Laura Wolcott, a volunteer paramedic with GVEMS, led the effort to seek new designs for their front sign, shirts and stationary. Her daughter Morgan is a student in the graphic design program at Genesee Valley Boces Batavia campus and so Wolcott contacted the class teacher, Joe Burnett, and invited the students to submit designs.

   "We had over 35 designs submitted from students in the morning and afternoon graphic design classes. We were so impressed with all of them," Wolcott said.

   A committee of GVEMS members reviewed all of the entries and selected five designs to be used on a variety of items. A design from Heather Cessna, a 2009 senior at LeRoy High School, was selected for the sign. Heather and her mother, Mary Cessna, attended the open house and unveiling of the sign. Heather says she enjoyed the project and earned a good grade for her GVEMS design.

   The design from Helen Inges of LeRoy High School was selected for GVEMS thank you notes. Courtney Parmerter of Attica had her design selected for posters. Justin Bailey of Attica designed a GVEMS watermark, which will also be used for posters. Also from Attica, Katie Wojdan’s poster design was selected and Rebecca Yerger of Byron will see her design on GVEMS shirts.

   Cessna, Parmerter and Bailey all attended the open house. Bailey, a senior this year, said participating in projects like this is a good way of getting your designs out in public. He plans to study graphic design at Boces again this year. Wolcott presented each of the five winners with a shirt and a selection of the posters and stationary depicting their designs.

   Andy Klein, one of the original GVEMS members and key player in its incorporation several years ago, says moving to its new location on Avon-Caledonia Road has numerous benefits. For one thing, it brings visibility, to the organization, even more so with the new sign out front, Klein said.

   "This facility allows our members who don’t live in this community to stay here in the second floor housing facility. With this space we can conduct regional training as well," Klein said.

   Wolcott said all of the designs were outstanding. "The students did a phenomenal job and we thank them and their teacher, Mr. Burnett from Batavia Boces."