Graduating seniors from Career & Technical Education programs at the LoGuidice Educational Center were encouraged to move upward and onward as they enter the next chapter of their lives.
Fittingly, more than 160 students got the perfect sendoff at LoGuidice’s 2025 Senior Recognition ceremony held inside King Concert Hall at SUNY Fredonia.
Principal Jose Pagan said graduation was a time for reflection, goodbyes, and the creation of cherished memories. “It signifies the beginning of a new chapter, full of challenges to overcome and goals to achieve,” he said.
In his comments to the graduating class and a hall full of supportive friends and family, Pagan quoted former President Franklin D. Roosevelt: “We cannot always build a future for our youth, but we can always build our youth for the future.”
The principal continued, “Each of you has worked hard to lay a foundation of learning and knowledge. I am confident you have ignited a spark in someone who will change the world.”
The evening’s guest speaker was Tyler Rendell, a 2015 graduate of the Automotive Technology program at LoGuidice. Rendell shared highlights from his E2CCB journey, from participating in a host of automotive competitions as a junior that “pushed me to grow, learn, and sharpen my abilities in real-world scenarios” to getting a paid internship at a local dealership.
After a successful career at General Motors after graduation, Rendell realized his new passion: Racing. In 2022, he launched Hand Crafted Performance—an induction engineering company specializing in cylinder head and intake manifold development.
His racing products are now sold nationwide.
“The opportunities I found through Career & Technical Education opened doors I never thought possible,” Rendell said. “It gave me a lifestyle I had only dreamed of, and, more importantly, it helped shape the path that brought me to where I am today.”
The student speaker was Christina Zastrow, a senior in the Criminal Justice program and Valedictorian of the CTE Class of 2025 at LoGuidice.
Zastrow, from the nearby Dunkirk City School District, admitted it was “extremely difficult” to sum up two years of growth, mistakes, memories, lessons, and relationships in just a few minutes.
“I guess that’s the beauty of moments like these,” Zastrow said. “You can’t truly capture every detail, but you can try to give a glimpse of what it all meant.”
She encouraged the class to keep moving forward and take on new challenges.
“Take risks, speak up, and never stop learning, not just from books, but from people, experiences, and even your own mistakes,” she said.
Before seniors received their certificates, the following awards and scholarships were announced by LoGuidice Counselor Alycia Lacki:
- Makala Logsdon of Fredonia received the Tri-County BOCES Education Association – Citizenship Award.
- Conner Wilson and Charlynn Ulmer, both of Gowanda, received the Tri-County BOCES Education Association – Leadership Award.
- Natalia Elliott of Gowanda was the recipient of the United Support Association Continuing Education Award.
- Jonathan Castle of Silver Creek was awarded the Anthony Mancuso Memorial Scholarship.
- Freeman Easterly of Pine Valley and Greyson Delcamp of Brocton received Casella Waste Systems – Power of Hard Work Scholarships.
- Connor Ribblett of Gowanda received the Kravitz Tree Service Scholarship.
- Kolten Doll of Lake Shore was awarded the Fierle Underground LLC Scholarship.
- Nathan Miller of Brocton was awarded the U-DIG Scholarship.
- Brianna Barry and Kiersten Gloss of Brocton and Jessica Hornburg of Cassadaga Valley each received the Collision Repair Education Foundation Award.
- Arianna Dzielski of Forestville and Carley Ellis of Pine Valley were each awarded a Tobi and Harvey Napoleon Cuthbert Scholarship.
- Cheyanna Pasternack of Gowanda was awarded the Pepper Shields Memorial Scholarship.
- Serafina Joyce of Pine Valley received the SUNY Fredonia President’s Gold Award of Excellence.
- Makala Logsdon of Fredonia was awarded the District Superintendent’s Office Personnel Scholarship.
- Jaylynn Elliott of Gowanda received the Association of Career and Technical Education Administrators Zone 1 Scholarship.
- Ashley Collazo of Dunkirk was awarded the Lisa Ready Memorial Scholarship.
- Journey Alaimo of Cassadaga Valley received the Sunflower Scholarship.
- Christina Zastrow of Dunkirk and Makala Logsdon of Fredonia each received a Far West Council of School Superintendents Scholarship.
- Hailey Errington of Pine Valley and Owen Pfaffenbach of Gowanda each received the President’s Award for Citizenship.
- Todd Houser of Brocton and Kaylee Keating of Silver Creek each received the President’s Award for Academic Achievement.
- Derrick Runge of Cassadaga Valley and Makayla Dragowski of Lake Shore each received the President’s Award for Excellence.
Most Outstanding Student awards went to Brianna Barry in Automotive Body Repair; Daniel Cook in Automotive Technology; Freeman Easterly in Conservation/Natural Resource Management; Bryson Renzo in Construction Technology; Sophia Voigt in Cosmetology; Makala Logsdon in Criminal Justice; Charlynn Ulmer in Culinary Arts; Jaylynn Elliott in Health Careers; Kai Sek in Small Animal Science; Jacquelyn Flick in Sports Conditioning and Exercise Science; and Kaylee Keating in Welding/Metal Fabrication.
During the Senior Recognition ceremony, Bryna Moritz, Deputy Superintendent at Erie 2-Chautauqua-Cattaraugus BOCES, took a moment to recognize the upcoming retirement of Deborah Riforgiato, a cleaner at the LoGuidice Educational Center.
Pagan also acknowledged the work of CTE faculty and staff at LoGuidice and thanked E2CCB administration and Board of Education for another successful year.
