District News

The Marcellus Central School District welcomed educators from across the region for a hands-on professional learning workshop as part of the New York State Master Teachers Program. The session took place at the district’s Career Exploration and Agricultural Sciences Center, highlighting innovative ways to integrate agriculture into classrooms.

The workshop provided participants with an in-depth look at Marcellus’s state-of-the-art Ag Center, located at 2 Mustang Hill, and created space for collaboration, idea-sharing and cross-disciplinary learning.

“We wanted to provide an opportunity for New York State Master Teachers to tour our facility and provide a space to learn from each other,” said Jennifer Stratton, Science and Agriculture Teacher at Marcellus High School. “Our goal was to share opportunities and resources to bring Ag into any classroom at any scale.”

Participants rotated through three interactive learning stations designed to showcase different aspects of the district’s agriculture program.

Wood Shop & Milling Station: Educators toured the wood shop and kiln while exploring how math and science concepts are embedded into hands-on learning. Led by teacher Joe Killian, the session included demonstrations of real-world applications and an opportunity for participants to mill lumber using a WoodMizer horizontal bandsaw.

Sugar House Station: In the sugar house, Jennifer Stratton guided participants through a scavenger hunt activity aligned with New York State Science Learning Standards Cross-Cutting Concepts. The experience also included a maple taste test, connecting scientific principles with agricultural production.

Greenhouse Station: Participants toured the greenhouse facility, where Teacher Caitlin Eaton shared how the Marcellus agriculture program fosters collaboration across grade levels and engages community partners to enhance student learning.

Students of the district’s Future Farmers of America (FFA) club were on hand throughout the evening, helping facilitate activities and offering valuable student perspectives on the program.

Marcellus Central School District offers a comprehensive Agriculture Education program beginning in grades 7 and 8 within technology classes. At the high school level, students can explore a wide range of electives, including Sustainability Science, Building Trades, Small Engines, Basic Cooking, Career and Financial Management, Welding, Carpentry and Fine Woodworking and a capstone Project Management course.

FFA serves as a co-curricular extension of the program, focusing on leadership development and career readiness. Students who complete a sequence of agriculture and technical courses may earn a Career and Technical Education (CTE) Technical Endorsement, demonstrating mastery of industry-relevant skills.

Marcellus FCCLA recently attended the State Leadership Conference held at the Villa Roma Resort with an outstanding group of 24 student competitors.

Marcellus students demonstrated incredible dedication, creativity and professionalism, and their hard work paid off. We are proud to announce that Marcellus FCCLA brought home 18 Gold Medals and 6 Silver Medals. Even more impressively, 15 students placed in the top two of their event, qualifying them to advance to the National Leadership Conference in Washington, D.C. 

"This was truly an outstanding showing for Marcellus FCCLA," said advisors Liz Milliken and Dianna Joslyn. "We are incredibly proud of all our students for their hard work, leadership and commitment."

In addition to their competitive success, two Marcellus students, Adie Kinsley and Maddie Carver, had the honor of singing the national anthem, showcasing their talents beyond competition. Advisors are also proud to celebrate Liz Milliken, who was recognized with the prestigious Spirit of Advising Award. As a chapter, Marcellus FCCLA was further recognized for its outstanding achievements in Families First, Community Service, FACTS (Families Acting for Community Traffic Safety) and the Pink Out NYS FCCLA Outreach Project.

Marcellus High School hosted guest speaker Marianne Angelillo, who shared her powerful personal story to educate students about the devastating consequences of drunk driving.

Angelillo’s message stems from an unimaginable loss. In 2004, her seventeen-year-old son, Matthew, was killed as a passenger in a high-speed drunk-driving crash in Skaneateles.

Angelillo describes speaking about her loss as “sharing her stones” — a way of carrying the heavy grief she has lived with since that day. The phrase later became the title of the book she wrote about her journey. By sharing her story, Angelillo hopes to both lighten her own burden and prevent other families from experiencing a similar tragedy.

