MORIC Hosts T.H.E. Symposium VII

(Utica, NY – Jan. 2012The Mohawk Regional Information Center will host the T.H.E. Symposium VII on January 12 at SUNY Institute of Technology, 100 Seymour Road, Utica. The event runs from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. in Kunsela Hall.

The Technology Heightens Education Symposium is an opportunity for area teachers and administrators to celebrate and share the ways they use technology as a tool to enhance student learning. Representatives from 52 school districts and four BOCES will attend the event.

At the Symposium, teachers and their students from 15 school districts in six counties (see next page) will set up demonstration booths and showcase exemplary uses of technology. Presentations will include: daily blogs by first graders; fifth-grade podcast tutorials; a remix of “West Side Story” music using Garage Band; student-built and programmed Lego robots; student-designed video games; and iPods in health education.

MORIC will also present its annual Recognizing Our Own awards to honor one outstanding teacher and student from each BOCES region for their integration of technology into the classroom or curriculum.

In addition, the Technology Playground will allow elementary students a chance to share their expertise and explore emerging technologies.

This year’s keynote speaker is Travis Allen, the founder of the iSchool Initiative, a student-led nonprofit that seeks to educate students on how to become lifelong digital learners and raise awareness about technology in the classroom. Allen will speak about “How I survive college with only an iPhone” and share his perspectives as a 21st Century Learner. He will provide attendees with information about using SmartPhones and Tablets to engage in more effective learning. His talk begins at 9:30 a.m.

To register, visit www.moric.org.

Districts presenting at T.H.E. Symposium VII

January 12, 2012

SUNY IT

Madison County

Hamilton

Morrisville-Eaton

Oneida

Canastota

Oneida County

Rome (2)

Vernon-Verona-Sherrill (3)

Oriskany

Remsen

Holland Patent

Sauquoit Valley

Herkimer County

Herkimer

Poland

Jefferson County

South Jefferson

Lewis County

South Lewis

Otsego County

Richfield Springs

 

 

 

MVCC Men’s Soccer Players Receive Post-season Honors

 

(Utica, NY – Dec. 19, 2011) Following an exceptional season which saw the Mohawk Valley Community College men’s soccer team reach the NJCAA Region III Championship game, the Hawks had five players honored with post-season recognition.

Leading the Hawks, who finished with a 16-3-1 record, was sophomore forward Armin Budnjo (Utica/Proctor HS) who scored 20 goals along with 15 assists to become MVCC’s all-time leading scorer with 36 goals and 24 assists over two seasons. Budnjo was named Second Team All-American in the NJCAA for the second straight season which goes along with his First Team All-Region III status. He was also First Team All-Mountain Valley Conference.

Sophomore defenseman Matt Struckle (Laurens/Laurens HS) received First Team All-Region III honors along with First Team All-Mountain Valley Conference. Struckle was a co-captain this season while majoring in Sports Medicine.

Sophomore midfielder and co-captain David Gould (Frankfort/Frankfort HS) shares the honor of MVCC All-Time Individual Career Assists leader with Budnjo with 24. This past season, Gould scored seven goals along with 15 assists to be recognized as Second Team All-Region III and First Team All-Mountain Valley Conference.

The Hawks’ other co-captain Blair Bellamy (West Winfield/West Winfield HS), a sophomore defenseman, received Honorable Mention for Region III and First Team All-Mountain Valley Conference.

Sophomore sweeper Mason Olmstead (Sauquoit/Sauquoit Valley HS) was recognized as First Team All-Mountain Valley Conference.

Budnjo, Struckle and Gould were also each recognized individually during the season as an MVCC “Athlete of the Week”.

 

 

Local Schools Come Together to ‘Kick-Off’ Recycling This School-Year

(Dec. 5, 2011) To help “kick-off” recycling and waste reduction programs this fall, the Oneida-Herkimer Solid Waste Authority teamed up with Nike Reuse-A-Shoe to conduct sneaker drives in local schools. The initiative was offered to all public and private K-12 schools buildings in Oneida and Herkimer Counties.

