Milestones

The following students were recognized for outstanding academic achievement at Buffalo State's 55th annual Honors Convocation:

• Abigail Copenhaver, a dietetics major from Corfu

• Jillian Hunt, a career and technical education major from Corfu

• Cara Robinson, a early childhood and childhood education major from Elba

• Jessica Stabell, a anthropology major from Darien Center

To qualify, students must earn a cumulative grade point average of 3.50 or higher and have accumulated a minimum of 45 credit hours. Buffalo State's Honors Convocation is held each spring to celebrate students who have achieved this level of academic excellence.

Founded in 1871, Buffalo State offers 166 undergraduate programs with 11 honors options and 65 graduate programs, including 19 postbaccalaureate teacher certification programs.

Braden Mosgeller, of East Bethany, and Michelle Jackson, of Stafford, are now engaged. The couple have spent the past 3 years dating and plan to wed next March.

Brady and Michelle met in 8th grade at Pavilion Central School and started dating the summer of their junior year in high school.

He currently works for Precision Lawn Care, out of Stafford, and Michelle works at Stafford Country Club.

She is attending GCC and will graduate in December with a degree in medical administrative assistance.

Ten local students representing Genesee Valley Educational Partnership were honored at the New York State Health Occupations Students of America Leadership Conference held last month in East Syracuse.

These exceptional students earned six medals, three achievement awards, two service project awards, one Barbara James Gold Community Service Award, one Presidential Gold Community Service Award, one “Outstanding New York State HOSA Officer Award" and one HOSA Chapter Poster Award.

Ten members of the HOSA chapters from the Batavia campus participated in competitive events and leadership activities.

Members from Charter #17115: Heather Hicks (Batavia High School); Feyza Osmancikli (Oakfield-Alabama Central School); and Courtney Zufall (Attica).

Charter # 17125: Mechelle Bradley (Caledonia- Mumford); Kelly Cook (Elba); Jeffery Elleman (Alexander Central School); Jessica Fuller (Byron-Bergen High School); Brianna Hofert (Elba); Jenna Pangrazio (Elba); and Keri Ramsey (Alexander Central School).

Charter #17115 earned the HOSA Chapter Poster Award, and Feyza Osmancikli earned First Place in Job Seeking Skills.

Charter # 17125: Mechelle Bradley earned Third Place in Medical Photography; Kelly Cook earned First Place in Interviewing Skills and Third Place in Personal Care; Jeffery Elleman earned First Place in Medical Photography; Jessica Fuller earned Second Place in Interviewing Skills.

Brianna Hofert earned a Barbara James Gold Community Service Award; a Presidential Gold Community Service Award -- and the most prestigious award -- New York State Outstanding HOSA Officer for 2012. Brianna is required to attend the National HOSA Leadership Conference in Orlando, Fla., where she will be honored for all three of these awards. (Brianna participated in the National HOSA Leadership Academy in Washington, D.C., September 2011.)

Kelly Cook was elected to serve as a New York State HOSA State Officer for the 2012-2013 School year. Kelly will serve in the role of NYS secretary and Region E vice-president. Kelly is required to attend Officer Training Camp June 25-28 in Albany.

Heather Hicks, Feyza Osmancikli; Courtney Zufall; Jenna Pangrazio, Mechelle Bradley, Kelly Cook, Jeffery Elleman, Jessica Fuller and Keri Ramsey participated as volunteers in the New York State HOSA Courtesy Corp. Keri Ramsey also volunteered her time as a patient in two competitive events, “EMT” and “First Aid and Rescue Breathing."

Susan Mills (NY State HOSA chaperone, and Attendance Officer for GVEP), Jenna Pangrazio, Kelly Cook and Jessica Fuller earned the NY State HOSA Achievement Award.

All students who have received a first-, second- or third-place honor, per the HOSA National Charter, have earned the right to attend the National HOSA Leadership Conference in Orlando.

Karen Emerson attended the event as a chaperone. Richard Queal provided transportation for the group. Don Shucknect was the male chaperone, Mary Beswick was a bus chaperone, and Sue Mills was the extraordinary overnight chaperone and HOSA supporter. Bonny Shelby is the HOSA advisor and Health Dimensions instructor for the students named above. Shelby is also a registered nurse at the Genesee Valley Educational Partnership -- Batavia campus.

Help us reach our fund-raising goal to send these students to Nationals by joining us for a pancake breakfast at Applebee's Restaurant in Batavia from 8 to 10 a.m. on Saturday, May 12. Tickets are $5.

