AVON DOLLARS FOR SCHOLARS PRESENTS 2013 EDUCATION GRANTS
Almost 100 Avon high school graduates are continuing their education this Fall, thanks to scholarship funds from Avon Dollars for Scholars. The local volunteer-based, non-profit organization hosted an Awards Night this summer and presented a total of $77,450 in scholarships to 95 local students for post-secondary education.
"We are extremely grateful that so many organizations, families and individuals donated funds this year to enable us to present so many scholarships," explained John C. Carmon, President of the nonprofit organization. "Since our establishment 35 years ago, Avon Dollars for Scholars has awarded a total of more than $1,107,450 in scholarships to 1,368 local students."
At the awards event, many of the Avon Dollars for Scholars funds were presented to the recipients by the donors themselves, through scholarships that have been established in honor or memory of specific individuals. Especially noteworthy was a $20,000 contribution toward the Mellissa Anne Andrew Memorial Scholarship. The generous donation was made by the family of the 17-year-old Avon woman who was killed in an automobile accident in 2010. It will be used to establish an endowment fund to support the scholarship which is given to a student pursuing a career in education, preferably special education.
A total of 12 new personalized scholarships were created during the 2012-2013 school year. They are:
David Baily Memorial Scholarship;
The John Dulla Memorial Scholarship;
Feldman & Hickey, LLC Scholarship;
Ruth Hogan Kotler Memorial Scholarship;
Edmundo Macedo and Susan Kamb Scholarship;
Mateja Family Scholarship;
McNeill Family Scholarship;
Omar Meguid Family Scholarship;
Andrew & Garrett Roell Scholarship;
Robert Scalise Family Scholarship;
The Harry Spring Memorial Scholarship; and
Karen Zabrensky and James Hoffman Scholarship
Members of Avon Dollars for Scholars work year-round with local residents, businesses and foundations to raise money so scholarships can be provided to qualified students. To be eligible to apply for funds from Avon Dollars for Scholars, students must be residents of Avon, regardless of which high school they attend: public; private; magnet; parochial; or technical school. Scholarship funds are awarded based upon exceptional community service, citizenship and merit, or financial need.
Established in 1978, the Avon chapter of Dollars for Scholars is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization and contributions are considered tax-deductible. Volunteers involved with the community-based organization work year-round with local residents, businesses and foundations to raise money to provide scholarships to qualified high school students who are pursuing post-secondary education.
To be eligible to apply for funds from Avon Dollars for Scholars, students must be residents of Avon, regardless of which high school they attend: public; private; magnet; parochial; or technical school. Most of the scholarships awarded are based upon financial need and merit, but some are given to students who display exceptional levels of community service and academic achievement.
Contributions of any size are accepted year-round by Avon Dollars for Scholars. Donations may be made on line at http://www.avon.dollarsforscholars.orgor mailed to: Avon Dollars for Scholars, P.O. Box 706, Avon, CT 06001.
To learn more about Avon Dollars for Scholars, visit http://www.avon.dollarsforscholars.org
For a full list of the 2013 Avon Dollars for Scholars Scholarships and their student recipients, please go to "News & Events" tab and click "2013 Scholarships".
The 2013 Avon Dollars for Scholars scholarships and their student recipients:
Amici Italian Grill Scholarship - Marina MacDonald-Soccorso
Mellissa Anne Andrew Memorial Scholarship - Jessica Nicole McDonald
Robert B. August Memorial Scholarship - Benjamin Crawford
A.V.O.N. Club Scholarship - Stephanie Sawicki
A.V.O.N. Club Scholarship - Anders Bill
AHS Class of 1989 Scholarship - Arina Santangelo
Jane Ellen Peregrin Scholarship given by the Metersky Family - Michael Starr
Jane Ellen Peregrin Scholarship given by the Sheiker Family - David Freeling
Avon Boys' Travel Basketball Association Scholarship - Ryan Marioni
Avon-Canton Rotary Scholarship - Robert Chamberlain
Avon-Canton Rotary Scholarship - Kaylan Conrad
Avon-Canton Rotary Scholarship - Lydia Epner
Avon Dental Group Scholarship - Dean Skelley
Avon Girl Scout Scholarship - Ariel Lepito
Avon Junior Women's Club Scholarship - Rebecca Rothstein
Avon Lions Charities Scholarship - Stephanie Koo
