Lake Forest High School Grad Wins Scholarship Award

LAKE FOREST, IL — A Lake Forest High School alum was among 10 students awarded merit-based scholarships for children of employees of the Ferrara Candy Company. In the second year of the scholarship program, the Oakbrook Terrace-based company provided a combined $50,000 to 10 students who are children of Ferrara's U.S. employees and high school seniors or college students. The winners were awarded Tuesday at a ceremony at Gibson's Steakhouse in Oak Brook.

Jianna Santello is a 2015 LFHS grad and currently attends the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Her father Joseph works at Ferrara's facility in Bellwood, according to the company.

The recipients were chosen through a third-party organization that reviewed a statement of the student's goals, role in community and school activities, work experience and academic performance, among other factors.

“The Ferrara Scholarship USA program demonstrates Ferrara’s commitment to investing in the future success of its employees’ children by providing opportunity for personal advancement that may not otherwise be available,” said the Mike Goldwasser, the chief human resources officer at Ferrara.

“With the rising cost of secondary education and the increased competition for grants and other forms of aid, we’re proud to create a program that supports the decision to pursue college specifically for Ferrara employees and their families.”

Other winners of the 2018 Ferrara USA Scholarship include:

• Domenic Conversa
• York Community High School, Elmhurst
• Purdue University
• Ferrara Employee Facility: Bellwood

• Julio Gutierrez
• West Chicago Community High School
• College of DuPage
• Ferrara Employee Facility: Bellwood

• Adan Martinez
• Colegio de Nivel Medio Superior, Mexico
• Morton College
• Ferrara Employee Facility: Forest Park

• Carolina Melgoza
• Morton West High School, Berwyn
• Triton College
• Ferrara Employee Facility: Bellwood

• Wilfredo Najera
• Proviso Math and Science Academy, Forest Park
• Triton College
• Ferrara Employee Facility: Bellwood

• Marissa Nevarez
• Trinity High School, River Forest
• Marquette University
• Ferrara Employee Facility: Forest Park

• John Stankovich
• Oak Park River Forest High School, Oak Park
• University of Notre Dame
• Ferrara Employee Facility: Oakbrook Terrace

• Emma Tencate
• Oak Park River Forest High School, Oak Park
• St. Norbert College
• Ferrara Employee Facility: Forest Park

A student whose parent works at a company facility in Richmond, Virginia was the lone scholarship recipient from outside the Chicago area.

• Anna Talley
• Atlee High School, Mechanicsville, VA
• Pratt Institute
• Ferrara Employee Facility: Richmond, VA