YOUTH ON THE GO
The Dutchess County Agricultural Society Scholarship committee awarded scholarships to James Hicks of Rhinebeck, Hannah Malafy of Red Hook, Laura Scholes of Poughquag and Cosette Veeder-Shave of Hyde Park.
Hicks was awarded an $8,000 scholarship. Malafy, Scholes and Veeder-Shave each received a $2,000 Achievement Award. Each of them will be attending an accredited two- or four-year college or university this fall.
The four students were recognized during the Agricultural Society’s annual dinner meeting on July 17. Scholarship applicants were evaluated in a variety of areas, including Dutchess County Fair participation, grade point average, community involvement and leadership roles.
The 174th annual Dutchess County Fair will take place Aug. 20 through 25 in Rhinebeck. For more information about the year’s fair, visit www.dutchessfair.com. Follow the Dutchess County Fair on Facebook and Twitter or call (845) 876-4000.
••• Catskill High School students Emma Brown and Lauren Liberti received a Gold Award at the National STAR Event Competition, which took place as part of the Family, Career and Community Leaders of America National Leadership Conference in Anaheim, Calif., from June 30 through July 4.
Their award-winning STAR (Students Taking Action with Recognition) advocacy project focused on “The Dangers of Teen Vaping.” As active members of Catskill’s Family, Carrer and Community Leaders of America chapter, Brown and Liberti developed public service announcements and led discussions with fellow students in health class. They also advocated before the Catskill Board of Education, the Tobacco Free Coalition of Greene and Columbia counties, and the Greene County Legislature’s Health & Safety Committee for policies to deter young people from vaping, such as raising the minimum purchase age from 18 to 21.
The pair, who will be ninth-graders in the fall, were invited to the conference after their project earned them Gold at the Family, Career and Community Leaders of America New York State Conference in March.
While at the conference Liberti and Brown joined more than 8,700 participants from across the country to attend leadership and program training sessions, hear national speakers, meet youth leaders nationwide, participate in competitive events, and explore college and career options.
••• Jordan Corvin, a Saugerties resident, was awarded a $1,000 scholarship from the Friends of the Saugerties Public Library.
Corvin is an Eagle Scout and founder of Jordan’s Wish, which distributes gift bags to children who are hospitalized during holiday seasons. He’s also a volunteer teacher’s aide at Temple Emanuel Synagogue in Kingston, where he assists with the Hebrew School program.
Corvin plans to attend SUNY Delhi and major in electrical construction, a field he’s already begun working in this summer.
He is the son of Matt and April Corvin.
The Friends’ scholarship is available annually and emphasizes community service, especially at the library.
••• Onteora High School student Miriam SilverAltman was selected by the National Council of Teachers of English for a
2019 Achievement Award.
She received the highest recognition, a Certificate of Superior Writing.
Silver-Altman was nominated by the Onteora English Department. In seeking the council’s recognition, she was required to submit two pieces of writing:
One a sample of what she considered to be her best work, and the other based on this year’s writing prompt, “The Human Chorus.”
In addition to writing about Hermann Hesse’s novel “Demian,” Silver-Altman submitted a thought-provoking
short story set in the near future. “The story is called ‘Habeas Corpus,’ and it’s very political,” she said in a press release. She added that it tells the tale of a president who has suspended habeas corpus (the right of an arrested or imprisoned person to be seen by a judge or court).
“Journalists are in hiding, but they’re still producing newspapers,” Silver-Altman said.
This year, schools nationwide nominated 416 students. Of that number, only 210 received Certificates of Superior Writing. Two independent judges scored each submission
on expression of ideas, language use, and unique perspective and voice.
Silver-Altman, who enjoys writing short stories, novellas, and poetry, has been published in a number of local publications, including Chronogram, The Kingston Times and The Battering Ram.