a subsidiary of Dole International Holdings, is a leader in growing, sourcing, distributing and marketing fruit, vegetables and healthy snacks throughout the world. Dole markets a full line of innovative packaged, frozen and dried fruit. The company focuses on four pillars of sustainability in all its operations: water management, carbon footprint, soil conservation and packaging. For more information, please visit dolesunshine.comor doleintlcsr.com.

About Tops Friendly Markets

Tops Markets LLC is headquartered in Williamsville and operates 159 full-service supermarkets with five additional by franchisees under the Tops banner. Tops employs over 14,000 associates and is a leading full-service grocery retailer in New York, northern Pennsylvania, and Vermont. For more information about Tops Markets, visit the company's website at www.topsmarkets.com.

About Captain Planet Foundation (CPF)

Based on the critically-acclaimed animated series "Captain Planet and the Planeteers," CPF was cofounded in 1991 by media mogul Ted Turner and producer Barbara Pyle. Since then, the Captain Planet Foundation has played a critical role in helping to ensure that the next generation of business leaders and policy makers are environmentally literate citizens who leverage technology and information to manage and protect the air, land, and water upon which all life depends. 

CPF is a grant-making foundation that has funded over 2,000 hands-on environmental education projects withschools and nonprofits that serve children in all 50 U.S. states and in 25 countries internationally. More than 1.4 million children have directly participated in and benefited from these educational projects. In addition to its Small Grants Program, the Captain Planet Foundation also operates the following programs: Project Learning Garden, Project Hero, Youth Voice, and the Institute. For more information:www.captainplanetfoundation.org.

Above is just a sampling of the nice things available for auction at St. Paul Lutheran School on Saturday. Photo courtesy of St. Paul's.

St. Paul Lutheran School is holding their annual auction on Saturday, Feb. 9th. The doors open at 3:30 p.m. and bidding begins at 4 o'clock.

The auction is to be held at St. Paul Lutheran Church and School located at 31 Washington Ave., Batavia.

Items to be auctioned are theme baskets, handmade items, craft items and certificates. There is also a bake sale. The Snack Shack will be open!

The proceeds will benefit the school's tuition fund.

A new partnership with the Batavia Career and Technical Education Center (BOCES) and Cornell University is paving the way for students interested in a career in precision machining.

The unique program, which is the only such partnership in the nation, allows students to study realistic particle accelerator hardware designs and fabricate hardware based on those designs, said Maggie Fitzgibbon, head of public relations at Genesee Valley Educational Partnership.

“Within the next several years, the Cornell-BNL Energy Recovery Linacs Test Accelerator at the Cornell Laboratory for Accelerator-based Sciences and Education (CLASSE) will develop into a powerhouse of accelerator physics and technology and will be one of the most advanced in the world,” said Lora K. Gruber-Hine, director of Education and Outreach Programs at the Cornell laboratory.

“The building of ERL will require the cultivation of local talent and a highly trained workforce. When this prototype ERL is complete and expanded upon, it will be a critical resource to New York State, the nation and the world, propelling science, biomedical advancement and economic development.”

Tim Gleba, precision machining instructor, was instrumental in development of the new partnership. After watching a video on the Cornell High Energy Synchrotron Source Facebook page explaining how machinists work to create parts for the particle accelerator at Cornell, he was intrigued and thought this could possibly be a project for his students.

He pitched his idea to Cornell and a meeting last summer resulted in development of a project plan for this school year.

Batavia CTE’s precision machining students are now creating 150 parts for Cornell’s particle accelerator. These include adjustment plates and brackets, as well as a short dipole spacer bar. These parts are used to align magnets within a tolerance of .004 inches, Gleba said.

“This partnership is a wonderful opportunity for these high school students,” Gleba said. “They are able to work with Cornell’s engineers, physicists and machinists.”

Development of the partnership adds a whole inventive aspect to the precision machining curriculum and provides students with relevant work experience, Gleba added.

“Our machine shop and Cornell’s are virtually the same,” he said. “Cornell has the identical machines as us and also uses the same software as what we have in our Precision Machine Shop here in Batavia.”

Students recently toured the Wilson Synchrotron Laboratory at Cornell to kick off the new partnership, according to Fitzgibbon.

Gruber-Hine said they want to showcase the partnership and the new technologies being developed.

She and Gleba both commented on the shortage of trained employees in the precision-machining industry.

