OIL CITY, Pa. — The Venango Technology Center held its forty-ninth annual “Awarding of Certificates” ceremony on Thursday, May 31, 2018, in the Venango Technology Center cafeteria.

A total of one hundred fifty-five (155) students received certificates of completion in this year’s ceremony.

Seventy (70) seniors were honored in the morning ceremony, which was held at 9:30 a.m. The morning class was made up of seniors from Franklin, Rocky Grove, and Oil City.

The 12:30 p.m. ceremony for the graduating seniors of Oil City, Cranberry, Titusville, East Forest, and West Forest saw a total of eighty-five (85) students honored.

Mr. Mario S. Fontanazza, Jr., Director of the Venango Technology Center, opened the ceremony with his congratulations to the graduates. He introduced the winners of the two prestigious awards who then addressed the audience with their words of advice and encouragement. The Directors Award winner for the a.m. ceremony was Franklin student James Ausel, Welding Technology, and the p.m. winner of the Harold B. Albright Memorial Fund Award was Oil City student Breanna Johnson, Allied Health Occupations. James received an engraved watch, a certificate of recognition, and his name engraved on a plaque that is displayed in the Technology Center. Breanna was the recipient of a $500 scholarship.

Following the students’ remarks, Mr. Fontanazza presented the Venango Technology Center Class of 2018 for graduation to Mr. Troy Johnston, who accepted the class on behalf of the Center’s Joint Operating Committee. Mr. Johnston and Mr. Fontanazza then awarded the certificates of completion to each senior.

Members of the Class of 2018 include the following students:

