Local Karate Students Win Scholarships at ISKC Awards Banquet

Image 1: Burr Ridge resident Sachin Ahuja, who trains in Naperville, Downers Grove, and Darien, was awarded a training scholarship. He is pictured with his family. Image 2: Gurnee resident Ryan Brown, who trains at the Palatine dojo, was awarded the Jennifer Malloy Scholarship.

Nearly $60,000 in scholarships were awarded at the annual Illinois Shotokan Booster Club Karate Awards Banquet on November 12, 2017 at the Meadows Club in Rolling Meadows. The event is now in its 39th year, and awards scholarships to Illinois Shotokan Karate Clubs (ISKC) students that take karate classes at 75 park districts across the Chicagoland area, and demonstrate commitment, achievement and volunteerism.

Among the scholarship recipients are several youths including Burr Ridge resident Sachin Ahuja; Darien resident Joann Nosek; Downers Grove residents Gregory Elser and Jerry Gates; in addition to Jackie Chase, Nolan O’Rear, Thomas Pappalardo, Gianna Pelzer and Sean Zhang – all of whom reside in Naperville. Each of the students attend ISKC classes offered at one or more of the following park district locations in Bolingbrook, Darien, Downers Grove, Naperville, Oak Park, Park Ridge and Schaumburg.

A scholarship that is awarded at the event, and is near and dear to ISKC founder John DiPasquale’s heart, is the Jennifer Malloy Scholarship. Jennifer was a student at the Palatine dojo when she was just a teenager in the mid-1980’s and had been diagnosed with cancer. Though her health continued to deteriorate through treatments, Jennifer did not stop training or competing. The scholarship was created before she passed away in 1987 to help her family afford mounting legal bills.

For the last 30 years, an ISKC student who has demonstrated the highest level of leadership and determination is awarded the Jennifer Malloy Scholarship. This year’s winner was Ryan Brown, a Gurnee resident who trains at the Palatine location.

In all, there were 103 academic and travel scholarships awarded to students that help ISKC students afford college, as well as the cost to attend and compete in national and international karate competitions. The booster club is the nonprofit arm of ISKC that hosts yearly fundraisers to support the scholarships awarded at the event.

“Our banquet is very special for everyone who is a part of ISKC; we are steeped in the tradition of giving back to our students and families who have helped us to grow throughout our 39-year history,” DiPasquale, said. “Our booster club works extremely hard each year to ensure we can provide this very important assistance to our students.”

A full list of the winners from the North/Northwest, South/Southwest, and Western Suburbs and Chicago can be found here: www.iskc.com/blog/.

For more information about ISKC and to learn more upcoming classes that start in January, visit www.ISKC.com or call 847-359-0666.

ABOUT ILLINOIS SHOTOKAN KARATE CLUBS
Founded in 1978, Illinois Shotokan Karate Club is headquartered in Palatine, Illinois and has grown to serve 75 park districts throughout the Chicagoland area. The club offers weekly classes for children and adults taught by knowledgeable instructors, as well as opportunities to compete in tournaments. In addition to four local tournaments hosted by ISKC each year, the club also offers the opportunity for students to compete in national, and international tournaments. ISKC is known for their quality competitors and high-level coaching.