“Our lab has been sensitized to the shortage, and as we are growing, the need for skilled labor becomes more evident," Gruber-Hine said. “We realize the need to cultivate a relationship with institutions that train skilled professionals to fill this middle skills gap. When Tim watched our video, he wanted to form a relationship with our laboratory that would allow his students to work on meaningful machining products and contribute to the work being done here.”

“Within the next five years, it is anticipated 50 percent of the precision machining workforce will be retiring, leaving an incredible gap,” Gleba said.

The Precision Machining class at Batavia BOCES had been discontinued for several years, after longtime instructor David O’Geen retired, Fitzgibbon said. But when several high school students expressed an interest in the field, Gleba was hired three years ago in an effort to resurrect the program.

Four of those students are Ayden Odachowski, James Roggow, Benjamin LaBombard and Evan Bartz.

Bartz said he wanted to get into machining because he knew the field was exploding.

Bartz and Roggow worked together to create a process to machine both sides of spacer bars.

Jon Sanfratello, executive principal of the Batavia campus, which includes the Batavia CTE Center, commented on how this partnership provides students with the chance to learn advanced manufacturing skills. The Precision Machining Program is currently affiliated with the National Aeronautics and Space Administration’s HUNCH program. Along with manufacturing hardware for Space X-10, students learn how to inspect and analyze the parts to meet the expert standards set forth by NASA.

“We pride ourselves in offering innovative programs that give our students real-world applicable learning opportunities,” Sanfratello said. “In this new partnership with CLASSE, our students will study cutting-edge designs, learn modern manufacturing methods so they are equipped to succeed in the 21st century workforce.”

“The goal of this partnership is to inspire the next generation of machinists and trades professionals by providing educational opportunities for students to work in concert with engineers and technical directors,” Gruber-Hine added.

Top photo: Tim Gleba, right, instructor in the Precision Machining Program at Batavia Career and Technical Education Center, and student James Roggow show some of the parts the class is making for the particle accelerator at Cornell University.

Above, four of the students in the Precision Machining Program at Batavia Career and Technical Education Center are, from left, Ayden Odachowski, James Roggow, Benjaming LaBombard and Evan Bartz. The Center is engaged in a partnership with Cornell University’s lab to make parts for the college’s particle accelerator. This is the first such partnership in the nation with high school students.

Tim Gleba, instructor in the Precision Machining program at the Batavia Career and Technical Education Center, holds one of parts made by high school students in his class in a one-of-a-kind partnership with Cornell University. Gleba was hired three years to train precision machinists, which are in dire need throughout the area. Gleba said Cornell and industry in the region will be looking to hire 100 precision machinists within the next five years.

This is an example of the parts machined by students at the Batavia Career and Technical Education Center. The program was revived three years ago to train precision machinists for the industry.

Children at St. Joe's this morning had fun making their own slime. It was then judged based on consistency, texture and elasticity.

For readers using The Batavian's app, click here to view the video on thebatavian.com.

To celebrate the life of Martin Luther King Jr., the second-grade students of Anne Marie Starowitz at St. Joseph's School wrote essays about King. The essays were judged by Jennifer Corbelli, an English Language Arts teacher at Batavia High School.

First Place, Olivia  Bezon
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. wanted peace and love for all people. When Martin Luther King was little everything was different. That white people did not want the black people near them.  Martin Luther wanted everybody to be happy but it never happened because white people bossed black people around. The white children got better things, the black people didn’t. White children had better schools. Black children had to go to black schools separate from the white children, this is called segregation.

Civil rights mean black people and white people have to learn to love each other. Protesting is when you have a sign with you and use your words to say what you want. That means protesting without fighting. Rosa Parks was asked to move to the back of the bus because a white person wanted her seat. She was arrested. Dr. King heard about this and he decided to protest and his sign said don’t ride the bus until the black people could sit where ever they wanted. After one year of not riding the bus the law was changed.

Martin Luther is also famous for his speech I Have a Dream. He gave his famous speech in Washington, D.C. He said he didn’t want it in 10 years, he wanted equality now. He didn’t want people to fight or to hurt anybody because Dr. King didn’t believe in fighting. Civil rights mean black and white people have the same rights.

Dr. King was shot and everyone was sad and everything got better because of him. Dr. King will be remembered for his speeches and his peaceful nonviolence protest.

