Olivia Payne

The Cattaraugus County Youth Bureau is pleased to announce this week’s featured Youth Citizenship Award recipient is Olivia Payne. Olivia is the daughter of Betsy Scurr and the granddaughter of Dale and the late Emilene Scurr and is a senior at Franklinville Central School.

Olivia has shown her leadership through numerous programs benefitting the community. She has volunteered with the VFW Post 9487 Auxiliary for eleven years, has become a Life Member and has aided the local Veterans Organization. Olivia has helped place flags for Memorial Day, sold raffle tickets to benefit veterans, and has assisted with Auxiliary breakfasts and wing nights. She has been a Cattaraugus County Youth Court Team Member for five years, completing the twenty hour training, and holding positions of Prosecutor, Defense, Clerk/Bailiff, Judge, and Jury Member. Through the youth court program Olivia has completed more than two hundred and fifteen hours of community service, has helped at several health fairs, setting up booths and giving presentations, and has helped recruit new members.

Olivia has also been actively involved in numerous school activities. She has been a member of the Trap Team for five years, Track and Field for two years, Indoor Track for one year, Football Cheerleading for one year, and has participated in several musicals over the course of three years. Olivia has been a member of the Student Council for three years, has been a Class Officer for three years holding the position of Vice President and intends on running again this year. Additionally, she has been a member of the National Junior Honor Society for four years, National Honor Society for two years and the National Technical Honor Society for one year.

Academically, Olivia has worked hard earning various accolades. She has been on the High Honor Roll throughout middle and high school, has taken a number of college classes totaling twenty-seven credit hours and is currently ranked third in her class. She has attended BOCES for Cosmetology for two years as a tribute to her late grandmother, Emilene Scurr and has held a job since she was fourteen years old. Showing her hard work, Olivia was recently promoted to manager. Other awards that she has earned include the Presidential Education Award, VFW Voice of Democracy Second Place Winner, VFW Patriot’s Pen First Place Winner, VFW Auxiliary Patriotic Art First Place Winner, and Keuka College’s George H. Ball Community Achievement Award.

Olivia’s future plans are to attend college and pursue a career as a Forensics Detective in a Federal Field. She is described as a smart and spunky person who constantly goes out of her way to help others all while having a smile on her face.

Nominations for the 2022 graduating class are open. If you know an outstanding member of your community who is a senior in high school, you can nominate them for a Cattaraugus County Youth Citizenship Award. For more information please visit our website at Cattcoyouth.org or contact: Alison Crosson, Youth Bureau Program Coordinator at (716) 938-2617.

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