Schools were asked to collect as many worn out sneakers as possible, instead of throwing them in the trash.  Then, OHSWA collected and sent the sneakers to Nike Reuse-A-Shoe to be recycled into rubber, foam and fiber materials used for building new places, such as playgrounds, running tracks, football fields, basketball courts and more.

The purpose of this program was to continue to raise student and community awareness of reducing, reusing and recycling.

Fifteen schools in the region participated in the program this fall. Many schools had Student Councils, Green Teams, and other Environmental Clubs take charge of the program.

“Some schools developed contests for the program that helped increase participation and awareness as well,” said Jamie Tuttle, Authority School Recycling Coordinator. “Keeping students thinking and excited about recycling only helps us spread awareness and increase recycling efforts.”

Through promoting this program, students have been motivated to think “outside of the box” and realize that there are many items outside of paper, plastic, metal and glass that can be reused or recycled.

“Once items are past the point of being reused, we hope that our residents look to our many recycling opportunities before they settle for the trash can,” stated Tuttle.

This initiative has allowed schools in the region to work together for the same cause—promoting environmental stewardship, diverting waste from our landfill and conserving natural resources and energy.

The cooperative efforts between participating schools proved to be successful as OHSWA collected almost 1,000 pairs of sneakers from participating schools during the last week of November. The amount of sneakers collected weighed approximately one ton.

“The schools that participated should be very proud,” continued Tuttle. “This is a perfect example of how people can come together to make a big difference through simple actions.”

*The 15 schools that participated are as follows:

1.       Poland Central School

2.       Holland Patent Middle School

3.       Dolgeville Elementary School

4.       Clinton Middle and High School

5.       Jones Elementary School (Utica)

6.       Staley Upper Elementary School (Rome)

7.       Camden Elementary School

8.       Jarvis Junior/Senior High School (Mohawk)

9.       New York Mills Central School

10.   West Canada Valley

11.   Camden Middle School

12.   Harts Hill Elementary

13.   Marcy Elementary

14.   Ridge Mills Elementary

15.   Sauquoit Valley Middle School

 

 

Griffo Hosts DEC Commissioner to Oneida County to Hear Concerns

2011 12-5-11 DEC Commissioner Martens Visit 002

(Utica, NY – Dec. 6, 2011) State Senator Joseph A. Griffo and Department of Environmental Conservation Commissioner, Joseph Martens met Dec. 5 with local officials from Oneida County including Oneida County Executive Anthony Picente, Assemblywoman Claudia Tenney and officials from the Mohawk Valley Water Authority.

“I’ve been speaking with DEC for several months on a host of pressing items throughout the district,” said Griffo. “I appreciate that Commissioner Martens agreed to our invitation to visit and meet directly to discuss some of the flooding issues that concern Oneida County with the Sauquoit and Oriskany Creeks. I was impressed with the Commissioner’s grasp of our needs. He and his staff have promised to continue a working relationship that will be responsive to Oneida County.”

Girl Scout Troop Holding PJ Round-up Event

(Sauquoit, Utica,  NY – Dec. 1, 2011)  Girl Scout Troop 562 from Sauquoit is holding a PJ-Round-Up event at the Uptown Theater on Tuesday, December 13 at 7 p.m.

PJ Round-Up is a council-wide community service project put on by the Girl Scouts of NYPENN Pathways and the Summit Federal Credit Union. PJ Round-Up collects new nightgowns, pajamas, robes, and slippers for women and children in transition throughout the area.

Those wishing to support Troop 562 can come in their pajamas to the movies and see either Arthur’s Christmas or The Muppet Movie. The admission is a brand new pair of pajamas or slippers for women or children. The PJs and slippers will be donated to the domestic violence shelter operated by the YWCA of the Mohawk Valley.

For more information contact Troop Leader Christine Kiesel at (315) 737-7133.

 

Sauquoit Valley Fine Arts & Crafts Show is Nov. 19 and 20

(Sauquoit, NY – Nov. 2011) The 33rd Annual Sauquoit Valley Fine Arts & Crafts Show will take place on Saturday, November 19 from 10am-5pm and Sunday, November 20 from 10am-4pm at the Sauquoit Middle School in Sauquoit.