Second Place, Matthew McCulley
Doctor Martin Luther King Jr. was a civil rights leader. He was born in Atlanta, Georgia in 1929. He learned in his childhood to never fight. He believed in nonviolence. Nonviolence is marching to the principles of nonviolence. Dr. King had 10 Principles of Nonviolence. They are like our 10 Commandments because they are both about being good. He wanted equal rights for everyone. Nonviolence is not fighting. The Jim Crow laws are when Rosa Parks, had to move to the back of the bus. Protesting is when people hold signs if they are mad. When you dislike someone that is called prejudice.

Martin had to sit in the balcony of the movie theater. Martin Luther was sad he couldn’t play with his white friends. In the movie The Boy King, white people did not like black people. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. gave a speech in Washington, D.C. It was called the I Have a Dream speech. His speech was about equal rights. Dr. King didn’t want white and black people to be separated. That is called segregation. If someone is fighting say don’t fight. If someone is bullying someone you can say stop.

In 1968, in Memphis, Tennessee Dr. King was shot. On January 15th we celebrate Dr. Martin Luther King’s Jr. Birthday.

Third Place, Chelsea Fitch
Doctor Martin Luther King Junior was a civil rights leader. Martin Luther didn’t like prejudice and he didn’t like segregation. When Martin was a little boy, he couldn’t play with his white friends because white and black children could not play together. They could not use the same bathrooms or drinking fountains. When Martin was little he wanted everyone to be friends. Martin knew he liked books even before he could read. When he grew up he went to a dance and his grandma died. Martin was so sad because he promised his grandma he would be back.

Martin Luther King Jr. believed in nonviolence. Rosa Parks wasn’t going to give up her seat and Martin agreed with Rosa. Martin told all black people not to ride the bus, this was a peaceful protest and it was called a bus boycott.  The law was changed. He led many protests because he wanted the laws to change so it would be equal rights for the blacks. People would have signs and they would all walk together without fighting back. That is nonviolence. Nonviolence is also about when people don’t fight each other because of the color of their skin.

Martin gave many speeches. He died. He always believed do not fight back with violence, do not protest with violence. Do what is right and not wrong. Help people. Don’t say God’s name in vain. Treat people the way you want to be treated. Help people with kindness. People followed Dr. King’s coffin down the street. 

We celebrate the life of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. every January 15th. That was the day he was born. It is a national holiday, it means everyone in the United States celebrates his day.

Honorable Mention, Eddie Lankford
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. had a dream. He wanted people with white skin and black skin to get along.

People with black skin had to sit in the balcony at a movie theater. Martin Luther King Jr. went to Washington and said white people and black people should be equal. He led marches carrying signs. Black people and white people could not go to the same school. The people with black skin had to drink from a different drinking fountain. People with black skin had to sit in the balcony in the movie theater. People with black skin had to sit in the back of the bus because people with white skin sat in the front, so Martin decided to have a boycott. Then the bus company lost money. That was a protest.

Martin Luther King Jr. went to Washington, D.C. so he could make his speech. His speech said people with black skin should have civil rights. One day a man shot Martin Luther King Jr. in 1968. He died. January 15th is Martin Luther King Jr.’s birthday. We celebrate that day.

Graphic Art students at the Genesee Valley Educational Partnership have been busy designing wristwatches using Adobe Illustrator.

They were placed in teams to work collaboratively on the designs for the Graphic Arts Watch Contest.

There is quite an array of styles -- sleek and modern, retro, kitschy, sporty, glitzy, with nods to space aliens, Pringles, Alice in Wonderland, and more. Creativity unquestionably is channeled into each timepiece.

To determine the winning design, Graphic Arts instructor Doug Russo is asking people to look at the watch designs posted in a survey and choose ONE that you like best and would buy if you could. When you've selected your choice, click on the circle below the design you like.

Then submit the survey online. You must provide your email address to submit the survey.

You can only submit the survey once.

If you are unable to submit the link form, you can still look at the designs and email Russo back with your choice at:   drusso@gvboces.org

The survey link is here.

Sources of Strength is a suicide prevention program at Batavia High School that trains volunteer students to provide peer-to-peer assistance or help guide students who might otherwise be unwilling to talk with an adult to guide them to the right adult.

Currently, at Batavia HS, there are 10 adult advisers and 43 peer leaders.

Five of those peer leaders made a presentation about the program to the Board of Trustees Tuesday night.

The program also brings in campus speakers from Mental Health, GCASA, the Youth Bureau, and the YMCA.

Last month, peer leaders volunteered at the NYS Veterans Home, making Christmas cards with residents for armed service members overseas.

Training was provided by founders of the organization from Denver.

