Staff Reports
Students in the Graphic Communications Program were recently given a challenge by Orleans/Niagara BOCES Assistant Superintendent Kevin MacDonald.
MacDonald asked the students in Crystal Hall’s class at the Orleans Career and Technical Education Center to come up with a logo for a Skilled Trade Zone for Western New York.
“A Skilled Trade Zone is a concept built around the notion that Western New York has a ready, willing, and capable workforce,” MacDonald said. “Additionally, for those in need of retraining, there are a myriad of providers and opportunities for individuals seeking to upgrade their skills, or re-train.”
MacDonald said the logo would be part of a marketing campaign to lure business and industry to this area. “A lot of people don’t know that three of the four BOCES in the Western New York Joint Management are host to three of the top five career and technical education programs in terms of number of students in attendance.”
The students came up with a variety of different concepts for the logo, and MacDonald said it was hard to choose the top three.
“We really appreciate the effort that all of the students put forth. They did a great job,” he said.
Silena Heine, a senior from Lyndonville took first place with her design. She plans to attend Genesee Community College this fall and transfer to Rochester Institute of Technology to continue in the graphic arts field. “I really love this field and I am even considering a internship in China over the summer to get a different perspective.”
Second-place winner Alishia Phelps of Albion says she will also attend GCC this fall to continue her studies.
Lucas Skrypnik, a senior from Albion, says he is undecided at the moment about what he will do after graduation, but would definitely like to do something in the graphic arts field.
