Superintendent George P. Beach II welcomed 226 new members of the New York State Police as they graduate from the 204th session of the Basic School of the New York State Police Academy.

“After months of training, the 204th Basic School join the ranks of one of the finest police agencies in the world,” said New York State Police Superintendent George P. Beach II. “For nearly 100 years the State Police have served and protected the citizens of New York. I congratulate all of our new Troopers and thank them for their continued dedication to the State Police and the people of New York.”

The graduation ceremony was held at the Empire State Plaza Convention Hall in Albany where the new troopers marched into the convention center in a procession led by the New York State Police Pipe and Drum band. The National Anthem was performed by Trooper Elizabeth Fallon and the ceremony included a video presentation of the training received by all members of the 204th Basic School Session.

In addition to honoring all graduates from the 204th Session of Basic School, Superintendent Beach presented the following awards:

Academic Achievement Award
As a special incentive for all students attending the State Police Academy Basic School, the Superintendent sponsors the awarding of a firearm for the attainment of the highest level of academic performance during Academy training.

The winner of the Academic Performance Award is Trooper Joseph A. Sparacino, a 27-year-old resident of Tonawanda, New York. Prior to joining the New York State Police, he was a Police Officer with the Town of Tonawanda Police Department.  Throughout the Academy training program, he achieved an outstanding overall academic average of 99.3.  He will be assigned to Troop E.

Firearms Proficiency Award
The New York State Trooper Foundation has sponsored the awarding of a firearm for the attainment of the highest level of performance in all phases of firearms training.

The winner of the Superintendent’s Firearms Proficiency Award is Trooper Michael R. Beck, age 30, of Auburn, New York. Prior to joining the New York State Police, he served as a corporal for nine years with the Cayuga County Sherriff’s Office.  During firearms training, he fired an average score of 250 out of a possible 250.  He will be assigned to Troop D.

Investigator Joseph T. Aversa Physical Fitness Award
The New York State Police Investigators Association has sponsored the awarding of a firearm for the attainment of the highest degree of physical fitness during the Physical Training Program at the Academy. This award will be presented in memory of deceased Investigator Joseph Aversa.  Investigator Aversa made the ultimate sacrifice in New York City on March 5^th, 1990, during a narcotics investigation while serving as a Member of the Joint Drug Enforcement Task Force.  Investigator Aversa was a six-year State Police veteran who believed that physical conditioning was an integral part of being a Trooper.

The winner of the Joseph T. Aversa Physical Training Award is Trooper Jeffrey Blazek.  He is 27 years old and resides in New Hartford, New York.  Prior to entering the New York State Police Academy, he graduated from Utica College with a Bachelor Degree in Economic Crime Investigation.  During the physical agility testing, he achieved the highest score of all 226 Members of the 204^th Session, a tribute to his superb physical conditioning.  He will be assigned to Troop B.

Student Representative
The New York State Troopers Police Benevolent Association has sponsored the awarding of a firearm to the Member of the class who is selected by his or her peers to represent them during these exercises.  The PBA presents the award in memory of Trooper John J. McKenna IV, who was killed in action in 2006, while serving his country as a Marine in Iraq.

Trooper Avery Katz has been chosen as the class representative.  He is 34 years old and resides in Yorktown Heights, New York.  Prior to joining the New York State Police, he graduated from SUNY Plattsburgh with a Bachelor Degree in Criminal Justice.  He is currently an Executive Officer in the United States Marine Core Reserves.  He will be assigned to Troop F.

Video sound bites with the members listed directly below are available on the New York State Police YouTube channel at www.youtube.com/nyspolice.

Trooper Joseph Sparacino – Tonawanda
Trooper Sparacino will be assigned to Troop E.
Trooper Daniel Arcadi – St. Regis Falls
Trooper Arcadi will be assigned to Troop B.
Trooper Arron Whitney – Endwell
Trooper Whitney will be assigned to Troop C.
Trooper Jeffrey Blazek – New Hartford
Trooper Blazek will be assigned to Troop B.
Trooper Olivia Beck – Rochester
Trooper Beck will be assigned to Troop D.
Trooper Edward Donohue – Middletown
Trooper Donohue will be assigned to Troop F.
Trooper James Oliveto – Ballston Spa
Trooper Oliveto will be assigned to Troop K.
Trooper Avery Katz – Yorktown Heights
Trooper Katz will be assigned to Troop F.
Trooper Kyle Shillingford – West Hempstead
Trooper Shillingford will be assigned to Troop F.

The new troopers will report for field duty on October 20, 2016.  For the following 10 weeks the new troopers will be evaluated under a field-training program supervised by senior Field Training Officers.
Below is a list of field training Troop assignments where graduates will begin field duty supervised by senior training officers.  Included are the hometowns of the graduates.