Students participating in the presentation Tuesday were Lily Whiting, AT Thatcher, Gavin Tucker, Stephanie Dibble, and Ben Best, with adult advisers Kelly Deneka and Heidi Meides.

People really should attend the City School District's annual art show in March at the Richmond Memorial Library, Superintendent Chris Dailey said after art teacher Amanda Antonucci provided a department review Tuesday night at the Board of Trustees meeting.

"It's amazing what our kids produce," Dailey said.

This year the art show will feature a districtwide project: art students are drawing portraits of just their eyes. The pair of eyes will be displayed side-by-side on one long wall.

The opening night reception will be held March 15.

Antonucci went through several projects students are working on at schools in the district, including the fourth-annual monster swap project, where elementary students draw a monster and high school students make a sculpture of those monsters.

"It's my favorite project," Antonucci said.

Teachers at Jackson, John Kennedy, and the Middle School are all integrating STEM into their art instruction.

This includes learning about nature through art, using perspective to learn math and geometry, and science with Lego-related projects.

Dom Grazioplene is the most recent student selected for a solo art show at GO ART!, with an opening reception Thursday night.

There are art appreciation nights planned in May for Jackson and the high school and in May the middle school will host its annual human rights activists project.

Press release:

The Adult Educational Opportunity Center (AEOC) is visiting every Genesee Community College campus center in January to help any current or potential student through College Entry Point and FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) Workshops.

The remaining events are listed below; any current or potential student can attend these workshops:

Batavia Campus -- 1 College Road, Batavia

• Wednesday, Jan. 30, from 9 a.m. 'til 5 p.m.

Albion Campus Center -- 456 West Ave, Albion

• Tuesday, Jan. 15, from 9 a.m. 'til 12 p.m.
• Tuesday, Jan. 22, from 9 a.m. 'til 12 p.m.
• Tuesday, Jan. 29, from 9 a.m. 'til 12 p.m.

Arcade Campus Center -- 25 Edward St., Arcade

• Thursday, Jan. 17, from 9 a.m. 'til 3 p.m.
• Thursday, Jan. 31, from 11 a.m. 'til 7 p.m.

Dansville Campus Center - 31 Clara Barton St., Dansville

• Tuesday, Jan. 15, from 11 a.m. 'til 4 p.m.
• Thursday, Jan. 17, from 11 a.m. 'til 4 p.m.

Lima Campus Center -- 7285 Gale Road, Lima

• Tuesday, Jan. 22, from 9 a.m. 'til 2 p.m.

Medina Campus Center -- 11470 Maple Ridge Road, Medina

• Thursday, Jan. 17, from 9 a.m. 'til 12 p.m.
• Thursday, Jan. 24, from 9 a.m. 'til 12 p.m.

The complete calendar of AEOC support workshops, financial aid sessions, College Entry Point events and more is available at www.genesee.edu/aeoc/.

One of the most popular workshops the AEOC offers are the "FAFSA Fests" (Free Application for Federal Student Aid). During these sessions, anyone can receive help in completing the FAFSA and TAP (Tuition Assistance Program) forms. Interested individuals are encouraged to contact the AEOC office at 1-888-394-2362 or via email at AEOC@genesee.edu to reserve a seat in any session and to learn about what information and materials are required for participation. 

All of the AEOC services are free and available to anyone, not just students of Genesee Community College. With dozens of events taking place throughout the Genesee, Livingston, Orleans and Wyoming counties, the AEOC is readily available. For a complete list of AEOC workshop and other events, visit the new calendar of events online here.

To learn more about any of these AEOC services, please visit here or contact the AEOC office at 1-888-394-2362 or via email at AEOC@genesee.edu.

Pembroke students Tuesday had a lot of questions for Astronaut David Saint-Jacques about being a space pioneer and life aboard the International Space Station.

Sixteen students were selected to ask questions and participating the planning of the event and today it all came together after months of preparation -- going back to April of last year -- during an assembly in the school's auditorium.

Saint-Jacques answered questions about what it was like to be in space, how his life inside the space station, what surprised him about going into space, and whether it was fun, along with addressing other topics.

Melissa Smith, a 7th and 8th-grade science teacher, took the lead on setting up the event and said it was a great opportunity to expose the students to things they may not otherwise get to do as part of their school experience. They learned about shortwave radio, the space station, about astronauts and they worked with members of the community to help bring it all together.

"We want to make a relatable experience for them so this was really cool because this isn't something we would necessarily teach in our curriculum, in our class, so it was a way we could go above and beyond what students normally learn," Smith said.

