Masons distribute annual scholarships

WINSTED — St. Andrews #64 Masonic Lodge, Winsted, held its scholarship presentations on July 14.

Master of the lodge, Keith Dearden, with Treasurer Mo Gabelmann presented local students scholarships in the amount of $500.

Marisa Montano, New Hartford, and Connor Marchand, Neicko Clapper and Kyle Valickas, all of Winsted.

Funds are generated from the monthly roast beef dinners the Masons hold at St. Andrew’s.

2021 Persbacker Family Scholarships awarded

BRIDGEWATER — The Persbacker Family Fund at Connecticut Community Foundation has awarded college scholarships of $4,000 each to five Bridgewater residents for the 2021-22 academic year.

The Persbacker Family Fund is among the largest college scholarship funds available to students residing in Bridgewater, Connecticut. To receive an award from the fund, a student must demonstrate an outstanding commitment to community service in the town of Bridgewater, and the student’s primary residence must have been in Bridgewater for at least six years. The honors are renewable for up to four years.

Former Bridgewater resident Victor L. Persbacker established the scholarship fund at the Foundation with the intention of making college more affordable for local students who are involved in volunteer work throughout the Bridgewater community.

“I’d just like to give the biggest thanks to the Persbecker Scholarship Fund for recognizing me as one of the 2021 recipients," said Bailey Herron, a Persbacker Scholarship recipient. "It is a great honor and I am excited to continue to represent everything that this scholarship embodies.”

The Persbacker Fund has awarded scholarships totaling over $260,000 to 31 students since its inception in 2004. Congratulations to the following scholars for the 2021-2022 academic year:

Taryn Crossley, University of Connecticut, Class of 2024, Field of Study: Environmental Studies

Julia Sinatra, Hamilton College, Class of 2024, Field of Study: Languages, Literature and Linguistics

Bailey Herron, Elon University, Class of 2024, Field of Study: Spanish and Political Science

Annika Vikstrom, Middlebury College, Class of 2025, Field of Study: Liberal Arts and Sciences/Humanities

Sierra Wilson, Delaware Valley University, Class of 2025, Field of Study: Agriculture and Related Sciences

Learn more about the scholarship program at Connecticut Community Foundation at conncf.org/scholarships

Local students graduate from the University of Hartford

WEST HARTFORD — The University of Hartford congratulates its nearly 900 undergraduates who celebrated their Commencement this spring. Local graduates include:

Barbara Asher of Barkhamsted, Maxx Bouffard of Thomaston, Joseph Deutsch of Terryville, Kimberly Deyo of Watertown, Sarah Disabella of New Hartford, Nichola Dutcher of Burlington, Aaron Eliot-Gaines of Torrington, Gabriella Fortuna of Woodbury, Samantha Gelormino of Goshen, Tisha Godfrey of Winsted, Erik Grening of Torrington, Michael Gudeczauskas of Terryville, Jacob Kalat of

Thomaston, Jennifer Kemp of RivertonM, Jaylen Lee of Watertown, Jacob Lyga of Harwinton, Samantha Mahieu of Harwinton, Michaela Manzi of Harwinton, Amber Marino of Northfield, Edoardo Mozzato of Burlington, Lucrezia Mozzato of Burlington, Nicholas OBrien of Burlington, Sydney Samele of New Hartford, Danielle Sienkiewicz of Woodbury, Anya Stephenson of Torrington, Patricia Szabo of New Hartford, Roxanne Tapley of Terryville, Samantha Taradash of Pequabuck, Angel Sanango of New Milford, Nicole Taylor of Woodbury, Ashleigh Buono of Watertown.

Local students graduate from Saint Michael’s College

COLCHESTER, VT — These local students graduated May 13 from Saint Michael's College.

Margaret Ashley Riccardelli of Canaan, bachelor of arts, Magna Cum Laude in Religious Studies; Kaitlyn Elizabeth Carrozzo of New Hartford, bachelor of arts in Theatre; Molly Katherine Clarke of New Hartford, bachelor of science in Business Administration; Callahan Everts Hughes of New Hartford, bachelor of science, Magna Cum Laude in Accounting & International Relations; Iset Manuel Maldonado of Winsted, bachelor of arts in Psychology.

Lewis S. Mills students to receive career training

BURLINGTON — Junior Achievement of Southwest New England has received a $3,500 grant from Main Street Community Foundation to support the JA Career Ready program at Lewis S. Mills High School. This program equips students with the knowledge required to get and keep a job in high-growth industries. The grant was awarded through the Fuller and Myrtle Barnes Fund for Education and the James R. Parker Trust at MSCF, according to a statement.

Lewis S. Mills students, as well as those from surrounding towns, will be offered a variety of work readiness programs through JA Career Ready, including career panels, career days and job shadows. The programs, which will either be held virtually or in-person depending on safety protocols, teach students about the world of work and how their education and career choices will affect their lives, providing them with tools they can use to strive for financial success and fulfilling careers. Junior Achievement also partners with local businesses and organizations to provide speakers and volunteers for the programs.

The JA Career Ready program was just one of the grants awarded during MSCF’s 2021 General Grant Cycle. A total of 47 local organizations serving Bristol, Burlington, Plainville, Plymouth, Southington and Wolcott received $161,830 in grant awards.

Organizations receiving grants include social service agencies, along with historic preservation, arts, educational, health, animal welfare and recreation organizations.

Since its establishment in 1995, MSCF has awarded grants and scholarships totaling more than $21.3 million and is now one of the leading grantmakers in the region. The organization stewards $58.5 million in assets, comprised of 261 named funds that support a wide range of charitable causes.

For more information about MSCF’s grant program or the Foundation’s 2021 grant recipients, please contact Kate Kerchaert, Director of Grants & Programs, at 860.583.6363.