Poets representing a wide range of student interests and backgrounds submitted their best work in the 11th Annual Student Poetry Contest sponsored by the Alfred C. O'Connell Library at Genesee Community College. Among them, three Genesee County residents were rewarded this week for their inspiring works.

A total of 52 poems were submitted by 22 students, whose hometowns range from the local region, to as far as the Bronx, and who attend classes at GCC's Batavia, Arcade, Albion, Dansville and Warsaw campus centers.

First Place was earned by Accelerated College Enrollment (ACE) student Autumn Piletz, of Bergen, for "Thomas Bixton, 1888-1921 A Man Who." Among authors she credits with inspiring her are J.R.R. Tolkien and F. Scott Fitzgerald, and she hopes to pursue a career as a writer and author.

Teacher Transfer major Melissa Fuchs, of Oakfield, garnered Second Place for "Runaway Train" and Corfu's Paul Lane was named Third Place winner for "If I Was a Flower."

Each poet received a certificate, a journal to continue their writing, a copy of "Poetry" and a prize donated by a local business or campus organization, including The Red Osier Landmark Restaurant, Genesee Country Village and Museum, Darien Lake Theme Park, GCC College Bookstore and AVI Foodsystems.

Christopher Green, of Elba, is among the members of New York Army National Guard who have been promoted in recognition of their capability for additional responsibility and leadership.

The announcement was made by Major General Patrick A. Murphy, the Adjutant General for the State of New York.

Green is serving with the Company E, 3-126th Aviation and is promoted to the rank of Private First Class.

Army National Guard promotions are based on overall performance, attitude, leadership ability, and development potential.

These promotions additionally recognize the best qualified soldiers and attract and retain the highest caliber citizen soldiers for a career in the New York Army National Guard.

For more information about the New York Army National Guard, visit www.dmna.ny.gov or www.1800goguard.com.

On the web: http://readabout.me/achievements/Christopher-Green-Receives-New-Rank-New-Responsibility/3812436.

Kevin L. Lawson, a student at SUNY Empire State College, has earned the Chancellor's Award for Student Excellence. He is a resident of East Bethany.

Lawson is one of only five Empire State College students to earn this prestgious honor.

Shelby F. O'Neill, a member of the Class of 2015 at Colby College in Waterville, Maine, was named to the Deans' List for his outstanding academic achievement during the fall semester of the 2011-12 academic year.

He is the son of Philip O'Neill and MaryAnn Wiater, of Corfu, and attended Pembroke Central School.

Students whose grade point averages were 3.61 or higher were named to the Deans' List.

Founded in 1813, Colby College is the 12th-oldest independent liberal arts college in the nation. It provides a rigorous academic program that fosters transformational relationships between students and faculty. Graduates emerge as committed leaders ready to make an impact on their world. Colby is committed to making the full experience accessible to all qualified students, regardless of their ability to pay. The college enrolls 1,825 students.

Jerome P. George, of Oakfield, received academic honors from the Harpur College of Arts and Sciences at Binghamton University by making the Deans' List for the Fall 2011 semester.

Binghamton University is one of the four university centers of the State University of New York. Known for the excellence of its students, faculty, staff and programs, Binghamton enrolls close to 15,000 students in programs leading to bachelor's, master's and doctoral degrees. Its flourishing NCAA Division I athletics program is a vital part of the campus community, strengthening school spirit and inspiring loyalty and pride.

Elmira College has released its Deans' List for academic acievement for the Fall 2011 term. The list recognizes students that have a grade-point average of 3.6 or highter.

Matthew Gale, (Class of 2012) of Le Roy; he is majoring in Childhood Education and Sociology and Anthropology.

Alicia Hough, (Class of 2013), of Elba; she is majoring in Business Administration.

Megan Lowe, (Class of 2013), of Le Roy; she is majoring in Adolescence Education -- Mathematics.

Jessica Pcionek, (Class of 2015), of Oakfield; she is majoring in Childhood Education and Foreign Languages -- French.

Elmira College, located in the Finger Lakes Region of beautiful, historic Upstate New York, is one of the great small colleges of the nation.

The following students were named to the School of Natural and Social Sciences Fall 2011 Deans' List at Buffalo State College.

• Ashley Kingsley, of Pavilion. Kingsley is the daughter of Karen and Larry Kingsley, and a graduate of Pavilion Central School.

