Graham Academy students take reins of WB
Wilkes-Barre City Administrator Charlie McCormick and Mayor George C. Brown speak with Honorary Mayor Liam Havard.
Sydney Allabaugh | Times Leader
Wilkes-Barre City Mayor George C. Brown shakes hands with Friday’s honorary mayor, Liam Havard.
Sydney Allabaugh | Times Leader
Wilkes-Barre City Administrator Charlie McCormick shakes hands with Friday’s honorary mayor, Liam Havard.
Sydney Allabaugh | Times Leader
Wilkes-Barre City Deputy Fire Chief Alan Klapat and Honorary Fire Chief Richie Shaffer spray water through a fire hose.
Sydney Allabaugh | Times Leader
Wilkes-Barre City Firefighter Tom Heffers and Honorary Fire Chief Richie Shaffer sit together in a fire engine.
Sydney Allabaugh | Times Leader
Wilkes-Barre City Deputy Fire Chief Alan Klapat places a ‘FIRE CHIEF’ sash on Richie Shaffer, a Graham Academy student.
Sydney Allabaugh | Times Leader
Honorary Wilkes-Barre City Mayor Liam Havard shakes hands with a city official.
Sydney Allabaugh | Times Leader
Wilkes-Barre City Honorary Fire Chief Richie Shaffer tours the city’s fire headquarters.
Sydney Allabaugh | Times Leader
Alan Klapat, Wilkes-Barre City deputy fire chief, gives Richie Shaffer, honorary fire chief, a fire department T-shirt.
Sydney Allabaugh | Times Leader
Wilkes-Barre City Fire Captain John Kirn shows Honorary Fire Chief Richie Shaffer and his mother, Tiffany Murphy, the jaws of life tool.
Sydney Allabaugh | Times Leader
Ashton Confletti, who was named the city’s honorary police chief, views the proclamation honoring him beside Wilkes-Barre Mayor George C. Brown.
Sydney Allabaugh | Times Leader
Wilkes-Barre City Mayor George C. Brown presents Jaxon Gillam, an honorary city councilman, with a copy of the proclamation honoring him.
Sydney Allabaugh | Times Leader
WILKES-BARRE — Richie Shaffer, a Graham Academy student, served as the city’s honorary fire chief on Friday in celebration of April’s World Autism Awareness Month.
At the city’s fire headquarters, Shaffer handled rescue tools, sprayed water through a fire hose, and operated a ladder truck, raising it 100 feet into the air, all while smiling and giggling.
“Richie had a fantastic time,” said his mother, Tiffany Murphy, noting he was interested in the trucks and lights. “I’m happy that they have things like this going on in the community for autism awareness, and I’m glad Richie got to be a part of it.”
Shaffer was one of four Graham Academy students honored at Wilkes-Barre City Hall on Friday.
Liam Havard was selected as the honorary Wilkes-Barre City mayor based on the leadership qualities he demonstrates at school.
“You’re going to do my job for the day,” said Wilkes-Barre City Mayor George C. Brown.
City officials visited Havard at his desk to ask for his thoughts on city projects.
He told Joyce Morrash-Zaykowski, director of the Office of Community and Economic Development, he thinks bumpy roads should be paved to keep drivers safe, and that park project plans should include more swing sets.
“You’re making a lot of decisions today,” Brown said to Havard.
Ashton Confletti, who was named the city’s honorary police chief, toured the police station and vehicles. Jaxon Gillam was named an honorary city councilman.
“Every year we love having the students from Graham Academy come,” said Alan Klapat, deputy fire chief. “It’s a great experience for them.”
“It’s also a great experience for us,” he said. “We’ve seen the smiles on their faces every year. We enjoy doing it.”
Brown said this year is the seventh annual partnership event with Graham Academy, a private special education school for students with autism or emotional challenges.
Carol McGrane, the Graham Academy regional director, said community acceptance is important to build students’ confidence.
“It’s beneficial because sometimes people limit their boundaries based on their disability,” McGrane said. “By opening these opportunities for them, we open their awareness that there’s a lot that they can do.”
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