The event is an elegant, juried, fine art and high quality craft show of 100 booths, making it the perfect place to shop for that special someone, or yourself!

This year there will be 20 new exhibitors to the show. Exhibitors are a mix of fine artists, craft artisans, photographers, and culinary artists, many of whom are local.

Admission is $3, children under 12 are free.

There will be an adult supervised kid’s arts & crafts room to entertain the children for $3 per hour while you shop. Lunch and dessert are also available. Parking is free and frequent shuttle buses will transport show goers to and from their vehicles.

To get to the show take the Sauquoit exit off of Route 8 and follow the signs, or visit www.svcraftshow.com for directions.

Each year all the show’s proceeds support beneficial arts and educational programs for all Sauquoit Valley school students, in addition to paying for every field trip the students take.

One of the local exhibitors this year is Kathy’s Quills of Clayville. Kathy Peters creates framed quilled paper artworks. Her art form of “quilling” or paper filigree, is an age-old technique where colorful strips of paper are rolled, shaped, and then carefully glued together creating lovely decorative designs perfect for gift giving.

A new exhibitor this year, Sweetmeas, which is the business of artist Sarah Meas of Utica, creates detailed objects and ornaments from buttons, in addition to vintage inspired signs, frames, and prints.

Another new exhibitor this year, Angie Gray from Hancock near Binghamton, creates decorative hook rugs and punch needle art in both traditional and primitive imagery, in addition to hand cut paper silhouettes.

Returning this year are Erik Halvorson and Su Yang of Oneonta with their blown glass sculptures, functional glass items, colorful blown glass ornaments and striking pearl and glass jewelry.

The Sauquoit Valley Fine Arts & Crafts Show strives to keep it interesting each year by seeking out new and highly interesting artists, as well as welcoming back many of the longtime favorite exhibitors. This show and the attending public make it possible for many local and distant artists to pursue careers they truly love.

For more information, visit www.svcraftshow.com.

 

Schumer, Gillibrand Seek Assistance for Oneida County after Lee

(Sept. 30, 2011) U.S. Senators Charles E. Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand called on President Barack Obama and FEMA Administrator Craig Fugate to immediately approve individual assistance for Oneida County residents in the wake of Tropical Storm Lee. Residents along Sauquoit Creek sustained substantial damage to their homes, losing furnaces and other essential equipment just as cold weather begins to set in.  Individual assistance exists to help provide housing and aid in rebuilding efforts.

“I visited Oneida County after Tropical Storm Lee, and the damage was simply unimaginable,” said Schumer. “Front laws were stacked high with precious family memories, furniture, and other belongings – all of which must be thrown away. Homeowners and small business owners are going to have an uphill climb to rebuild, so its essential that they have FEMA standing right behind them. I’m going to push as hard as I can to bring this assistance to Oneida County as quickly as possible.”

“Families and businesses in Oneida County are in dire need of help to dig out from this devastating storm, and begin to recover,” Senator Gillibrand said. “Roads, bridges, homes and businesses are being washed away from massive flooding. Now it’s time to put all necessary resources on the ground where we need them. I will fight to secure all the federal funding our families need.”

Oneida County has not yet been issued Individual Assistance for citizens who suffered losses, which includes the Individual and Households program, disaster unemployment insurance, and Small Business Administration loans.

Senators Schumer and Gillibrand’s full letter to President Obama and Administrator Fugate:

Dear President Obama and Administrator Fugate,

We write to express our strong support for the additional designation of Oneida and Orange County for Individual Assistance and Ulster County for Public Assistance under Tropical Storm Lee (DR-4031).  This declaration has already begun to aid thousands of individuals in other effective counties, and extending this assistance to these additional counties would provide essential help to these areas as they seek to rebuild.