Avon Lions Charities Raymond Zacchera Memorial Scholarship - Angelina Colletti
Avon Little League - Brian Collings Memorial Scholarship - Benjamin Wolfberg
Avon Police Association Scholarship - Makenzie Bernetich
Mary McDougall Memorial Scholarship - Emily Sherber
Avon Robotics Scholarship - Phillip Lopreiato
Stanley Barnett Memorial Scholarship - Catherine Oliver
Reverend Paul & Eleanor Battenhouse Memorial Scholarship - Gabriella Reyes
David & Lisa Bauer Scholarship - David Connor Wise
Bearingstar Insurance Scholarship - Marissa Major
Michael Brighenti '74 Scholarship - Tasha Schaedler
Douglas Shallcross Brown, Jr. & Marilynne Foster Brown Scholarship - Kelley Davies
Richard C. Candels Memorial Scholarship - Seunghwan Cho
Carmon Funeral Home & Family Center Scholarship - Shannon McCauley
Fred Cohen Memorial Scholarship - Patrick Driscoll-Kelly
Sandra Rice Memorial Scholarship - Erin Kaminski
Cole Family Scholarship in memory of Bernard Cole - James Yevin
Cole Family Scholarship in memory of Bernard Cole - Shahnawaz Sherwani
Cole Family Scholarship in memory of Bernard Cole - Michael Maceletti
Cole Family Scholarship in memory of Bernard Cole - Mark Rourke
Dollars for Scholars Scholarship - Justin Alessio
Dubiel Family Scholarship - Minyoung Chang
E.N.E. Realty Associates Scholarship - Krithika Gnanaguru
Ensign Bickford Realty Scholarship - Lauren McIsaac
Farmington Bank Scholarship - Sarah Keller
Farmington Valley Mudhog Scholarship - Mitchell Capello
Farmington Valley Orthodontic Associates Scholarship - Megan Wilde
In Honor of Claire Fisher Bonti '08 Scholarship - Jordan Politz
In Honor of Claire Fisher Bonti '08 Scholarship - Hanna Marie Soucie
Dr. Edwin J. Foley Memorial Scholarship - Justin Hufsmith
Reflexite Corporation Scholarship/ORAFOL - Aaron Gladstein
Garden Club of Avon Scholarship - Andrew Redlund
Gobell Family Scholarship - Eliza Gaston
Caryl & Leonard Goldberg Education Scholarship - Alana Grace Mae Pulling
Christine Pappalardo Greif Scholarship - Catherine Jordan
Kelly Ann Hahn Memorial Scholarship - Sydney Feinstein
Steven and Gwen Hahn Family Scholarship - Ian Shooshan Stoller
Kate Harding Memorial Scholarship - Christian Holobinko
Jill A. Hopper Memorial Scholarship - Noah Gilmour
Jacobson Family Scholarship - Brian Thomas Nasto
Betty Karampelas Memorial Scholarship - Meghan Stoll
Betty Karampelas Memorial Scholarship - Mary Margaret Stoll
James Kearney Memorial Lacrosse Scholarship - Jackson Retano Davey
Leonard LaMonica Memorial Scholarship - Emily Oliver
Diane Lieberfarb Scholarship - Christina Chow
Dan & Lauralyn Matos Scholarship in honor of Claire Loiselle Krupa - Zachary Shufro
Thomas J. McGuff Memorial Scholarship - David Christopher Smith
Dollars for Scholars President's Scholarship - in Honor of Steve & Cheryl McGuff - David Duxin
The Meat House of Avon Scholarship - Alexa Condon
Joan Monts Scholarship - In Memory of E. Jane Monts - Lauren Callahan
Moran, Shuster, Carignan & Knierim Scholarship - Paula Torres-Gonzalez
Mother-Daughter Tea Party Scholarship - Hamikshi Bhatt
Thomas Murphy, Jr. Memorial Scholarship - Matthew Griffen
Peña Family Scholarship - Madeleine Hobbs
Karen Piacentini Scholarship - Connor Young
PMP Corporation Scholarship - Meghan Sahm
Jill and Eric Polinsky Scholarship - Nicole Rodier
Dennis Replogle/Hesney Scholarship - Alex Steckler
Mark Roberts Memorial Scholarship - Emily Remick
Laura Vivian Santiago Memorial Scholarship - Emily Giarratana
William J. & Patricia C. Shea Memorial Scholarship - Chris Suttmeier
Donald B. Studley Memorial Scholarship - Ruy Zambrano
Amy E. Toyen Memorial Scholarship - Ryan Farrell
Harry Turak Memorial Scholarship given by the Fisher Family - Margaret Magrini
Harry Turak Memorial Scholarship given by the Fisher Family - Ellen McNeill
John C. Voaden Scholarship - Raquel Arias-Camison
Margaret Walsh & Louis Venditti Memorial Scholarship - Shailan Dave
Anne & Robert Yurch Scholarship - Jeff Rose
Newly Established Scholarships:
David Baily Memorial Scholarship - Kristen Wall
The John Dulla Memorial Scholarship - Jason Leaning
Feldman & Hickey, LLC Scholarship - Maureen Herrera
Ruth Hogan Kotler Memorial Scholarship - Michael Oberhausen
Edmundo Macedo & Susan Kamb Scholarship - Alexandra Laird
Mateja Family Scholarship - Carryln Lehman
McNeill Family Scholarship - Hamikshi Bhatt
Omar Meguid Scholarship - Shambhabi Belhe
Andrew & Garrett Roell Scholarship - Matthew Howard
Robert Scalise Scholarship - William Shuck
Harry Spring Memorial Scholarship by the Avon Land Trust - Lindsay Moore
Karen Zabrensky and James Hoffman Scholarship - Katherine Kuchel