The South Colonie Board of Education honored several individuals and groups with President’s Spotlight Awards June 5 for special achievement during the 2017-18 school year and beyond.
National Merit Scholarship Finalist – Francis Cheeran
Colonie Central High School senior Francis Cheeran was honored by the school board for being been named a finalist in the 2018 National Merit Scholarship Program. Francis is part of the nationwide pool of finalists, representing less than 1 percent of the U.S. high school seniors who have an opportunity to continue in the competition for 7,500 National Merit Scholarships worth more than $32 million.
The National Merit Program is an academic competition for recognition and scholarships that began in 1955. High school students enter the program by taking the PSAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test which serves as an initial screen of approximately 1.6 million entrants each year and by meeting program entry and participation requirements. The finalists are evaluated on their academic record, information about the school’s curricula and grading system, two sets of test scores, the high school official’s written recommendation, information about the student’s activities and leadership, and the finalist’s own essay.
KidWind Competition – Sand Creek Middle School Winnders
The Sand Creek Middle School Winnders first competed in a regional KidWind competition on March 8 at SUNY Polytechnic Institute in Utica as part of the STEM Exploration Showcase. They came in fourth place and were recognized with an award for “Innovative Use of Materials” in the Middle School Division.
The team next competed at a second regional competition at General Electric Co. in Schenectady on March 17 and captured first place in the Middle School Division which qualified them for the national competition in Chicago. After they competed in Chicago, the team took 6th place out of 38 teams on the national level. The difference between 3rd and 6th place was less than three points. They missed 5th place by three hundredths of a point. The students who are attending the national KidWind Competition in Chicago are all Sand Creek fifth graders. Team members are Dylan Morehouse, Div Pramanick, Stephen Pham and Ryan Seestadt.
Sectional Champions – CCHS Girls Basketball Team
The Colonie Central High School Girls Basketball Team finished the 2018 season as Section 2, Class AA Champions by beating Bethlehem 67-49 in the finals. The team record was 17-7. Senior Erin Fouracre and Junior Aliyah Wright both scored their 1,000th career point this season. Congratulations also to the entire coaching staff led by Head Coach Heather DiBiase. Team members are Mykala Ashline, Erin Fouracre, Kyara Triblet, Makayla Blake, Alivia Paeglow, Aliyah Wright, Sareena Dicerbo, Ahnalese Pearson, Madison Dunlap and Lashia Ricketts.
Board Members Recognized For Years of Service
On behalf of the Board of Education and the district as a whole, the Superintendent of Schools recognized Christine Badger Mele and Shelle Jaquish for their years of service to the Board of Education as well as their dedication and commitment to the students and community. Badger Mele has served on the board since 2013 and Jaquish has served since 2003. During their tenure, they spent countless hours of unpaid time working to provide the best possible education for our students. We thank them both for their many years of service and honor their contributions to South Colonie.
NYSSBA Board Recognition Awards
Board Mastery Award – Level 3
The Superintendent of Schools recognized David Kiehle and Ed Sim for earning the New York State School Boards Association (NYSSBA) Board Mastery Award. The program is designed to recognize extensive time and effort for school board members who strive to continually expand their governance knowledge and skills. Members qualify for recognition by participating in NYSSBA developmental activities such as the Board Officers Academy, the annual convention, conferences, regional workshops, or district-level custom improvement programs totaling 250 points.