Custodian, teacher’s aide, union launch scholarship fund

Custodian Mike Montedoro values education.

The head of the union that represents East Allegheny support staff has completed three academic degrees and recently started a scholarship fund for East Allegheny students with Jane Schuneman, a teacher’s aide and vice president of the union.

The union raised about $1,000 from two fish fries and will award two $500 scholarships this year.

Money from the scholarship can be used for a fouryear or community college, or any type of post-high school education, including technical, trade and beauty schools,among others.

Mr. Montedoro began his own quest for a college degree in 1994, when he graduated from East Allegheny High School.

He started working as a part-time custodian at East Allegheny that year and began studying psychology at Community College of Allegheny County in 1995.

By 1998, when he was made a full-time custodian, he had earned about threefourths of the credits needed for an associate degree in psychology, he said. At that time,he put his education on hold.

In 2002, Mr. Montedoro began attending The Art Institute of Pittsburgh, receiving an associate degree in photography in 2005.

He got his associate degree in psychology from CCAC in 2009.

Then, he began to take online courses from Penn State University to finish his bachelor’s degree in psychology, graduating last May. When he was taking the Penn State courses, he got two partial scholarships for $500 and $2,200 that were a great boost for him, he said.

“We want to give back,” he said of creating the scholarship. He and his wife, Amanda, have three children ages 7, 4 and 2.

For those with full-time jobs and families who would like to get a college degree, he suggested they start by taking a college course in a subject of interest and then find out what colleges offer classes that will fit your schedule. Mr. Montedoro did a lot of his online classwork after his children were in bed. He is now considering getting a master’s degree.

He continues to work as a custodian, saying the most satisfying part of the job is “all the great people I work with.”

East Allegheny superintendent Donald MacFann said the scholarship’s creators “recognize every student is unique.”

East Allegheny students canapply for the scholarship by submitting an essay application. Applications are currently being accepted by high school guidance counselorEmilia Peiffer.

To contribute to the scholarship fund, send checks to: East Allegheny Support Staff Scholarship Fund, in care of Mike Montedoro or Jane Schuneman, East Allegheny High School, 1150 Jacks Run Road, North Versailles,PA 15137.