All three of these counties were hit hard by heavy rain and flooding as a result of Tropical Storm Lee and sustained substantial costs responding to the storms.  In Oneida County, many residents along Sauquoit Creek sustained substantial damage to their homes, losing furnaces and other essential equipment just as cold weather begins to set in.  In Ulster County, streams and creeks such as the Wallkill and the Esopus, already overflowing from the rains of Hurricane Irene caused further flooding that significantly damaged public infrastructure, along with significant damage along the Bushkill Creek to Watson Hollow Road in West Shokan.  Homes in Washingtonville in Orange County were evacuated and severely damaged due to additional flooding caused by Tropical Storm Lee.

We appreciate your continued efforts to ensure that New York residents and communities have the resources they need to recover from Tropical Storm Lee and Hurricane Irene.   Should you have any questions, please contact Grant Kerr at 202-224-6542 or Kevin Fink at 202-224-4451.

 

 

Oneida County Youth Celebrate National 4-H Week Oct. 2-8


(Oneida County, NY – Oct. 2011) October 2-8 is National 4-H Week, and Oneida County is celebrating the 4-H youth who have made an impact on the community, and are stepping up to the challenges of a complex and changing world.

Recent findings from Tufts University’s 4-H Study of Positive Youth Development indicate that young people in 4-H are three times more likely to contribute to their communities than youth not participating in 4-H. Notably, the Tufts research discovered that the structured learning, encouragement and adult mentoring that 4-H’ers receive play a vital role in helping them actively contribute to their communities.

In Oneida County, more than 300 4-H members and 120 volunteers are involved in 4‑H.  The Oneida County 4-H program reaches over 3000 total youth through after-school programs and other 4-H sponsored activities throughout the year.

Oneida county 4-H members are involved in a wide variety of projects from animals to robotics.  They actively participate in public communication events, community service and project specific shows and competitions.  4-H volunteers guide youth by using their individual expertise and mentoring them throughout the year.  An abundant amount of local, state, and national opportunities are available to those involved in 4-H.  These opportunities and more are available through the 4-H program and help us build our leaders of tomorrow.

Learn how you can become involved in 4-H by calling Cornell Cooperative Extension of Oneida County at (315) 736-3394, extension 122 or email Kristi Cranwell at kac292@cornell.edu

Searching for the Lost Treasures of Ancient History: Also Known as Antiquing in the Central New York Region

(Syracuse, NY – Sept. 28, 2011) The Central New York Region has everything a traveler could want out of a visit to New York State, from something old (historical landmarks, museums and rustic B&Bs) to something new (state-of-the-art science centers, modern theatrical performances and high-end spas). To emphasize the “something old,” the area is overflowing with quaint shops touting eclectic antiques and collectibles, offering a slice of the region’s rich past. It is truly a picker’s (and a historian’s) paradise.

For starters, the Madison-Bouckville area offers a year-round antique venue with over 30 shops featuring hundreds of dealers, plus the largest antique show in New York State every third week in August. This event, the Madison Bouckville Antique Week, draws more than 2,000 dealers for a weeklong show along one two-mile stretch of Route 20. Another superb find for antique hunters in Madison County is The Market at Oneida Commons, a neat little mall open year-round that’s packed with vintage items, crafts, jewelry, books, furniture, locally-produced Pride of NY foods and other odds and ends that stretch as far as the eye can see.

Cobbler & C. in Sharon Springs, Schoharie County, offers a treasure trove of antiques. Up on the second floor is a wide array of used, but “new to you” goods: a collection of old dishes, glassware, books, magazines and other collectibles.

In Oneida County, the Westmoreland Antique Center features 80 dealer spaces with a vast array of antiques and vintage collectibles like holiday merchandise, milk bottles, postcards and advertising collectibles, plus a vast selection of glassware, china and furniture.

Charlotte’s Antiques in Chenango County welcomes antique enthusiasts to pore over home décor, women’s clothing and jewelry, and rare collectibles, among other specialty items. For Iroquois artifacts, one-of-a-kind classics and various collectibles, Carriage Barn Antiques, Iroquois Antiques and Pheasant Farm Antiques are a few popular stops in the area.

