Mary Queen of Angels Regional Catholic School in Cheektowaga is busy preparing for Catholic Schools Week, Jan. 30 through Feb. 3. The week will feature daily educational themes and tours for families considering MQA and Catholic education.

“Instead of hosting a traditional open house event, MQA will be open throughout Catholic Schools Week to families who would like to see our school, teachers and students in action,” said Principal Kristen Hada. “Tours will be offered from 8:15 a.m. until 2 p.m. Jan. 30 through Feb. 3, and you do not need to make an appointment. If you cannot make it in during school hours, please call the school office at 895-6280 to schedule a private tour.”

AMHERST, N.Y. -- Daemen College has been ranked among the top 10 in the nation on the “35 Best Value Small Colleges for a Biology Degree” list released by Best Value Schools, an online guide to the best values in college education in the country.

“We are honored to be recognized as one of the top institutions in the nation for a degree in the field of biology,” said Daemen President Gary A. Olson. “Our academic excellence, educational value, and many learning opportunities truly make a Daemen education an outstanding experience for our students.”

On the 2017 list, Daemen is ranked No. 7 among small schools in the U.S. that offer a bachelor’s degree in biology or a related area. The college was specifically cited for its unique bachelor’s degree in biology/master’s degree in cytotechnology program offered in partnership with Roswell Park Cancer Institute.

The Niagara Frontier Automobile Dealers Association and Erie Community College will host the 2017 NFADA Ron Smith Memorial AutoTech Competition on Saturday, Jan. 14. The competition features teams of two high school automotive seniors who will go through a series of diagnostic, workstation and performance tests to measure their automotive technical skills and abilities. Ford Motor Company is the vehicle sponsor and will be providing six 2017 Ford Explorers for the students to compete on.

Also during the event, high school juniors will compete in a Tire Changing Rodeo. They will race against time in an Olympic-style format to dismount and mount tires using a tire-changing machine.