Frankfort-Schuyler Central School District and the Herkimer-Fulton-Hamilton-Otsego BOCES School to Careers office recently held the first annual Frankfort-Schuyler Alum-Knights event for students in grades 10-12 to raise awareness about the possibilities that await them post-graduation and inspire them to never stop learning and growing.
As the name suggests, the event highlighted the achievements of almuni, bringing in graduates who could, quite literally, say that they had once sat in the very same seats as the students.
Frankfort-Schuyler Alum-Knights took place on Jan. 30 at the Frankfort-Schuyler High School.
Scott Grates from the Class of 1995, owner of four businesses and a local podcast host, focused his talk on around three themes: knowledge, network and opportunity. Grates never disappoints when he gives his talks, always infusing audience participation as a way to connect with students and drive home his message. He led participants in an activity where they learned how to build a strong business team with the goal of leveraging your time, so that you can continue to grow and do more of what you love.
Josh Graziadei from the Class of 2018 shared an inspiring message about his journey from uncertainty after high school to discovering his passion behind the lens, becoming a professional photographer and videographer. He has been able to build an impressive client base with hip-hop legends and superstar athletes. His story exemplified that it’s OK not to have it all figured out, but once you find your passion, go all in and chase it.
Frank Aceto IV of the Class of 2005 shared that he did have some ups and downs throughout his time in high school, and that upon graduation he realized that he still had much to learn. He started out as a part-time bank teller, where he found his passion for the banking industry. From there, he worked his way up to become an assistant vice president at Adirondack Bank. He credits his success to his willingness to embrace continuous learning and self-improvement, and he encouraged students to do the same.
Zoey Zogby of the Class of 2015 shared that she knew she wanted to be a lawyer since age 10, diligently preparing through high school and college. When she made it to law school, she hit a roadblock, as the coursework was so rigorous that she worried she wouldn’t be successful, sharing quite bluntly that she thought she would fail. She, however, persevered and achieved her dream, passing the bar exam on her first try. Her story encouraged students to never give up, no matter the obstacles.
The event ended with a Q-and-A session with the students for all four panelists. Grates added a perfect closure to the day by turning to the other panelists and saying that he is proud to say he has done business with all of them, telling the students what a supportive network the Knights will always be, and that the Knights will never let you down. It was a day that everyone was proud to be a part of the Maroon Knights family.