Kaileigh-Ann Brink, Rocky Grove Jr-Sr High School, Allied Health Occupations
Brooke Gart, Oil City Jr. Sr. High School, Allied Health Occupations
Carly Holguin, West Forest Jr. Sr. High Allied Health Occupations
Shania Irwin, Cranberry Jr. Sr. High School, Allied Health Occupations
Breanna Johnson, Oil City Jr. Sr. High School, Allied Health Occupations
Grace Jolley, Franklin High School, Allied Health Occupations
Stephanie Kiesel, Rocky Grove Jr-Sr High School, Allied Health Occupations
Shawnna Littlefield, Cranberry Jr. Sr. High School, Allied Health Occupations
Krachelle Wright, Titusville Sr. High School, Allied Health Occupations
Logan Bemis, Cranberry Jr. Sr. High School, Auto Body Repair
Andrew Burgdorfer, Cranberry Jr. Sr. High School, Auto Body Repair
Matthew Clayton, Franklin High School, Auto Body Repair
Robert Cramer, Rocky Grove Jr-Sr High School, Auto Body Repair
Larissa Dewey, Titusville Sr. High School, Auto Body Repair
Joel Finley, Titusville Sr. High School, Auto Body Repair
Curtis Giles, Franklin High School, Auto Body Repair
Luke Gratkowski, Cranberry Jr. Sr. High School, Auto Body Repair
Jayden Haggerty, Rocky Grove Jr-Sr High School, Auto Body Repair
Shalyn Kelsey, Titusville Sr. High School, Auto Body Repair
Cody Leofsky, Titusville Sr. High School, Auto Body Repair
Christine McCool, Rocky Grove Jr-Sr High School, Auto Body Repair
Quentin McDonald, Oil City Jr. Sr. High School, Auto Body
Mary Phelps, Oil City Jr. Sr. High School, Auto Body Repair
Kristine Serrins, Franklin High School, Auto Body Repair
Jacob Snow, Oil City Jr. Sr. High School, Auto Body Repair
Shannon Wolfe, Titusville Sr. High School, Auto Body Repair
Micheal Bergman, Franklin High School, Automotive Technology
Austin Clark, Rocky Grove Jr-Sr High School, Automotive Technology
Robert Deets, Franklin High School, Automotive Technology
Trui Dunkel, Oil City Jr. Sr. High School, Automotive Technology
Haven Fay, Titusville Sr. High School, Automotive Technology
Drake Fish, Oil City Jr. Sr. High School, Automotive Technology
James Grimes, Oil City Jr. Sr. High School, Automotive Technology
Andrew Heller, Franklin High School, Automotive Technology
Joshua Jacobson, Titusville Sr. High School, Automotive Technology
Nicholas Maglet, Titusville Sr. High School, Automotive Technology
Andrew Malone, Oil City Jr. Sr. High School, Automotive Technology
Ty McNany, Franklin High School, Automotive Technology
Nolan Weaver, Oil City Jr. Sr. High School, Automotive Technology
Elizabeth Zabelsky, Rocky Grove Jr-Sr High School, Automotive Technology
Zared Baker, Rocky Grove Jr-Sr High School, Building Construction Technology
Eric Dilley, Rocky Grove Jr-Sr High School, Building Construction Technology
Robbie Drzewiecki, Cranberry Jr. Sr. High School, Building Construction Technology
James Greer, Titusville Sr. High School, Building Construction Technology
Harley Nichols, East Forest Jr. Sr. High, Building Construction Technology
Takoda Wagner, Titusville Sr. High School, Building Construction Technology
Reba Wood, Oil City Jr. Sr. High School, Building Construction Technology
Zackary Bacher, Franklin High School, Computer Aided Drafting & Design
Noah Keebler, Titusville Sr. High School, Computer Aided Drafting & Design
Drew Martin, Franklin High School, Computer Aided Drafting & Design
Logan Moon, Franklin High School, Computer Aided Drafting & Design
Randy Moyer, East Forest Jr. Sr. High, Computer Aided Drafting & Design
Christian Whisner, East Forest Jr. Sr. High, Computer Aided Drafting & Design
Elizabeth Beach, Rocky Grove Jr-Sr High School, Computer Information Systems
Jennifer Blair, Titusville Sr. High School, Computer Information Systems
Seth Boggess, Oil City Jr. Sr. High School, Computer Information Systems
Andrew Heath, Oil City Jr. Sr. High School, Computer Information Systems
Doris Mock, Titusville Sr. High School, Computer, Information Systems
Cooper Mucha, Titusville Sr. High School, Computer Information Systems
Bethany Roberts Oil City Jr. Sr. High School, Computer Information Systems
Zachary Stelene, Cranberry Jr. Sr. High School, Computer Information Systems
Clayton Stover, Oil City Jr. Sr. High School, Computer Information Systems
Rebecca Whitmer, Rocky Grove Jr-Sr High School, Computer Information Systems
McKenzie Attleberger, Franklin High School, Cosmetology
Arial Bemis, Oil City Jr. Sr. High School, Cosmetology
Kori Crofutt, Oil City Jr. Sr. High School, Cosmetology
Kylee Gonzalez, Oil City Jr. Sr. High School, Cosmetology
Ember Hockman, Cranberry Jr. Sr. High School, Cosmetology
Hannah Lewis, Oil City Jr. Sr. High School, Cosmetology
Danielle Russell, Cranberry Jr. Sr. High School, Cosmetology
Miranda Seeley, Titusville Sr. High School, Cosmetology
Tyra Bosley, Oil City Jr. Sr. High School, Culinary
Kaleb Bradley, Oil City Jr. Sr. High School, Culinary
Shyann Daugherty, Oil City Jr. Sr. High School, Culinary
