The Herkimer Region College & Career Scholarship Foundation awarded $9,850 in scholarships to local students during the foundation’s 30th annual awards ceremony on Wednesday, May 26.
With more than 40 people in attendance for the ceremony outside at the MV Golf & Event Center in Little Falls, foundation President Sharon Baisley congratulated the award winners and thanked them for attending with their families.
“It’s great to all be here together in person to celebrate the students and their achievements,” Baisley said.
At the ceremony, Baisley conducted the welcome and introductions, and thanks were given to the foundation’s Board of Trustees and the dinner sponsors: ARC Herkimer, Day Automation, M&T Bank and Human Technologies. Students were presented with their certificates, and Scholarship Foundation Vice President Mary Ellen Shevat provided highlights of the general scholarship award winners and alternates.
The goal of the Herkimer Region College & Career Scholarship Foundation is to expand access to higher education for students in the region who are in career and technical education fields. To date, the foundation has provided more than 325 scholarships – totaling more than $194,000.
The foundation’s largest fundraiser each year is the Herkimer Region College & Career Scholarship Foundation Golf Tournament, which takes place this year at 10 a.m. on Aug. 9 at the Cedar Lake Golf Club. Last year’s golf tournament was cancelled due to COVID-19.
For information on registering for the golf tournament or making a donation, send an email to smaxson@herkimer-boces.org or call 315-867-2023.
The awards
The general scholarship winners receive $750 for the first year of college and then are awarded another $800 for a second year if they maintain a grade-point average of at least 2.5 and provide a copy of their freshman year transcript and enrollment verification for their sophomore year.
The scholarships are open to students who are majoring in vocational education in their high schools or at Herkimer-Fulton-Hamilton-Otsego BOCES and plan to go to college the next school year.
The following students won the foundation’s general scholarships:
- Chelsealynne Anna, of Poland Central School District;
- Victoria DeLuca, of Frankfort-Schuyler Central School District;
- Andrew Doolittle, of Dolgeville Central School District;
- Andrew Fox, of Little Falls City School District;
- Elizabeth Fresco, of Central Valley Central School District;
- Stephanie Guseva, of Frankfort-Schuyler Central School District;
- Breanna Martinez, of Central Valley Central School District;
- Hannah Reid, of Frankfort-Schuyler Central School District;
- Taylor Smith, of Herkimer Central School District, and
- Danae Wilson, of Mount Markham Central School District.
Brandon Lynch, of Poland Central School District, and Elizabeth Makuch, of Mount Markham Central School District, were named as alternates to receive scholarships.
There also are special incentive awards available each year for students pursuing careers in certain areas that awards were established for through donations.
The following students won special incentive awards this year:
- Anna won the Paul A. Bouck Memorial Scholarship, which goes to a student who will be majoring in an agricultural/rural or related field.
- Doolittle won the William E. Whitehill Scholarship, which goes to a student who attends a Herkimer BOCES Technical Education program and who has demonstrated perseverance and has set clear goals for the future.
- Fresco won the Papaleo/Dady Family Scholarship, which goes to a student who has completed a two-year program at the Herkimer BOCES Technical Education Center and has demonstrated good attendance, teamwork and commitment to a career field.
- Guseva won the William E. Busacker Memorial Scholarship, which goes to a student who has been actively involved in school and/or community programs and has demonstrated leadership.
- Smith won the Chris Brockway Memorial Scholarship, which goes to a student completing the Criminal Justice program at Herkimer BOCES.
- Wilson won the Robert A. Moore Memorial Scholarship, which goes to a student who has completed the Herkimer BOCES Visual Communications Media Arts program.
Additionally, LPN scholarships were awarded to two Herkimer BOCES Adult Practical Nursing Program students: Patricia Cook, of St. Johnsville, and Karen Wellenstein, of Ilion. Suzanna Price, of Clinton, received the special nursing scholarship. Duane Wynn, Jr., of Utica, was named as an alternate for the LPN scholarship.
The scholarship foundation is also offering a new Career Award for students who gain employment in a Career and Technical Education field prior to or soon after graduation and incur expenses as a result of that employment. Students can apply for this award, which allows the reimbursement of up to $750 for trade-specific expenses such as employment clothing, personal protective equipment, tools, supplies, certifications, credentials and/or licenses.
Herkimer Region College & Career Scholarship Foundation 2021 general scholarship winners and alternates who attended the 30th annual awards ceremony on Wednesday, May 26, at the MV Golf & Event Center in Little Falls pose together. From left, Breanna Martinez, of Central Valley Central School District; Chelsealynne Anna, of Poland Central School District; Elizabeth Makuch, of Mount Markham Central School District; Andrew Fox, of Little Falls City School District; Taylor Smith, of Herkimer Central School District; Andrew Doolittle, of Dolgeville Central School District, and Elizabeth Fresco, of Central Valley Central School District.
Herkimer Region College & Career Scholarship Foundation President Sharon Baisley (left) presents a certificate to Chelsealynne Anna, of Poland Central School District, who won a general scholarship and the Paul A. Bouck Memorial Scholarship at the foundation’s 30th annual awards ceremony on Wednesday, May 26, at the MV Golf & Event Center in Little Falls.
Herkimer Region College & Career Scholarship Foundation President Sharon Baisley (left) presents a certificate to Taylor Smith, of Herkimer Central School District, who won a general scholarship and the Chris Brockway Memorial Scholarship at the foundation’s 30th annual awards ceremony on Wednesday, May 26, at the MV Golf & Event Center in Little Falls.