• Joe Miano, of Pembroke. Miano is the son of Joe and Joanne Miano, and a graduate of Pembroke High School.

• Elizabeth Miller, of East Bethany. Miller is the daughter of Louis and Mary Miller, and a graduate of Pavilion Central School.

To qualify, students must earn a grade-point average of 3.5 or higher and complete a minimum of 12 credit hours.

Founded in 1871, Buffalo State is the largest comprehensive college in the SUNY system. Buffalo State offers more than 165 undergraduate and 62 graduate programs in the arts, sciences, professions, and education. Each year nearly 12,000 students choose Buffalo State for its superb academic programs, applied learning opportunities, affordable tuition, and metropolitan location.

Dan Coward, of Stafford, has been named to the School of Arts and Humanities Fall 2011 Deans' list at Buffalo State College. Coward, a graduate of Le Roy High School, is the son of Bob Harris and the late Gwen Harris.

To qualify, students must earn a grade-point average of 3.5 or higher and complete a minimum of 12 credit hours.

Founded in 1871, Buffalo State is the largest comprehensive college in the SUNY system. Buffalo State offers more than 165 undergraduate and 62 graduate programs in the arts, sciences, professions, and education. Each year nearly 12,000 students choose Buffalo State for its superb academic programs, applied learning opportunities, affordable tuition, and metropolitan location.

Casey L. LaFleur, of Darien Center, received the Richard and Gina Weniger Memorial Endowed Scholarship during the 2011-2012 academic year.

He is a senior majoring in Mechanical Engineering at Clarkson University.

Clarkson University is grateful to its many donors of endowed, sponsored, and Share Clarkson scholarships. Scholarship support is essential to providing students with the financial resources necessary to achieve their goal of a Clarkson education.

Clarkson University launches leaders into the global economy. One in five alumni already leads as a CEO, VP or equivalent senior executive of a company. Located just outside the Adirondack Park in Potsdam, Clarkson is a nationally recognized research university for undergraduates with select graduate programs in signature areas of academic excellence directed toward the world's pressing issues.

Through 50 rigorous programs of study in engineering, business, arts, sciences and health sciences, the entire learning-living community spans boundaries across disciplines, nations and cultures to build powers of observation, challenge the status quo, and connect discovery and engineering innovation with enterprise.

A corfu man who is a member of the New York Army National Guard returned home this past Saturday, March 3, after successfully completing a one-year mobilization tour of duty, including combat service in Afghanistan.

Staff Sgt. Daniel Krebs was deployed in support of Detachment One, 3rd Battalion, 126th Aviation, and served as a member of a CH-47 Chinook aircrew.

The New York National Guard was tasked with providing the aircrew in April 2011 to support an Army rotation to Afghanistan. With 30 days of training preparation available, New York selected five soldiers, including Krebs, based on their extensive flight experience, said Capt. Eric Fritz, the detachment commander and operations officer at the Army Aviation Support Facility in Rochester.

The troops were located between three Forward Operating Bases in Afghanistan with the primary mission of ferrying troops and landing soldiers during air assaults. Most flight missions were conducted during the night with the use of night vision goggles, Fritz explained.

"All these soldiers had a successful tour," Fritz said, "representing the New York Army National Guard and their unit with pride."

Stephanie Esten, of Oakfield, was named to the School of the Professions' Fall 2011 Deans' List at Buffalo State College.

She is the daughter of Doug Esten and Lynette Skelton, and a graduate of Oakfield Alabama High School.

To qualify for the Deans' List, students must earn a minimum term GPA of 3.5 and complete a minimum of 12 credit hours.

Founded in 1871, Buffalo State is the largest comprehensive college in the SUNY system. Buffalo State offers more than 165 undergraduate and 62 graduate programs in the arts, sciences, professions, and education. Each year nearly 12,000 students choose Buffalo State for its superb academic programs, applied learning opportunities, affordable tuition, and metropolitan location.

Two local residents were named to the Deans' List at SUNY Cortland for the Fall 2011 semester. They are:

• Amanda Mignano, of Stafford, a senior Art major

• Meghan Olsowski, of Le Roy, a senior Sociology major

Honorees must earn a grade-point average of 3.3 or higher on a 4.0 scale, while completing 12 or more credit hours of classes during the semester.

More than 7,300 students are pursuing degrees within the college's 61 undergraduate and 33 graduate academic majors. SUNY Cortland is home to the largest undergraduate teacher education program in the Northeast.

