Schools
Utica Schools announces 2020 Superintendent Scholarships
Thirty-two students awarded academic scholarships funded by the UCS Foundation for Educational Excellence and others
Once a year, all Utica Community Schools seniors may submit an application for consideration of a Superintendent Scholarship. Hundreds do, and the Scholarship Committee has the difficult task of selecting the few applicants who will move forward in the process.
Committee members invite selected students to a professional interview, where they share more about themselves and their future goals for college and career. Many instances though, the interviews yield a myriad of discussions. Students talk about contributions they have made to our community, they share stories about hardships they have overcome; they speak about persistence and perseverance.
After the interviews have concluded, what the committee members truly saw, in this sampling of diverse students with all their successes, challenges, altruism and uncertainty, are the dynamic seniors that represent the Utica Community Schools’ Class of 2020.
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Over the past twelve years, the UCS Superintendent Scholarships have been awarded to graduating seniors. Totaling over $700,000 since its inception, the scholarships provide the recipient with post-secondary support. The awards were given to 32 seniors this year.
“These students have demonstrated hard work and initiative in their classrooms and in their communities,” Superintendent Dr. Christine Johns proudly stated. “The broad range of this year’s scholarship group is represented in the careers they will pursue; from nursing, chemical engineering and journalism to economics, computer science and family counseling. They truly exemplify what makes Utica Community Schools a district built upon a legacy of excellence.”
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The scholarships continue to be generously funded by the UCS Foundation for Educational Excellence, as well as the Brett Klenow Scholarship Fund and Stefan’s Hope, a local organization.
“Through funds raised by the Foundation, we are proud to support these deserving seniors,” said Sherman Abdo, president of the UCS Foundation for Educational Excellence. “Part of our mission is to help students enhance their educational experience and we are happy to so every year with these scholarships.”
The following is a listing of the seniors from the Class of 2020 who have been awarded scholarships:
2020 Brett Klenow Scholarship
Benjamin Dubey, Stevenson High/Utica Center for Science and Industry
2020 Stefan’s Hope Scholarship
Aaron Kenward, Eisenhower High
2020 Superintendent Scholarship Recipients
Regina Araujo-Pedroza, Utica High
Katerina Bastounis, Eisenhower High
Anthony Berkimer, Eisenhower High
Cameron Borchert, Henry Ford II High
Charles Borus, Utica High
Shaniya Buyck, Alternative Learning Center
Drake Castiglia, Stevenson High
Kaylee Chan, Utica Academy for International Studies
David Cirenese, Eisenhower High
Julie Elfishawy, Utica Academy for International Studies
Joseph Francis, Henry Ford II High
Brooke Gagnon, Henry Ford II High
Sophia Gielniak, Utica High
Michael Hagen, Eisenhower High
Megan Hanoush, Utica High
Kurt Kessen, Utica High/Utica Center for Mathematics, Science and Technology
Riley Klumb, Stevenson High/Utica Center for Science and Industry
Kylie Lynne, Utica Academy for International Studies
Kyle Manzella, Utica High
Kamryn Maples, Eisenhower High
Sofia Martinez Martinez, Utica High
Celine Matway, Eisenhower High
Chandler McElhaney, Alternative Learning Center
Noah Mousseau, Utica High
Kendra Oja-Kiser, Henry Ford II High
Claudia Pilarski, Henry Ford II High
Sebastian Shaman, Utica High
Jennifer Weihs, Stevenson High
Jennifer Weir, Eisenhower High
John Youhanan, Stevenson High
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The Utica Community Schools Foundation for Educational Excellence is a 501(c)3 non-profit fund-raising organization that encourages and supports quality efforts by educators to enhance educational experiences for students of the Utica Community Schools.
The Brett Klenow Scholarship Fund was established in memory of Brett Klenow, a 2005 graduate of Eisenhower High School. The purpose of The Brett Klenow Scholarship Fund is to provide inspiration and financial assistance to a graduating UCS high school student who seeks to fulfill their career goals in engineering, computer science or a related field through advance study at a four-year college or university.
Stefan’s Hope, a local non-profit, was founded in 2011 as a source of hope for families who have received a diagnosis of autism for a loved one. The Stefan’s Hope Scholarship Fund supports young adults who live with autism and who will be continuing their education at a post-secondary institution.
Source: Utica Community Schools
Dr. Christine Johns, Superintendent of Schools