The Little Falls Antique Center in Herkimer County showcases oldies but goodies from 18 dealers. Just a ways down the street, Stone Mill of Little Falls houses everything vintage from lighting, to clothing, to decorative arts and prints, plus local treasures like Oriental carpets from Erie Canal Carpets, sterling silver and cookbooks. The unexpected can be expected in the old factory atmosphere of this 1839 mill built on the banks of the Mohawk River, as the inventory is ever changing. Greater Binghamton’s Clinton Street, aptly named the “Antique Row,” is a hot spot for antiquing, hosting as many as 30 dealers at a given time. The locale makes perfect sense, as Clinton Street itself is an antique – it existed long before the city of Binghamton.

Cooperstown in Otsego County is saturated in antiquing opportunities. More than 50 shops line the area, from main streets to country roads, including NYS Route 7 corridor from Unadilla to Oneonta, the NYS Route 28 corridor from Oneonta to Cooperstown, and US Route 20, the road to the Madison-Bouckville Antique Show. For those seeking a myriad of vintage items, from china and glassware to historic textiles and furniture, shops like Barkley Barn Blue Ribbon Antiques, Lake Antiques and Antiques & Artifacts are must-sees. Even the antiquing venues themselves are fascinating and range from charming homes to old barns brimming with collectibles.

For some, a successful hunt for the perfect antique can take months or even years. The Central New York Region’s seemingly limitless supply of rare antiques and collectibles in dozens of shops across the area, however, can certainly help to shorten the duration of that hunt and make it quite enjoyable along the way.

For more antiquing opportunities and other information about the Central New York Region, check out:www.JustGoCNY.com.

 

Family Raises $8,000 for Rescue Mission of Utica

SONY DSC

 

Rev. Bill Dodge, 2nd from left, executive director of the Rescue Mission of Utica, accepts an $8,000 check on Sept. 13 from Marley family members who organized a benefit golf tournament in memory of their son and brother, Patrick Marley. Family members are, from left: Diana Marley of Syracuse, Ed and Carol Marley of Sauquoit, and Mike and Denise Marley of Oneida. 

(Utica, NY – Sept. 2011) The family of a man helped and employed by the Rescue Mission of Utica is honoring his memory by making an $8,000 donation to the Rescue Mission.

Last year the family of Patrick G. Marley, who died in a swimming accident in 2009, decided to hold a benefit golf tournament, raising $7,500 for the Rescue Mission. This year the 2nd Annual Patrick G. Marley Memorial Golf Tournament “exceeded that amount,” noted Patrick’s brother, Mike Marley of Oneida.

On Tuesday, Sept. 13, Marley family members came from Syracuse, Oneida and Sauquoit to present a check for $8,000 to Rescue Mission Executive Director Rev. Bill Dodge.

“This is a great tribute to Patrick,” the Rev. Dodge said, noting that the money will help with urgent needs of Mission clients plus fund the Patrick G. Marley Memorial Scholarship to provide housing, education and job assistance for a person in recovery.

Marley completed the recovery program himself before joining the Mission food service staff. He became a model for others at the Mission, Rev. Dodge said, recalling how he organized popular prayer groups and Bible study sessions. He also said Marley was a star athlete on the Mission’s softball team and that he loved hitting the golf courses whenever he got the chance.

The Rescue Mission was “such as big part of Pat’s life” that the family felt it was important to do something to help people in need through the Mission, said Mike Marley, who echoed the sentiments of his sister, Diana Marley of Syracuse, who had had told Mission staff: “We will always love and appreciate everyone here at the Rescue Mission for what they did for my brother…They rescued Pat.”

Other family members who helped organize the tournament, which was held Aug. 20 at Oneida Community Golf Club in Sherrill, are: Mike’s wife, Denise, and their children, Brittany and Kara’me; Patrick’s parents, Ed and Carol Marley of Sauquoit, and Patrick’s other sister, Kelly Marley of Indiana.

Each year, the Rescue Mission serves more than 132,000 meals to the hungry, provides over 20,000 nights of lodging and care to those facing homelessness, and assists over 1,000 men and women in their battle against substance abuse.