The Herkimer Region College & Career Scholarship Foundation awarded scholarships to local high-school and adult students during the foundation’s 31st annual awards ceremony on Tuesday, May 24.
After dinner and the awards ceremony outside at the MV Golf & Event Center in Little Falls, foundation President Sharon Baisley congratulated the award winners and thanked their families and supporters for attending.
“Thank you so much for coming tonight and joining our celebration – to celebrate these great students,” Baisley said.
At the ceremony, Baisley conducted the welcome and introductions, and thanks were given to the foundation’s Board of Trustees, as well as the event sponsors: ARC Herkimer, C&S, Day Automation, Human Technologies and M&T Bank. 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 350 scholarships – totaling more than $200,000.
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 Monday, Aug. 8, at the Cedar Lake Golf Club.
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:
- Breslin Clark, of Frankfort-Schuyler Central School District
- Abigail Fasani, of Central Valley Central School District
- Bailey Harrer, of Herkimer Central School District
- Sofia Kucerak, of Little Falls City School District
- Maria Lyubezhanin, of Frankfort-Schuyler Central School District
- Kathleen Marhaver, of Central Valley Central School District
- Patrick Murphy, of Dolgeville Central School District
- Caroline Pontius, of Herkimer Central School District
- Ryan Calhoun, of Poland Central School District
- Charles DeCarr, of Central Valley Central School District
The scholarship foundation also presented the 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. This award 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.
The following students won the Career Award:
Rebekah Nichols, of Frankfort-Schuyler Central School District, was named as an alternate for the general college scholarships, and AnNi Carroll, of Mount Markham Central School District, was named as an alternate for the Career Award.
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:
- Clark 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.
- Kucerak 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.
- Marhaver won the Paul A. Bouck Memorial Scholarship, which goes to a student who will be majoring in an agricultural/rural or related field.
- Calhoun won the Mower Family Farm Scholarship, which goes to a high school graduate who will be pursuing occupations in the field of agriculture.
- Nichols won the Chris Brockway Memorial Scholarship, which goes to a student completing the Criminal Justice program at Herkimer BOCES, and 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.
Additionally, two Herkimer BOCES Adult Practical Nursing Program students who are studying to become licensed practical nurses received LPN scholarships: Lindsey Rende, of Ilion, and Megan Szuba, of Mohawk. Brittany Adams, of Gloversville, received the special nursing scholarship. Cassondra French, of Holland Patent, was named as an alternate for the LPN scholarship.
Herkimer Region College & Career Scholarship Foundation 2022 scholarship winners and alternates who attended the 31st annual awards ceremony on Tuesday, May 24, at the MV Golf & Event Center in Little Falls pose together. From left, Ryan Calhoun, of Poland Central School District; Kathleen Marhaver, of Central Valley Central School District; Sofia Kucerak, of Little Falls City School District; Abigail Fasani, of Central Valley Central School District; AnNi Carroll, of Mount Markham Central School District; Brittany Adams, Adult Practical Nursing Program student from Gloversville; Caroline Pontius, of Herkimer Central School District; Breslin Clark, of Frankfort-Schuyler Central School District, and Rebekah Nichols, of Frankfort-Schuyler Central School District.