Ashley George, Franklin High School, Culinary
Hope Johnson, Cranberry Jr. Sr. High School, Culinary
Hannah Johnston, Cranberry Jr. Sr. High School, Culinary
Zachary Knight, Oil City Jr. Sr. High School, Culinary
Julianna Martin, Franklin High School, Culinary
Savannah McQuade, Franklin High School, Culinary
Shaylynn Myers, Titusville Sr. High School, Culinary
Brooke Rocco, Rocky Grove Jr-Sr High School, Culinary
Destanie Trauterman, Franklin High School, Culinary
Alisha Waters, Rocky Grove Jr-Sr High School, Culinary
Zach Dempsey, Oil City Jr. Sr. High School, Electronic Technology
Abagail Douglass, Oil City Jr. Sr. High School, Electronic Technology
Matthew Fox, Cranberry Jr. Sr. High School, Electronic Technology
Ashley Hargenrader, Oil City Jr. Sr. High School, Electronic Technology
Niklos Kossman, Cranberry Jr. Sr. High School, Electronic Technology
Kyle Plummer, Oil City Jr. Sr. High School, Electronic Technology
Ethan Sherry, Titusville Sr. High School, Electronic Technology
Cole Terrill, Oil City Jr. Sr. High School, Electronic Technology
Olivia Wolfe, Titusville Sr. High School, Electronic Technology
Aidan Bain, Rocky Grove Jr-Sr High School, Gas & Oil Technician
Quinton Bain, Rocky Grove Jr-Sr High School, Gas & Oil Technician
Nicholas Bechtel, Cranberry Jr. Sr. High School, Gas & Oil Technician
Theodore Broniszewski, Franklin High School, Gas & Oil Technician
Corbyn Burrows, Titusville Sr. High School, Gas & Oil Technician
Wyatt Cartney, Titusville Sr. High School, Gas & Oil Technician
Michael Cherry, Rocky Grove Jr-Sr High School, Gas & Oil Technician
Zach Daly, Titusville Sr. High School, Gas & Oil Technician
Zachery Erwin, Cranberry Jr. Sr. High School, Gas & Oil Technician
Joshua Frawley, Cranberry Jr. Sr. High School, Gas & Oil Technician
Dalton Haggerty, Titusville Sr. High School, Gas & Oil Technician
Josiah Jacobson, Titusville Sr. High School, Gas & Oil Technician
Melinda Mlakar, West Forest Jr. Sr. High, Gas & Oil Technician
Kyler Orr, Franklin High School, Gas & Oil Technician
Dillion Patterson, Titusville Sr. High School, Gas & Oil Technician
Brenden Schlorff, Franklin High School, Gas & Oil Technician
Brandon Seeley, Titusville Sr. High School, Gas & Oil Technician
Matthew Vincent, Franklin High School, Gas & Oil Technician
Hunter Wagner, Oil City Jr. Sr. High School, Gas & Oil Technician
Trenton Williams, Franklin High School, Gas & Oil Technician
Donnie Culp, Cranberry Jr. Sr. High School, Machine Tool Technology
Jamy Marty Franklin, High School, Machine Tool Technology
Oakley Sanford, Franklin High School, Machine Tool Technology
Nathan Young, Titusville Sr. High School, Machine Tool Technology
Kanesha Brown, Oil City Jr. Sr. High School, Marketing
Emily Matthews, Franklin High School, Marketing
Paige Ritchey, Oil City Jr. Sr. High School, Marketing
Jerry Zimmerman, Oil City Jr. Sr. High School, Marketing
Kayla Chatley, Franklin High School, Natural Resources
Cameron Johnson Titusville Sr. High School, Natural Resources
John Myers, Franklin High School, Natural Resources
Christian Osborn, Franklin High School, Natural Resources
Emilee Pullease, Oil City Jr. Sr. High School, Natural Resources
Brandon Truex, Franklin High School, Natural Resources
Sebastian Tucker, West Forest Jr. Sr. High Natural, Resources
Noah Turk, Franklin High School Natural, Resources
Brooke Carr, Titusville Sr. High School, Protective Services
Seth Crose, Oil City Jr. Sr. High School, Protective Services
Tyler Crow, Titusville Sr. High School, Protective Services
Kayla Erickson, Titusville Sr. High School, Protective Services
Katylin Kinnear, Titusville Sr. High School, Protective Services
McKenzie Lute, Rocky Grove Jr-Sr High School, Protective Services
Caden Mallory, Titusville Sr. High School, Protective Services
Ashlynn Schmidt, Franklin High School, Protective Services
Ian Scott Rocky, Grove Jr-Sr High School, Protective Services
Aaron Scott, Titusville Sr. High School, Protective Services
Briana Smith, Rocky Grove Jr-Sr High School, Protective Services
Elizabeth Walters, Oil City Jr. Sr. High School, Protective Services
Selena Whitman, Oil City Jr. Sr. High School, Protective Services
Shelby Whitton, Cranberry Jr. Sr. High School, Protective Services
Trent Aurand, Oil City Jr. Sr. High School, Welding
James Ausel, Franklin High School, Welding
Paul Chesar, Oil City Jr. Sr. High School, Welding
Travis Crate, Cranberry Jr. Sr. High School, Welding
Nathaniel Danzer, Rocky Grove Jr-Sr High School, Welding
Kyle Evans, West Forest Jr. Sr. High Welding
Thomas Flinspach, Cranberry Jr. Sr. High School, Welding
Gerald Henwood, Cranberry Jr. Sr. High School Welding
Caleb Kingdom, Franklin High School, Welding
Austin Lamberton, Franklin High School, Welding
Michael Smith, Franklin High School, Welding
Kristian Vroman, Titusville Sr. High School, Welding

