On display

Hannah Williams’ art is sprinkled around downtown Glens Falls — at Flour Child Bakery, Kru Koffee, Minky Mink, the 518 Beauty Room, on utility boxes and, most recently and most difficult to miss, the exterior wall at 20 Warren St.

Williams was selected to create a mural as part of Glens Falls Downtown Revitalization Initiative’s efforts to bring public art downtown.

Williams worked with the building’s owners to develop a theme about which they’re passionate.

“We have a love of nature in common, so I brought native flowers you can find in the city, on the Bike Trail or in Coles Woods,” she said. “Looking at the building now, it looks so small because I feel like I was touching every surface.”

FUN FACT: Williams was required to become certified in operating a boom lift for the Warren Street project. “It was pretty intimidating in the beginning, but I was driving all around in the end.”

2022 graduate of SUNY Adirondack, with a degree in Advanced Manufacturing

Currently: Project/process engineer at Epimed in Johnstown

Grace Valla is so used to being one of the youngest people in the room, she hardly notices anymore that she’s one of the only women.

“Being a girl and being very young in the field puts me as a minority, but I don’t think it has hindered me at all,” said Valla, who attended PTECH (Pathways in Technology Early College High School) at SUNY Adirondack through WSWHE BOCES while in high school, then finished earning an associate degree in Advanced Manufacturing at the college in 2022. “As long as you have the skills to back up, no one questions your age or gender.”

Even if Valla shrugs off being seen as a groundbreaker, others are taking notice, as Valla was invited to serve as a panelist at Women in the Trades, an event hosted by Early College Career Academy.

“It was a wonderful experience,” said Valla, of South Glens Falls. “Five other women from various industries and I spoke, explained how we got here and struggles we had, hoping to inspire the next generation of girls.”

Even as a high school student in PTECH among mostly young men, Valla wasn’t preoccupied by being in the minority; she instead focused on learning all she could.

“All the classes, combined with the hands-on experience, really teach you what you like and what you don’t like, and gave me a sense of ‘I would enjoy this’ when I was looking for a job,” she said. “The program touches on so many different things that even if I didn’t feel like they were important at the time, it gave me a leg to stand on when someone at work needs someone to go to, I at least have a basic knowledge.”

After graduating high school, Valla attended one year at SUNY Adirondack — paid for through the program, so she has no college debt — to finish earning an associate degree. She thinks she might be interested in earning a bachelor’s degree at some point, but right now loves her job and exploring the field of engineering.

Castleton University’s volleyball team was stormed by SUNY Adirondack alumni, as the team’s head coach and two assistant coaches are past Timberwolves.

Stephanie Gengel and Madison Paquin, both of Queensbury, serve as assistant coaches while Jessica Trudeau of South Glens Falls leads the squad. All three women were standout players at SUNY Adirondack.

Paquin and Gengel played together at Queensbury High School and SUNY Adirondack, and Gengel and Trudeau played together for a season at the college.

“Having collaborated for almost a decade as players and friends, and out in the community, has made it a seamless tradition into coaching together,” Gengel said.

“We’re the perfect three to have together,” said Paquin, who was part of SUNY Adirondack’s 2013 team that won NJCCA Regionals, then placed fourth nationally.

“Playing volleyball at SUNY Adirondack were some of the best times ever,” said Trudeau, who was named to the Mountain Valley All-Conference and Region III AA All-Conference teams, and earned Most Valuable Player honors in 2016.