Troop B – Plattsburgh
Daniel J. Albee                              Hudson Falls
Daniel J. Arcadi                            Saint Regis Falls
Kurt W. Becker                             East Meadow
Matthew C. Bishop                       Dickinson Center
Jeffrey A. Blazek                          New Hartford
Brendan G. Bolis                          Canton
Alfred M. Brassard                       Champlain
Ryan J. Carrow                             Potsdam
Dylan J. Dawson                           Lake Clear
James D. Dew                               Ithaca
Salvatore C. Dilegge III               Bay Shore
Brandon M. Drews                       Hamburg
Mark D. Eggleston                        Plattsburgh
Joshua E. Gushlaw                        Plattsburgh
Shane R. Harrigan                         Chateaugay
David Hennessy                            Nassau
Kale C. Hitchman                         Madrid
Derek E. Jubert                             Altona
Ryan J. Kennedy                          Albany
Zackery M. Leader                       Lake Placid
Derrick A. Leonard                       Black River
Taylor A. McCarthy                      Watkins Glen
Christopher Meliti                         Scarsdale
Kayla L. Messier                           Troy
Michael L. Milbauer                      Bayshore
Joseph Mistretta                            Shirley
Erin E. Mulcahy                            South Glens Falls
David A. Nash                              Latham
Juan D. Olarte                               Rensselaer
Kevin D. Peterson Jr.                    Buffalo
Alex C. Phelps                              Amsterdam
Kimberly M. Pikarsky                   Clay
Joshua M. Porcell                          Latham
Joseph T. Port                               Queensbury
Joshua W. Prashaw                       Norfolk
Ryan C. Reif                                 Morrisonville
Jeremy Reynolds                           Cornwall-on-Hudson
Michael B. Roman                        Watertown
Craig M. Samiof                           Troy
Srdjan Simic                                  Buffalo
Matthew A. Stivala                       Yonkers
Alex E. Stuart                               Tupper Lake
Aaron W. F. Sulkey                      Queensbury
Charles E. Szablewski II               Queensbury
Jennifer Terpstra                           Gouverneur
Dustin J. Thomas                          Dexter
Jasmin Veiz                                   Utica
Maurice H. Walker                        Bronx
Bradford T. Wiggins                     Manlius
Shawn M. Windoloski                  Bombay
Angela Yacobucci                         Henderson

Troop C – Sidney
Sean M. Ancker                            Rochester
Joshua R. Bannister                      Blasdell
Michael R. Boice                          Buffalo
Brian D. Brinkman                        Williamsville
Diane J. Caraballo                         Rochester
Jake T. Catalano                            Fredonia
Adam Cernauskas                         Richmondville
Mark A. Ciccotti                           Horseheads
Jennifer Daignault                         Rome
Samantha L. Dayton                    Tonawanda
Andrew N. Dlugosz                      Lackawanna
Nicholas J. Dziamba                    Troy
Paul A. Evans                               Elma
Christopher R. Gibbs                    Bernhards Bay
Daniel J. Goldrick                         Nyack
Dylan R. Goodrich                       Elma
Samantha Halicki                          Akron
Meagan L. Hartmann                    Remsen
Edward T. Hernandez                  Oneonta
Matthew M. Hourihan                  West Seneca
Michael D. Kline                           Liverpool
Matthew J. Kowal                        Dunkirk
Jenna M. Kozel                             Amherst
Herbert Maldonado                      Central Islip
Ryan J. McConnon                       Canandaigua
Justin C. Miller                              Guilford
Jevon C. Pakkala                           Newfield
Mariella C. Pantano                      Buffalo
Derek T. Peschieri                         Greenfield Center
Aaron D. Quinitchett                    Elmira
Shaun M. Reynolds                      Lockport
Daniel J. Schueler                         Holland
Matthew P. Schwandt                  North Tonawanda
Keith G. Sciarratta                        Rochester
Cory A. Sprague                           Clinton
Justin P. Statt                                Rochester
Tyler J. Stevens                             Depew
Rachel R. Stockholm                    Fairport
Nathan C. Strange                        Johnson City
Andrea M. Swanger                      Rochester
Christopher M. Thayer                  Dolgeville
Eric J. Tomczak                             Cheektowaga
Cody C. Towner                           Batavia
Adam T. Vargeson                        Corning
Carolina Vergara                           Yonkers
Joseph F. Vogl                              Buffalo
Jared Vonderheide                        Goshen
Aaron R. Whitney                         Endwell
Cansu Zaim                                   West Hempstead

Troop D – Oneida
Olivia R. Beck                              Auburn
Michael R. Beck                           Auburn
Andrew P. Caldiero                      Buffalo
Jason T. Gleason                           Hamburg
Jeffrey J. Gmerek                          Cheektowaga
Nathan M. Horner                         Liverpool
Waleed Javed                                Seneca Falls
Jacob W. Klock                             Wellsville
Richard T. Kosakowski                Lee Center
Drew H. Lewandowski                Tonawanda
Brian E. Locastro                          Auburn
Eric M. Lojba                                Herkimer
David W. Lyubezhanin                 Oriskany
Kyle J. Meyers                              Penn Yan
Timothy J. Nanry                          Rochester
Kyle M. Ready                             Boonville
Donald T. Schug III                     Camillus
Eric L. Sherman                            Oswego
Michael T. Siegfried                    Utica
William J. Siwy III                       Derby
Kyle L. Smith                               Wolcott
Ronald J. Solem                            Hamburg
Justin B. Weakley                         Cold Brook
Christopher D. Wyant                   Lockport

