Lycoming County students recognized at annual Education Celebration

Outstanding educators and students from area schools were honored Thursday night at the 20th annual Education Celebration, sponsored by the Williamsport/Lycoming Chamber of Commerce.

"This is something that we have been doing for 20 years and given the importance the education community here in Lycoming County, especially given the workforce that we have here, we think it's an important thing for us to undertake in highlighting the educators and the students who excel at what they do," said Jason Fink, chamber president and CEO.

"It's not only in the classroom that these people excel, it's throughout other parts of their life. We think that it's important that we give recognition to those folks, especially from the student side of it," he added.

Many of the students will either go to college or enter the workforce after graduation and the opportunity is available for them to return to the area for employment, Fink said.

"In a few years, they have the opportunity, if they're going to college, have the opportunity to come back here, to take on a job here," he said.

"If they're going right into the workforce, it's a great opportunity for them to shine and be able to be recognized by the business community who will hopefully be able to pick them up and give them employment as they graduate from high school in the coming months," he said.

Over the year, the pandemic has offered challenges to the education community, from administrators to educators and support staff, which makes celebrating their achievements even more important, Fink said.

"I truly believe that of any other time, this is a time that we should be doing this. They have faced numerous challenges, and it's not just the pandemic. It's life in general that they have had to deal with," he said.

Fink noted that when the schools shut down last spring, many people didn't realize the role that the education community played in providing meals for students.

"A lot of people didn't realize this until a lot of schools were shut down … that there are some kids that are not going to get a meal unless the school provides it for them. Everybody in the schools see this, but not everybody in the community does," he said.

"It's an event where we get to celebrate what's best here in Lycoming County in terms of education. It's not only just schools, it's the colleges and businesses as well," he added.

Awards to be presented include Alumni of the Year from the two local colleges, The recipients are: Charles D. Lamade, M. D., Lycoming College Class of 1975 and Kenneth Healy, Pennsylvania College of Technology, Class of 1990 and 2001.

Those receiving Outstanding Educator Awards and their school districts are: Joannette Shurer, East Lycoming; Jay Drumheller, Muncy; Brent Wheeland, Jersey Shore Area; Cheryll Schonewolf, South Williamsport Area; Carolyn Smith, Loyalsock Township; Lisa Winter, St. John Neumann Regional Academy; Heather Walton, Montgomery Area; Janine Randall, Williamsport Area; and Marc Haas, Montoursville Area.

Area students receiving Student Recognition Awards and their schools are: Zachery Gottshall, Hughesville High School; Rory Oden, Muncy High School; Samantha Machmer, Jersey Shore Area High School; Elizabeth Manning, South Williamsport Area High School; Cassandra Gee, Loyalsock Township High School; Juliana Kriner, St. John Neumann Regional Academy; Kelly Showers, Montgomery Area High School; Michael Fisher, Williamsport Area High School; and Madison Ramsey, Montoursville Area High School.

Each senior will receive a $50 charitable donation sponsored by the First Community Foundation Partnership of PA, PPL Electric Utilities and the Muncy Bank & Trust Company to give to the charity of their choice. One outstanding senior student will be named at the event to receive a cash award sponsored by M & T Bank and a textbook scholarship sponsored by the Williamsport Sun-Gazette.

Several local businesses will also receive Business Partner in Education Awards for 2021. They are: Acme Barbecue & Catering, Coles Coffee Shop, Creekside Country Market, Erb's West End Family Market and Catering, Joe's Pizza and Restaurant East End, Joe's Pizza and Restaurant West End, Johnson's Cafe, Mel's Deli & Cafe, Kutza's Kitchen, Leo's Pizzeria, Mark's Family Restaurant, Maseto's Deli, Mileto's Sub Shop, Panda Chinese Restaurant, Park Pizza, Peg & Bill's Diner II, Pizza To Go, Sheetz, South Side Restaurant and Pizzeria, The Loyalsock Hotel and the Trail Inn.