Deerfield Youth Baseball and Softball Association Presents College Scholarships to Five Local Graduates

At a recent Deerfield Youth Baseball and Softball Association (DYBA/DYSBA) Board Meeting, the organization presented college scholarships to five local graduating high school seniors. The five DYBA/DYSBA 2017 College Scholarship Winners earned their honors through Board voting.

The Deerfield High School Softball players earning the $1,000 College Scholarship included:

• Elizabeth Johnson – A four-year Deerfield High School softball standout, Johnson captained the Varsity softball team her senior year. She spent springs and summers from third grade through her sophomore year of high school playing Deerfield Youth Travel Softball and has been a coach at the DYSBA Summer Date Night Program for two years. Off the field, Johnson is involved in a host of extracurricular activities ranging from Chorale (president of the club) to volunteering for a variety of youth group organizations. Her stellar high school grades also earned a collection of academic honors, including the Dean’s Scholar scholarship to the University of Iowa where she plans to major in Education.

• Jayne Seldin – For more than a decade, Seldin played House League and Travel Softball through DYSBA, becoming a star on the field. Her athletic talents also extend to other sports, including golf for which she earned All Conference at Deerfield High School. Away from the sports arena, Seldin is a dedicated student who will attend the University of Kansas and has interest in pursuing a Business degree. Seldin’s academic advisor at DHS said of her, “Jayne’s perseverance and determination for self-improvement provided a solid foundation for excelling in her academic coursework…and have been the keys to her success.”

Longtime DYBA baseball players won the 2017 $1,000 College Scholarship, including:

• Jake Chanan – On the field, Chanan played a decade of DYBA House and Travel Baseball, and has also served in a variety of coaching positions, as well as working at the Woodland Park Equipment Shed. The accomplished athlete and student also won the DHS Coaches’ Award in 2016, while earning High Honor Roll recognition every semester at DHS and becoming part of the DHS Honor Society. A tech enthusiast, Chanan plans to attend Brown University and major in computer science. He says, “My time in the DYBA program has been incredibly important to me and I believe it is the best thing that ever happened to my childhood.”

• Jake Leahy – Leahy played DYBA House and Travel Baseball for a decade, crediting his time in the program for learning teamwork, hard work and how to be a solid teammate to others. An inspired young leader who made an impact regularly for DHS on the ball field, Leahy also serves on the Bannockburn School District 106 Board of Education, the youngest to do so at 18. He participated in Deerfield’s DECA program and has volunteered in a variety of ways with school activities and other youth groups throughout the area. This coming fall, Leahy plans to attend the University of Illinois-Champaign and wants to study Public Policy and Law as a pathway to attending law school.

• Matthew Rosenbaum – Team captain his senior year at Deerfield High School, Rosenbaum proved to be a leader on the baseball field and in the classroom. His accomplishments earned him invitations to the Central Suburban League Leadership Conference and to the Chicagoland Academic Achievement games. He also served on the DHS Executive Board and volunteered with the DHS Octagon Club. Rosenbaum played and coached in the DYBA program for more than a decade. He is attending the University of Illinois-Champaign, pursuing a computer engineering degree. He said, “DYBA has shaped me into the person I am today.”

“Our applicants and winners are fantastic role models for today’s DYBA/DYSBA players,” said Michael Danielewicz, commissioner of DYBA/DYSBA. “Their families should be extremely pleased with who their children have become. Everyone on the Board takes great pride in being part of honoring this year’s scholarship recipients.”

DYBA board members and parents of the College Scholarship Winners attended the recent presentation of the scholarship awards.