MHS seniors receive scholarships

MIDDLETOWN >> Middletown High School seniors received over $85,000 in private, locally funded scholarships at the senior awards assembly held last week at the MHS Performing Arts Center.

“These scholarships and awards are almost exclusively in-house and privately, individually funded scholarships and awards,” said principal Colleen Warner in a prepared statement. “Most of these are not scholarships offered by businesses and other civic organizations, nor does the total include the awards and grants many of our students received from their colleges and universities.”

Adrian A. Soares Memorial Scholarship to Payton White ($1,000); Brandon Reeve Memorial Scholarships to Jenna Dickes and Kyle Monarca ($1,500 each); Corey Lyding Scholarships to Jenna Dickes and Lisa Tipton ($2,000 each); F. Curtis and Susan B. Thrall Foundation Scholarships to Charlene Nigge, Jennifer Barbour, Skye Gasataya, Jordan Legendre, Shakira Hernandez, Brainna Belin, Alexandra Giardina, Sofia Marszalek-Baldyga, Jeremy Tust and Justin Hong ($3,000 each).

• Also, the Christine Marselli-LaRosa Scholarship to David Hernandez ($1,000); Gary Thompson Memorial Scholarship to Jennifer Barbour ($1,000); Peter M. Taft Memorial Scholarship to Amber Martinez ($1,000); Elizabeth Pernel Scholarship to Arlene Lazo ($450); Colter Abely Fund Scholarship to Thomas Gatti ($1,000); Jeffrey Dubois Memorial Scholarship to Terry Gaylord ($200); Middletown Sports Hall of Fame Awards to Michael Ahern and Jennifer Barbour ($200 each).

• In addition, Salvatore “Flash” Faraci Memorial scholarships to Tyshaun James and Jennifer Barbour ($750 each); Nina Poeta Connecticut Cheerleader Trail of Glitter Scholarship to Alyssa Salafia ($1,000); Men’s Club of Middletown Award to Kimberly Chambers ($300); Fred Balsamo Awards to Stephen Lombardo, Derek Frame, Katie Tetreault and Katherine Marx ($750 each); Lowry Wilderman Booster Club Awards to Matthew Joy and Gabriella Lanza ($1,500 each).

• John Greco Awards to Michael Ahern and Lisa Tipton ($1,000 each); Dorothy Bransfield Memorial Scholarships to Brianna Belin and Jennifer Barbour ($500 each); Middletown Federation of Teachers Scholarship to Ezekiel Sanger ($5,000); Shoreline Arts Alliance Creative Writing Award to Brielle Cayer ($1,000); Wesleyan Potters Scholarship to Victoria Dombrowik ($200); Middletown Commission on the Arts Award to Chad Pennington ($150).

• Middletown Substance Abuse Prevention Council Scholarship to Rachel Santostefano ($500); Edward A. Marszalek Memorial Service Award to Jonathan Rosenblum ($400); Preston Charles Education Award to Jonathan Rosenblum ($100); Linda M. Beloin Memorial Scholarship to Skye Gasataya ($1,000); Ivon and Marion Newberg/ Student Council Scholarship to Tamika Browne ($2,000); MHS Faculty/ Staff Scholarships to Jennifer Barbour, Tahj MitchellWestberry and Kevin Mulumba ($1,000 each).

• Engineering Award to Victoria Dombrowik and Harish Patel ($300 each); Outstanding Performance in Mathematics to Hanna Bou-Fekhreddine ($100); National Honor Society Scholarship to Jacquline Pawlak ($500); International Order of Oddfellows Award to Erica Arhim ($500); Alumni Scholarship to Timothy Joy ($200); Dr. Pat Carta Memorial Scholarship to Charlene Ngige ($500); Polaske Scholarship to Shakira Hernandez ($500); Lino’s Market Scholarship to Kimberly Chambers ($500); Red Sox Scholarship to Amber Martinez ($1,000).

• Ruth E. Lawrence Memorial Scholarship to David Hernandez ($500); Carol Parmelee-Blancato Superintendent Scholarship to Mark Haller ($500); Elks Most Valuable Student Award to Kristy Kiniry, Charlene Ngige and Jeremy Tust ($500); Dr. John Hennelly Fine Arts Award to Colin Hobbs ($200); Santa Fragilio Music Scholarships to Erin Latronica and Jamie Dudyak ($200 each); Knights of Columbus Music Award to Iyanna Crockett ($200); Frank Ford Memorial to Kimberly Chambers ($200); Artists for World Peace Dr. Yoram Kaufmann Scholarship to Jamie Dudyak ($1,200).

• Michael J. Awdziewicz Scholarship to Derek Frame ($200); Waino R. Fillback/ Tiger Memorial Scholarship to Jay Nanfito ($1,000), Middletown School Administrator Award to Alena Monarca ($100); Justin Hinds Scholarship to Amber Martinez ($1,000), Kiwanis Club Scholarship to Arlene Lazo ($2,500); Deb Petruzzello Female Physical Education Award to Jazmyn Freeman and the Frank L. Rand Male Physical Education Award to Thomas Hummel ($100 each).

• Non-monetary academic awards were also given, including the Mary Bennett Art Awards to Emeley Fumieo, the Outstanding Performance in Spanish Award to Skye Gasataya, Outstanding Performance in French Award to to Kevin Mulumba, Highest Achievement in Social Studies to Victoria Dombrowik, Faculty Social Studies Award to Katherine Marx, Excellence in English to Victoria Dombrowik and Creative Writing Awards to Thomas Lopkin, Angela Mierzejewski, Emily Lassen and Alicja Popelarz.

• The Excellence in Science Award to Charlene Ngige, Rensselaer Mathematics and Science Award to Dylan Drescher, Outstanding Performance in Mathematics to Charlene Ngige, Outstanding Marketing student to Jay Nanfito, Most Dedicated Marketing Education Students to Kristy Kiniry and Taylor Winzer, Most Improved Marketing Education student to Seth Simmons and Blue Tube Achievement Awards to Pablo Rodriguez, Tristan Galle and Daniel Flores,

• Excellence in Robotics and Engineering Awards to Aaron Mallett, Justin Hong and Dana Luangkhot, the Frani Brown Spirit Awards to Briana DeMartino and Jay Nanfito and the Athletic Award of Excellence to Jennifer Barbour.

• The prestigious College Book Awards given to juniors of academic excellence include the Brown Book Award to Rachel Gaudreau, the Wesleyan Book Award to Richard Nakatsuka, the Trinity Book Club Award to Veronica Meyer, the Yale Book Club Award to Sarah Nguyen and the Harvard Book Award to Rachel Gaudreau.