283 high school seniors were honored at the annual Hamilton-Fulton-Montgomery BOCES Career and Technical Education commencement ceremony on Wednesday, June 14 before an audience of family, friends, faculty, and administrators.
“To the class of 2023, you started a new path here at CTE, and now you can go anywhere you want,” Principal Mike DiMezza said during his welcoming comments. “You, over the past one or two years, have gained a set of skills that you will have forever. No one can ever take that knowledge away from you.”
The ceremony, which took place at SUNY Fulton-Montgomery Community College, recognized students from the 11 HFM area high schools for successful completion of one and two-year programs including auto body repair, auto technology, construction technology, cosmetology, criminal justice, culinary arts, cybersecurity & computer technology, digital multimedia, robotics and engineering technology, environmental conservation, foundations of food services, medical assisting, new visions education, new visions health careers, skilled trades, and veterinary and animal science.
DiMezza praised the CTE graduates and encouraged them to always do their best.
“Congratulations to you all and thank you for doing your best while you were here,” he said. “Always do your best going forward, that is all that anyone can ask for on your journey. You’re ready.”
In addition to receiving certificates of completion, several special awards were presented to students including:
HFM BOCES Teachers’ Association Award
Lola Schnettler, Canajoharie, Cosmetology
Gary Burns, Mayfield, Digital Multimedia
HFM Superintendents’ Association Award
Anne Stanavich, Amsterdam, New Visions Health Careers
Thomas Holland, Broadalbin-Perth, Cybersecurity & Computer Technology
Ben Conte Pay It Forward Scholarship
Ian G. Lopez, Canajoharie, Environmental Conservation
Adam B. Kline Memorial Scholarship
Trent Andrews, Johnstown, Auto Technology
A number of students were also recognized for their achievements in the classroom:
Auto Body Repair:
Highest Average – William Przybyłowicz, Amsterdam
Most Professional – Aleigha VanAlstine, Fort Plain
Auto Technology:
Highest Average – Anthony Zajaczkowski, Johnstown
Best Attendance – Devin Lamphear, Wells
Cybersecurity & Computer Technology:
Highest Average – Thomas Holland, Broadalbin-Perth
Most Professional – Kai Brennan, Amsterdam
Construction Technology:
Highest Average – Kaiden Divers, Canajoharie
Most Professional – Aaron Hazzard, Johnstown
Cosmetology:
Highest Average – Lola Schnettler, Canajoharie
Highest Average – Charlotte Sprenkle, Amsterdam
Most Professional – Callie Erb, Mayfield
Most Professional – Lola Schnettler, Canajoharie
Most Professional – Graci Ellsworth, Adult Learner
Criminal Justice:
Highest Average – Alexander Lopez, Oppenheim-Ephratah/St.Johnsville
Most Professional – Connor Harding, Fonda-Fultonville
Digital Multimedia:
Highest Average – Josiah Boston, Amsterdam
Most Professional – Sarah Paul, Mayfield
Environmental Conservation:
Highest Average (Heavy Equipment) – Donoven Melo, Fonda-Fultonville
Highest Average (Forestry) – Landon Frasier, Northville
Best Attendance (Heavy Equipment) – Donoven Melo, Fonda-Fultonville
Best Attendance (Forestry) – Landon Frasier, Northville
Culinary Arts:
Highest Average – Chloe Overbaugh, Broadalbin-Perth
Most Professional – Ian LaCelle, Amsterdam
Foundations of Food:
Highest Average – Leo Perez, Gloversville
Most Professional – Iyanna Gilot, Amsterdam
Medical Assisting:
Highest Average – Riley Simmonds, Broadalbin-Perth
Most Professional – Morgan Knapik, Fonda-Fultonville
New Visions Education:
Highest Average – Aaron Madej, Amsterdam
New Visions Health:
Highest Average – Jaclyn Codi, Fonda-Fultonville
Highest Average – Yomilka Valerio-Nunez, Amsterdam
Most Professional – Melissa Sapia, Amsterdam
Most Professional – Amber Cole, Fonda-Fultonville
Robotics and Engineering Technology:
Highest Average – Kyle Stegel, Johnstown
Most Professional – Garrett Bobowski, Johnstown
Skilled Trades:
Highest Average – Tanner Ackerknecht, Canajoharie
Most Professional – Lukus Bonificio, Fonda-Fultonville
Veterinary and Animal Science:
Highest Average – McKenzie Siler, Gloversville
Most Professional – Nadia Buanno, Fonda-Fultonville
Other highlights of the ceremony included:
The Pledge of Allegiance was led by New Visions in Education students Maryssa Chest, Lindsy Darling, and Aaron Madej.
HFM CTE Honor Society
The 2023 inductees in the HFM Career and Technical Education Honor Society were also recognized during the event. The inductees are:
Amsterdam
David Gerke, Denise Green, Brianna Kelly, Aaron Madej, Darius Gainer, Charlette Sprenkle, Ian LaCelle, Juliana Barone-Lopez, Anne Stanavich
Broadalbin-Perth
Thomas Holland, Megan Bazan, Jordan MacKenzie, Riley Simmonds
Canajoharie
Tanner Ackerknecht, Miles Lapi, Kirsten Hyney, Elizabeth Prime
Fonda-Fultonville
Jonah Bluvas, Emma Crahan, Connor Harding, Viktoria Lee, Marc Baker, Bennett Melita, Donoven Melo, Talia Anderson, Morgan Knapik, Jill Sandel, Lukus Bonificio, Nadia Buanno
Fort Plain
Madeline Heroth
Gloversville
Lindsy Darling, Lily Jones, Arelya Mathias, McKenzie Siler
Johnstown
Brooklynn Heroth, Emilia Haverly, Claire Anderson
Mayfield
Callie Erb, Gary Burns, Jordan Buanno
Northville
Abby Pertell, Elizabeth Flickinger, Rachel Williams, Landon Frasier
Oppenheim-Ephratah/St. Johnsville
Alexander Lopez
Wells
Sophia A. Cerbo
