Gowanda names top students for March 2023

Cole Herman

GOWANDA – The Student Council of Gowanda High School named 11 outstanding Panthers as Students of the Month for March 2023. Congratulations to on their recognition.

Honorees are selected based on the following attributes – collaboration, communication, critical thinking and creativity – otherwise known as The Four C’s. These skills and characteristics are central to the district’s mission and values.

Cole Herman for collaboration: “Cole is always willing to help out in class set up and also includes classmates in all activities in physical education.

He is a good team player and wants to make sure everyone gets a chance in the activity we are doing each day,” Mr. Denea said.

Natalia Elliott for collaboration: “Natalia is an outstanding student and team player.

Natalia Elliott

She wastes no time in the classroom and is more than willing to help her classmates. She actively participates in discussions and asks valuable questions that benefit the entire class. Natalia deserves this recognition for collaboration for all the help and insight she provides!” – Mr. Hahl.

Alaina Kaczmarczyk for collaboration: “Leading the team in the creation of the 2023 edition of the Valley Bugle – Gowanda High School Yearbook is Alaina Kaczmarczyk. Three-year veteran, Alaina is the yearbook editor. Alaina’s job is to manage the publication of the yearbook working jointly with her staff members to produce and design a yearbook that will capture the 2023 school year. Alaina set the theme for this year’s book, providing inspiration for the cover design and overall direction for the pages.

She regularly leads class activities designed to boost morale, foster teamwork, and increase efficiency. Behind the scenes she is always recognizing staff members for positive contributions.

Throughout the year she assists in training staff members in the operation of all applicable computer programs. The yearbook is created in a digital platform (Canva) that Alaina has mastered and is able to quickly design pages within the system.

As we head into our final stretch to publish the yearbook Alaina has stayed on task, organized, positive, and lead her team to create an amazing book. I’m excited for everyone to VIEW this year’s book and see the hard work that Alaina and the yearbook staff designed.” – Ms. Onus.

Alaina Kaczmarczyk

Noah Lauer for collaboration: Noah Lauer is an outstanding member of Mixed Chorus and Chamber Choir.

He has worked hard to develop his musicianship skills and his growth is a direct result of his efforts. Noah contributes in earnest during chorus and lessons. Outside of the classroom, Noah was a valuable member of the stage crew for the GHS musical.

His collaborative efforts backstage were integral to the overall success of the production. It is my pleasure to recognize Noah for his outstanding work and collaborative efforts here at Gowanda High School.” – Ms. Smith.

Nova Kennedy for creativity: Nova is a student in my Creative Writing class. He demonstrates creativity during each class meeting with fresh, original ideas for his writing. We begin class with a Writer’s Notebook activity, and Nova always develops a thoughtful and cleverly surprising response. Further, Nova’s short stories feature realistic dialogue and plot twists. Nova writes extensively outside of class, and we have discussed dozens of characters and other worlds Nova has developed.” – Ms. Giancola.

Kayte Harrington for creativity: “Kayte is my top Global 9 student. She always knows the content and participates extensively. Her creativity is her greatest strength. Kayte doodles daily in her copious notebook and the illustrations are fascinating, detailed creatures.

Noah Lauer

Most recently, she created a civilization as part of our creative Golden Ages project.

Kayte went above and beyond with her imaginative civilization. Her descriptions brought her civilization to life, details flying off the pages, to create a truly magical place. Kayte is a naturally creative individual who is also kind and respectful in every moment.” – Ms. Haim.

Nikolas Ondus for critical thinking: “Nik displays critical thinking skills in the classroom, as well as in his completed assignments. He asks questions to clarify discussion topics in an effort to gather relevant information essential to understanding. Asking questions of the teacher and discussing solutions with other students is a fine example of Nik’s communication skills, which is an important part of the critical thought process. Nik also makes good decisions on how best to use his time. He is always punctual in attendance and in submitting assessments in a timely fashion.

His positive use of study time displays critical thought in prioritizing his school work. Nik’s combination of critical thought, great attitude, good attendance, good grades and solid work ethic make him an excellent choice for student of the month.” – Mr. Bohn.

Tessa Kohn for critical thinking: As the president of Student Council, Tessa works with the other officers to design events and activities that serve the entire school.

Nova Kennedy

In addition to her work on Student Council, Tessa created a community service club, the Impactful Panthers, who have added so such value to the community over the past year. Tessa works hard with her teams to solve real problems in our community. Tessa inspires those around her!

I’ve never worked with a sophomore who has made a larger impact.” – Ms. Rydzik.

Chloe Luther for critical thinking: “Chloe has been such a wonderful asset to my chemistry class this year. She comes to class excited to learn and takes responsibility for everything she does.

Chloe thrives while in a laboratory setting, because she gets to use her problem-solving skills in an applicable way.

She is an exemplary student who constantly shows her peers that hard work will pay off. Chemistry is a challenging course, so Chloe knows she needs to put in the extra time and effort outside of class to be successful.

Kayte Harrington

I am proud and excited to recognize Chloe as my Chem Queen this month!” – Ms. Relosky.

Sydney Smith for critical thinking: “Sydney is a hard-working student that strives for excellence in Geometry on a daily basis. She asks high level questions that go beyond the lesson which lead to good conversations on the topic. As a result, Sydney would develop a deep understanding of the content.

Sydney is determined to achieve the highest grade possible by being involved in the lesson and successfully completing all of her math assignments. She also scores very high on the unit tests. Sydney is humble, well mannered, and respectful to everyone.

It has been a pleasure having her in Geometry this year.” – Mr. Weber.

Jada Geiger for critical thinking: “Jada always pushes herself to understand why things are happening and asks probing questions to help her make connections between concepts.

She exhibits a wonderful balance of curiosity, rigorous inductive testing, and self-reflection that allows her to hone her understanding until it reaches a level with which she is satisfied.

Her insightful questions make the class richer and deeper for both her and her peers.

She often holds herself to a much higher standard than I would impose and excels as a result.” – Mr. Izard.