Several seniors were selected by their instructors to receive an “Outstanding Student Award” along with their certificate. These excellence in education awards were given to the following students:

Allied Health Occupations: Kaileigh-Ann Brink, Brooke Gart, and Breanna Johnson
Auto Body Repair Technology: Quentin McDonald and Luke Gratkowski
Automotive Technology: Micheal Bergman and Nicholas Maglet
Building Construction Technology: Reba Wood and Takoda Wagner
Computer Aided Drafting and Design: Drew Martin, Logan Moon, and Christian Whisner
Computer Information Systems: Elizabeth Beach, Rebecca Whitmer, and
Andrew Heath
Cosmetology: Arial Bemis and Danielle Russell
Electronic Technology: Ashley Hargenrader
Gas & Oil Technician: Theodore Broniszewski and Melinda Mlakar
Protective Services: Elizabeth Walters and Caden Mallory
Welding Technology: James Ausel, Nathaniel Danzer, and Travis Crate
Cooperative Education: Noah Turk and Wyatt Cartney

After the distribution of certificates, the special honors and awards portion of the program took place. Ms. Sarah Campbell, Coordinator of Student Services, announced the names of seniors who achieved the List of Excellence in every grading period in either a 1, 2, or 3 three period of enrollment. The following students were presented a letter of commendation for their efforts. Those who achieved this honor for three years received a gift basket from the School & Industry Partnership and a tool set from Channellock.

For three years:

James Ausel -Welding, Franklin
Kayla Chatley – Natural Resources, Franklin
Travis Crate – Welding, Cranberry
Zackary Bacher – CADD, Franklin

For two years:

Thomas Flinspach – Welding, Cranberry
Matthew Fox – Electronics, Cranberry
Brooke Gart – Allied Health Occupations, Oil City
Caleb Kingdom – Welding, Franklin
Logan Moon — CADD, Franklin
Ethan Sherry – Electronics, Titusville
Kristian Vroman – Welding, Titusville
Elizabeth Walters – Protective Services, Oil City

For one year:

Aaron Scott – Protective Services, Titusville
Andrew Heath – Computer Information Systems, Oil City
Brenden Schlorff – Gas & Oil Technician, Franklin
Drew Martin – CADD, Franklin
Joshua Frawley – Gas & Oil Technician, Cranberry
Kyle Evans – Welding, West Forest
Kyler Orr — Gas & Oil Technician, Franklin
Luke Gratkowski – Auto Body Repair, Cranberry
Michael Cherry – Gas & Oil Technician, Rocky Grove
Michael Smith – Welding, Franklin
Nathaniel Danzer – Welding, Rocky Grove
Niklos Kossman – Electronics, Cranberry
Noah Turk — Natural Resources, Franklin
Reba Wood — Building Construction Technology, Oil City
Rebecca Whitmer – Computer Information Systems, Rocky Grove
Robert Cramer – Auto Body Repair, Rocky Grove
Theodore Broniszewski – Gas & Oil Technician, Franklin
Tyler Crow – Protective Services, Titusville
Wyatt Cartney – Gas & Oil Technician, Titusville
Zach Dempsey – Electronics, Oil City

Ms. Campbell also announced those students with perfect attendance in either 1, 2, or 3 years of attendance at VTC. The student with perfect attendance also received a gift basket from the School & Industry Partnership and a tool set from Channellock.