In all, 16 students were selected to ask questions during the eight or nine minutes the station was in position to connect via shortwave with a transmitter.

The ARISS event was managed by an international consortium of amateur radio organizations and space agencies including the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), Whitworth Ferguson Planetarium at SUNY Buffalo State, and members of the Genesee County Radio Amateurs (GRAM) Club.  Pamela Ware, from Corfu, and member of GRAM, holds an FCC amateur extra license and was the liaison for the team of radio operators who provided hands-on training and experience for Pembroke students. 

A couple of months ago a friend contacted me and asked if I would like a book from the Union School. I immediately said, “yes.” When I taught at Robert Morris School there was a painting of a very impressive red brick school called Union School. I always thought there was another school on Union Street besides Robert Morris. When I began researching schools for my book, I learned the impressive school did exist in Batavia but on Ross Street.

Here is a brief timeline of the schools in Batavia. As Western New York was settled in the 1700s, the first thing on a settler’s mind was to build a home for the family and gardens or crops to feed them, but no community was complete until a church was built and soon followed by a schoolhouse.

By 1798, there were 1,352 schools in the Holland Land Purchase (the area sold and administrated from the Holland Land Office in Batavia). Within 40 years (by 1838) that number increased almost tenfold, to 10,583. 

The first brick school was constructed in Batavia in 1811. It had the public school downstairs and a meeting place for the Masonic Lodge upstairs. In 1829, the school district was divided between west of Dingle Alley and east of Dingle Alley. That would be the intersection of East Main and Center Street.

In 1839, the districts were consolidated and Batavia’s First Free Union School District 1 was built. In 1861, District 2 was combined with District 1. As a result, overcrowding occurred and the need for a new school was inevitable. The school district purchased land on Ross Street and in 1873 the red brick high school was built. It opened in 1874.

It was demolished in 1926 and was replaced with a new high school, currently the Batavia Middle School. The book I mentioned in this article was from the first high school that had the impressive red brick façade and towers. The book is stamped Union School 1905. The title of the book is, "The History of Little Goody Two Shoes," published in 1900. The book is dedicated "To All Young Gentlemen and Ladies who are good or intend to be good."

In 1911 the district was combined with one superintendent in charge of all schools. In the City School District, there was a high school, five elementary schools, the school for the blind and one Catholic school with students to 12th grade. By 1920, 400 students attended the high school; it was overflowing.

In 1921, 30 students had to go to vacant classrooms at East school. In 1920 the high school was built. There were five elementary schools and only one had been built in the 1900s. Washington was built in 1885 and had four rooms. In 1903 H. W. Homelius built a new school that had two floors and eight classrooms. It opened in 1904. Also built at the same time was Pringle School and William Street School. Washington School was built in 1885. East School and West School were built in 1892.

 In 1925 Jackson School would be built to replace William School and Pringle School. In 1929 Brooklyn School, Robert Morris, and Jackson school opened. In 1939 Jackson School was enlarged and opened as a junior high school. By 1948 all city schools were crowded. Students were bussed to less crowded schools. Parents protested, they wanted their kids in their neighborhood schools.

Temporary schools were created at East School and Washington School. In 1950, city council offered to the City School District a site on Vine Street for a new school. Pringle school closed and was razed in 1954. Lincoln School closed in 1960. Children living south of Ellicott Street went to Jackson School, which was no longer a junior high school. A new school was to be built on Vine Street, called John Kennedy School, named after the superintendent John Kennedy who served from 1890 to 1930.

As public schools were being built, so were parochial schools. St. Joseph School opened in 1882, Sacred Heart School in 1904, St. Anthony’s School in 1930, St. Mary’s School in 1951, and Notre Dame High School opened in 1952. St. Joseph School is currently the only Catholic Elementary School in Batavia along with Notre Dame High School.

In 1961 the current Batavia High School was built on State Street. The high school on Ross Street was changed to a middle school. A new school for B.O.C.E.S. was also built on State Street and opened in 1976. In 1972 the new Genesee Community College was built.

In 2014 Robert Morris School closed. Jackson School became the district primary school and John Kennedy School became the intermediate school.

Even though the earliest history of the various schoolhouses throughout the region had similar stories with varied locations and different building designs, they all were built for the same reason -- to educate the children in what is today our city schools.

I attended East School, John Kennedy School, St. Joseph and Notre Dame High and I taught at Jackson School, Robert Morris School and John Kennedy School. I am currently on the faculty at St. Joseph School.