With only a couple of weeks until final exams and three weeks until graduation for most area school districts, students and teachers alike are ready for summer break.

But in the final month of the 2024–25, there are still plenty of lessons to learn and educational experiences to be had — and recognition for work well done.

Cattaraugus-Little Valley musicians play Darien Lake

During the May 31–June 1 weekend, Cattaraugus-Little Valley Middle School’s bands took the stage at Six Flags Darien Lake to perform for a rating — and they did not disappoint.

The sixth-grade band earned an impressive “Excellent” rating, while the seventh/eighth-grade band received a strong “Good” rating. This marked the first time CLV bands participated in a competition in over 15 years.

District officials said they are proud of the student musicians for their hard work, dedication and outstanding performances. Their achievements have set a “high note” for the future, and the school looks forward to making this an annual tradition.

Ellicottville Elementary School teachers Bill Delity (left) and Katie Moore were recognized by Assemblyman Joe Sempolinski as part of the Teacher Appreciation Recognition Program.

Ellicottville teachers recognized by Assemblyman Sempolinski

Longtime Ellicottville educators Katie Moore, a fifth-grade teacher, and Bill Delity, a fourth-grade teacher, were recently honored by state Assemblyman Joe Sempolinski as part of the Teacher Appreciation Recognition Program. Ellicottville officials thanked Moore and Delity for their years of dedication to the students and families as they prepare for their retirement at the end of this school year.

Salamanca High School students Merle Watt and Zoe Alvarez-Fluent have been chosen to attend the Appalachian Entrepreneurship Academy this summer in North Carolina.

Salamanca students heading to entrepreneurship camp

Salamanca High School students Merle Watt and Zoe Alvarez-Fluent have been chosen to attend the Appalachian Entrepreneurship Academy this summer in North Carolina. This experience is provided at no cost to students or families, and a very competitive process — only 26 students were chosen.

The students spend two weeks at a college campus participating in hands-on learning to develop entrepreneurial skills. At the camp, students will develop and implement their own business idea, and after refining, they will pitch their idea to a panel of entrepreneurs.

Students also get a variety of recreational activities, including on- and off-campus experiences and the opportunity to celebrate local culture

West Valley Central students recently participated in the UB Metagenetics Research Symposium, presenting their research findings to peers, educators and medical researchers.

West Valley represents at UB symposium

West Valley Central students recently participated in the UB Metagenetics Research Symposium, joining representatives from 20 other schools at Jacobs Medical Center to present their research findings to peers, educators and medical researchers.

As part of the project, students analyzed environmental DNA samples and made a noteworthy discovery — a clinically significant strain of Chromobacterium vaccinii carrying an antibiotic resistance gene. This strain was identified from a water sample collected at Scoby Dam near Springville.

School officials said students and their science teacher, Joseph Guagliardo, represented West Valley well throughout the entire research project.