ELLICOTTVILLE — Fifty-two of Cattaraugus County’s soon-to-be high school graduates were honored Monday night at the annual Youth Citizenship Awards Banquet at Holiday Valley.
The Yodeler Lodge ceremony, presented by the Cattaraugus County Department of Aging and Youth Services, honored area students who were recognized with a Youth Citizenship Award during the 2024–25 school year. The youth bureau features a student in a county school district in weekly profiles printed in editions of the Salamanca Press and Olean Times Herald.
Set to walk across the stage and receive their diplomas in less than a month, the high school seniors in attendance received some words of wisdom from guest speakers both at home and across the ocean.
Liesl Schoonraad, a South African powerhouse and motivational speaker, shared her journey of pursuing her long-held dreams at age 39.
“You guys are going to get on a rollercoaster of experiences if you open yourselves up to it,” Schoonraad, now 54, told the students. “You are going to have one thing open up after another. I never would have dreamed I would be here today if somebody told me that 15 years ago.”
Experiencing child abuse and bullying in her youth, Schoonraad said she lived a quiet life as an architectural draftsperson until seeing a television program about children with cerebral palsy.
“Children in wheelchairs changed my life. These kids had smiles from ear to ear,” she said. “I felt like I hadn’t accomplished what I really wanted to do, which was to swim Robben Island. It was a dream since I was 8 years old, but I had people tell me, ‘You’ll never make it.’”
With minimal preparation, Schoonraad went on to swim from Robben Island to Cape Town — a roughly 5-mile swim in the Atlantic Ocean — on her 40th birthday.
“When I walked out onto that beach, I became addicted to a drug called ‘accomplishment,’” she said. “I kept challenging myself more because at that moment it was like somebody let the beast out of a cage, and I realized there might be other stuff that I’m able to do which my entire life people told me I won’t be able to do it.”
Over the ensuing years, Schoonraad continued making new goals and achieving them, pulling a 10-ton truck, towing a 13-ton Dakota airplane and placing fourth in South Africa’s first Strongest Woman Competition. After what doctors believed a career-ending injury to her Achilles tendon, she recovered and continued her strong-woman, record-breaking feats.
“I have had the most incredible experiences by continuing to push myself and ask, ‘What’s next?’” she said. “I want you students to have that same attitude. Set your mind to whatever your next goal is. You’ve reached this level — what’s next?”
Legislature Vice Chairman Michael Brisky congratulated the students on their achievements, saying that the county needs “smart, talented, kind, good human beings,” and the students can be a part of that.
“We’re just ordinary, hardworking folks trying to do what’s right for the taxpayers and residents of Cattaraugus County,” he said, “and we need young people like you guys to come back when you’re done seeing the world and make Cattaraugus County a better place to live and work.”
Legislator Kelly Andreano, who serves as chair of the Human Services committee, which includes the youth bureau, encouraged the students to find their passions and to stick with them on their journeys.
“When you reach that destination on the road of life, get off, take a break, stop at a rest stop, but then get back on the road,” she said. “In each season of your life, you’ll have a ‘What’s next?’ and your mission and your purpose and your passion is what makes the journey well worth the drive.”
Other officials from the county, state Sen. George Borrello, Assemblyman Joe Sempolinski and a representative from U.S. Rep. Nick Langworthy’s office also offered their congratulations to the students and wished them the best in their future endeavors.
Honored Youth Citizenship Awards recipients include: Gianna Aloi, Lauryn Ball, Bretton Blecha, Ava Borer, Molly Bowers, Ryanna Brady, Emmaleigh Cowen, Alexander Crowell, Lilah Cudney, Zya DeGolier, Molly DeRose, Summery Downey, Annalisse Easton, Adriana Ensell, Owen Faulkner, Addison Fisher, Taylor Foster, Addison Gabler, Jillian Gernatt, Madison Giboo, Isabella Gibson, Valerie Gilbert, Madelia Griffith, Jacob Herrick, Sullivan Hoffman, Emily Hover, Natalie Isaman, Addison John, Brennan Kielar, Thomas Kielar, Tessa Kohn, Charles Kolasny, Stephanie Kopec, Courtney Marsh, Maylina Massagli, Ryan Metzger, Alexandra Mitchell, Christopher Osgood, Magdalena Parish, Victoria Parish, Ipshita Patra, Abilgail Peck, Xavier Peters, Natlie Reynolds, Tyler Richards, Carter Smith, Evan Snyder, Zachary Trietley, Emma Turney, Mia Volpe, Tatiana Warmley and Makayla Zimmer.