Matthew Angelillo was a student at Skaneateles High School, where he was an honor student and varsity athlete. He hoped to attend the United States Air Force Academy and had already received strong praise for his potential. Outside of school, Matthew enjoyed snowboarding, hunting and fishing, and spending weekends at the family camp. His mother remembers him as a natural leader — intelligent, dedicated and humorous.

Accepting a ride to a party by an intoxicated friend led to devastation for the Angelillo family.

In the years since, Marianne has dedicated her life to educating others about the dangers of impaired driving. For more than two decades, Angelillo has traveled across the country sharing Matthew’s story, serving as an advocate and speaker with the National Safety Council and the New York Governor’s Traffic Safety Committee.

“A worse thing than death is to feel purposeless and hopeless after it,” Angelillo told Marcellus High School students.

Through her message, she encourages young people to think carefully about the choices they make and the lasting consequences a single decision can have. She also spoke about the importance of forgiveness, vulnerability and connection, leaving students with a simple but powerful reminder: “When you drink, you don’t think.”

At the conclusion of the presentation, Angelillo spent time speaking one-on-one with students — including Matthew’s niece, who now attends Marcellus High School — continuing the work she set out to do by sharing her stones and ensuring Matthew’s story continues to make a difference.

For Laurie Updike, each season brings back its own share of memories.

There are the state championship seasons, like when the Marcellus Girls Soccer team won back-to-back state championships in 2003 and 2004, and again in 2024 and 2025. There were also 18 league championships, 13 section titles, and 10 regional crowns over Updike's last 26 years on the Mustangs sideline.

While each season has a special place in her heart, Updike knows it's not just about the wins, but the bonds you make along the way.

"You share those moments," Updike said. "Whether we won a title or not, there were always awesome things that happened along the way that you remember."

Updike's success — on and off the field — has led to several national awards. One year after being named the Small Public School Girls National Coach of the Year by the United Soccer Coaches, Updike has been selected as the Girls Soccer Coach of the Year by the National Federation of State High School Associations for 2024-25.

Adding hardware to her mantle and years to the state championship banners in the gym are meaningful, but not the only mission for Updike. It's about helping players grow and meet their goals outside the lines as much as they do inside of them.

"That's why you coach," Updike said. "That's why you teach."

Updike's path to the Marcellus sideline started in Trumansburg. She grew up in the small Southern Tier town, and began playing soccer on the girls team's inaugural run in 1981. 

"We played three schools...and played them each three times, and then we had a couple other games. We had like 10 games," Updike said. "Then my senior year we went to sectionals and started playing bigger teams. It was such a thrill."

Updike went on to play soccer and basketball while attending St. John Fisher College, but finished her degree at SUNY Cortland after sustaining an injury. While working in the Athletic Department at Cornell University, she was brought back to Trumansburg to coach basketball. Updike turned the team around, won a league championship, and led the Blue Raiders to sectional play.

Updike quickly realized coaching was one of her passions.

"I just noticed that every time I walked into school and saw the kids, how happy it made me," Updike said. 

Updike coached basketball and volleyball, but her first time on the back on the sidelines for soccer came after she was hired in Marcellus in 1999. Some coaching techniques translated, while others needed tweaking.

"Giving the girls a safe environment and making it fun, teaching skills, the Xs and Os, all those things transfer across all sports," Updike said.

Updike credits her longevity with her ability to evolve and learn new coaching strategies. She frequented coaches' conferences and sought as much knowledge as she could about the game.

"There is always so much support around," Updike said. "Marcellus has been fantastic all the way through my journey and the place I am now."

Updike has led the Mustangs to a 448-80-28 record over her tenure. The most recent back-to-back state titles were extra sweet after Updike was diagnosed with cancer three years ago.

"That event three years ago just changed how I look at everything in life, and the appreciation that I have," Updike said. "And then to win back-to-back titles? I'm blessed."

Updike is preparing to ease out of her role as coach. She plans to retire from teaching at the end of the school year and has one more season to coach while her daughter is a senior.

"I just want to do what I love, which is teaching at Marcellus, coaching at Marcellus," Updike said. "I'm going to ease out of teaching and then ease out of coaching, and find some sunshine."