Troop E – Canandaigua
Peter M. Koschuk                         Lancaster
Robert F. Leunig                           East Northport
Steven H. Papponetti                    Albion
Zachary S. Penhollow                   Sinclairville
Daniel J. Simon                             West Seneca
Joseph A. Sparacino                      Tonawanda

Troop F – Middletown
Brian T. Anderson                        Massapequa
Chanel D. Beasley                        Uniondale
Anthony G. Bluman                     Schaghticoke
Megan A. Bologna                        Stillwater
Meg H. Brown                              Lindenhurst
Arielle A. Caban                           Montgomery
Robert J. Casino                            Scotia
Staci N. Chadwick                        Troy
George A. Cook                            Sparkill
Connor B. Cornine                        Campbell Hall
Nicholas A. D’Angelo                  Mount Sinai
Kyle I. Dawson                             Monroe
John M. Degregoria II                  Glasco
Kalyn M. Deso                              Schenectady
William C. DiDiego                      Wappingers Falls
James L. Di Stasi                          Highland
Edward N. Donohue                          Middletown
Sean M. Drown                             Neversink
Samantha A. Gau                          Pine Bush
Andrew Giga                                New City
Robert E. Glas                              Pine Bush
Thomas P. Goebeler                      Smithtown
James E. Gomiela                          Rockville Center
Alexander J. Grant                        South Floral Park
Cody W. Harder                           Hurley
Blake A. Hasbrouck                      Middletown
Massiel Hernandez                        Bronx
Kevin A. Jacks                              Westtown
Kristina M. Jenkins                       Slingerlands
Kenneth L. Kadar                         Coram
Avery Katz                                   Yorktown Heights
Daniel J. Kokulak                         Bardonia
Lauren A. Krogh                           Troy
Zenel S. Lulanaj                            Valhalla
Dominic Mangiapane                    Locust Valley
Cameron R. Manley                      Forth Plain
Nicole E. Mannino                        Selden
Shane T. McLoughlin                   Washingtonville
Colleen E. McNamara                   White Plains
Thomas J. Mozer                           Glen Cove
Curt J. Natalizio                            Port Jervis
Claris Ortiz                                    Yonkers
Gabrielle A. Platt                          Wurtsboro
Cory D. Quimby                           Middletown
Ronald Raymond                          Suffern
Daniel J. Ritz                                Altamont
Jessica Romero                              Brooklyn
Catherine J. Savoia                       Haverstraw
Brittany L. Schurko                      Lagrangeville
Kyle S. Shillingford                      West Hempstead
Taylor A. Simpson                        Livingston Manor
Brandon D. Smith                         Livingston Manor
Adam Szlejter                               Riverhead
Adrian Szlejter                              Riverhead
Joshua T. Thomsen                        Schenectady
Robert A. Troy II                          Seaford
Nathan H. Valle                            Saugerties
John G. White                               Schenectady
Jason T. Wurtz                              Gardiner

Troop G – Latham
Michael W. Flynn                         Saratoga Springs
Ashley J. Puro                               Cobleskill
Daniel J. Riggi                              Scotia
Brian C. Torres                              Albany
Jonathan H. Vanwie                     Hagaman

Troop K – Poughkeepsie
Romel Arias                                  Albany
Tatiana I. Bedoya                         Bronx
Dean M. Borgese                          Smithtown
Leonard J. Brown IV                    New Lebanon
Meghan A. Calhoun                      Union Springs
Carlo G. Castro                             Bronx
Carmine F. Coglitore                    Bronx
Robert Costa                                 Wappingers Falls
Christopher J. Fitton                     East Patchogue
James P. Flynn-Kocourek             East Meadow
John R. Havens                             Hampton Bays
Kyle T. Jackson                             Port Cehster
Tyler W. Knapp                            Mahopac
Justin M. LaVarnway                   Plattsburgh
Gregory W. Lewis                        East Nassau
Leonard D. Lynott                        East Hampton
Chad M. Martin                            Lowman
Christopher C. Mastroianni           Levittown
Ryan J. McCabe                            Massapequa Park
John E. Moore                               Germantown
James D. Oliveto                           Ballston Spa
Joseph E. Penniman                      Thornwood
Francis W. Rush IV                      Putnam Valley
William J. Ryan                             Levittown
Paul J. Sabo                                   Levittown
Alison C. Sanzi                             Hudson
Cody Scales                                  Port Jervis
Jacalyn M. Sommer                       Massapequa
Andrew P. Stamatis                      Fresh Meadows
Aaron Tiso                                    Hopewell Junction
Fotini Vartholomeos                     Commack
Stephen D. Wrobel                       East Patchogue