For three years:

Elizabeth Walters — Protective Services, Oil City

For two years:

Trent Aurand – Welding, Oil City
Matthew Fox – Electronics, Cranberry

For one year:

James Ausel – Welding, Franklin
Kaileigh-Ann Brink — Allied Health Occupations, Rocky Grove
Theodore Broniszewski — Gas & Oil Technician, Franklin
Kayla Chatley — Natural Resources, Franklin
Robert Cramer — Auto Body Repair, Rocky Grove
Zach Dempsey – Electronics, Oil City
Drake Fish — Automotive Technology, Oil City
Thomas Flinspach – Welding, Cranberry
Joshua Frawley — Gas & Oil Technician, Cranberry
Noah Keebler – CADD, Titusville
Logan Moon – CADD, Franklin
Kyler Orr — Gas & Oil Technician, Franklin
Cole Terrill – Electronics, Oil City
Noah Turk — Natural Resources, Franklin
Ethan Sherry — Electronics, Titusville
Elizabeth Zabelsky — Automotive Technology, Rocky Grove
Jerry Zimmerman — Marketing, Oil City

Receiving the $500 Pennzoil Scholarship was Elizabeth Beach, Rocky Grove. Beach is a student in Computer Information Systems. This award is given to a student who plans to further their education and who best exemplifies the code of ethics for which the Technology Center advocates

The Odd Fellows Home of Western PA provided two awards. The Odd Fellows Home of Western PA Continuing Education Award in the amount of $600 was given to Protective Services student Ashlynn Schmidt, Franklin. The Odd Fellows Home of Western PA School-to-Work Citizenship Award in the amount of $500 was given to Gas & Oil Technician student Theodore Broniszewski, Franklin.

A scholarship fund has been established in memory of the former Protective Services instructor, Mr. Kevin Lewis. Two graduating students in this program were selected to receive $750 scholarships through the Kevin Lewis Scholarship Fund. Mrs. Jodi Lewis, widow of Kevin, was on hand to present the awards to Elizabeth Walters of Oil City and Kayla Erickson of Titusville. This year the Scholarship fund was able to present a third scholarship of $500 to Marketing student Paige Ritchey of Oil City.

Josiah Jacobson from Titusville received the National Technical Honor Society John H. Poteat Scholarship award. This scholarship is in the amount of $1,000. Faculty Advisor, Mrs. Jena Seidle, presented the award to Jacobson.

The American Legion Scholastic Award Medals were presented by Mr. Larry Bowers of the Oil City American Legion Post 32. The winners of this year’s awards were Kaileigh-Ann Brink, an Allied Health student from Rocky Grove, and Travis Crate, a Welding student from Cranberry. This award is given to students who exemplify courage, honor, leadership, patriotism, and service.

The Outstanding Technical Student Award is sponsored by PNC Bank. Ms. Heidi Philips of PNC Bank was at the ceremony to present this year’s award to Kayla Chatley, a Natural Resources student from Franklin. The PNC Bank award consists of a certificate, a cash award, and the students name engraved on a permanent plaque displayed in the school.

Two Rotary District 7280 2018 Vocational Senior Grants in the amount of $150 were presented by Rotary District Governor, Mrs. Judith Hughes. Recipients were Franklin student Drew Martin, CADD, and Oil City student Ashley Hargenrader, Electronics.

Mr. Fontanazza introduced the Harold B. Albright Achievement Award and the criteria on which it is based. Ambition, trustworthiness, responsibility, maturity, neatness, and safety consciousness are all used to select the award recipient. This year’s winner was Natural Resources student Noah Turk, Franklin. He received an engraved watch, a certificate of recognition, and his name engraved on a plaque that is displayed in the Technology Center.