Emilie M. Wetzel, of Le Roy, has been selected for inclusion on the Deans' List for academic achievement during the Fall 2011 semester at St. Lawrence University in Canton, New York.

To be eligible for the Deans' List at St. Lawrence University, a student must have completed at least four semester units and have an academic average of 3.6 (based on a perfect 4.0 scale) for the semester.

Wetzel, a member of the class of 2013, graduated from Le Roy Central School.

St. Lawrence, the oldest continuously degree-granting coeducational college in New York State, is a residential, liberal arts institution of about 2,300 students.

The College at Brockport, State University of New York, recently honored students who excelled academically by naming them to the President's List for the Fall 2011 semester. To achieve the honor of being on the President's List, a student must earn a grade-point average of 4.0.

Brittany Bills, of Oakfield

Patricia Johnston, of Byron

Kara Miller, of Le Roy

Joel Pitts, of Le Roy

Maureen Weinman, of Le Roy

Jeffery White, of Le Roy

The College at Brockport is a comprehensive four-year public college, located in Brockport. It offers 50 undergraduate majors, more than 40 graduate programs as well as 24 teacher certification programs. The college is rated among the "Best in the Northeast" by The Princeton Review, a "Best Regional University" by U.S. News & World Report, and a "Best Value" by Kiplinger's Personal Finance.

The College at Brockport, State University of New York, recently honored students who excelled academically by naming them to the Deans' List for the Fall 2011 semester.

Students who earn a GPA of 3.70–3.99 are named to the Deans' List with Honors, while students who achieve a GPA of 3.40–3.69 are named to the Deans' List.

The honorees are:

Deans' List with Honors

Jeff Appis, of Byron
Brian Burgay, of Bergen
Shane Chatham, of Bergen
Kayla Chiocco, of Elba
Carly Crnkovich, of Elba
Samantha Denton, of Oakfield
Samantha Elliott, of Bergen
Zackary Kibler, of Oakfield
Jennifer Lazarony, of Corfu
Christina Mancuso, of Le Roy
Joanna Menzie, of Bergen
James Mignano, of Stafford
Erika Parmenter, of Pavilion
Theresa Raponi, of Pavilion
Rebecca Smith, of Bergen
Lori Stellrecht, of Basom
Patricia Van Buren, of Bergen
Danielle Wojtaszczyk, of Le Roy

Deans' List

Sarah Amico, of Le Roy
Dylan Ashley, of Le Roy
Zachary Bannister, of Elba
Gregory Barron, of Le Roy
Justin Becker, of Le Roy
Nicholas Bonin, of Bergen
AnDrea Carrigan, of Pavilion
Kristen Casper, of Oakfield
Chelsea Dillon, of Le Roy
Emily Drzewiecki, of Bergen
Donald Fonda, of Byron
Danielle Ford, of Le Roy
Molly Geissler, of Elba
Abigail Graham, of Le Roy
Natalie Haas, of Le Roy
Casey Herman, of Corfu
Brittany Kessler, of Byron
Gena Korn, of Le Roy
Emily Kovatch, of Le Roy
Chelsey Macomber, of Le Roy
Antonio Madau, of Le Roy
Jason McElroy, of Le Roy
Danielle Merica, of Le Roy
Melanie Monroe, of Bergen
Joseph Patton, of Le Roy
Ethan Reynolds, of Corfu
Lyman Rhodes, of Le Roy
Krystal Rivers, of Basom
Katherine Rogers, of Le Roy
Peter Subsara, of Darien Center
Christian Townes, of Le Roy
Kelsey Wright, of Pavilion

The College at Brockport is a comprehensive four-year public college. It offers 50 undergraduate majors, more than 40 graduate programs as well as 24 teacher certification programs. The college is rated among the "Best in the Northeast" by The Princeton Review, a "Best Regional University" by U.S. News & World Report, and a "Best Value" by Kiplinger's Personal Finance.

Rachael Compton, of Bergen, was named to the Wells College Deans' List for the Fall 2011 semester. Rachael graduated from Belair School and is majoring in English: Creative Writing at Wells. She is slated to graduate this year.

The Deans' List consists of students who earn at least a 3.5 grade-point average for at least 12 hours of coursework in a given semester.

Wells College is a nationally recognized private liberal arts college located on the shores of Cayuga Lake. Founded in 1868, Wells provides an academically rigorous and relationship-based educational experience strengthened by the college's small size, residential atmosphere, and dedication to experiential learning.