Chamber Awards Six Scholarships to Local HS Students

Six local high school students, recognized for their academic achievements and community service, are each receiving $1,000 scholarships from the Hudson Valley Gateway Chamber of Commerce to help further their education. The 2018 recipients from Croton-Harmon, Hendrick Hudson, Lakeland, Peekskill, Putnam Valley, and Walter Panas High Schools were presented their awards at the Chamber's June breakfast held at the Hollowbrook Golf Club, Cortlandt Manor, NY. About 100 business leaders, proud parents, elected officials, and school administrators were on hand to congratulate the scholarship recipients.

“Each year we recognize deserving high school seniors from our region and present them with scholarships that will help them cover the costs of the higher education. The business community is so proud of our scholarship honorees this year, each of whom is gifted with unique talents, admirable accomplishments, stellar academic records and bright futures. Upon meeting these amazing teens, our future is in good hands,” said Hudson Valley Gateway Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Deb Milone.

The scholarships are funded from the generosity local businesses from the chamber's annual Tommy Bertoline Scholarship Golf Outing, held annually in September.

Scholarship recipients are chosen on the basis of academics, leadership skills, extracurricular community volunteering, awards or merits, and work experience. Awards are determined by the chamber scholarship committee made up of chamber members under the direction of Chamber Events Manager and Peekskill High School Alumni Lauren Brady.

Honored for their academic and civic accomplishments were:

Ethan Lewis, Croton-Harmon High School

Ethan Lewis is graduating from Croton-Harmon High School and plans to double-major in Architecture and Science in Business Management at Tulane University. Ethan is very involved in at his school and is part of many clubs including the Croton Academic Challenge Team, National Honor Society and Engineering Club. Ethan always gives back to his community, especially as a volunteer at Teatown Lake Reservation. Beyond Croton, he traveled to Houston after Hurricane Harvey as part of Westchester J-Teen Disaster Relief Program.

Danielle Smith, Hendrick Hudson High School

Danielle Smith is graduating from Hendrick Hudson High School and will attend Duke University in the Fall. Danielle is a member of the National Honor Society, National Hispanic Honor Society, Mathematics National Honor Society and Art National Honor Society. Danielle is an avid Varsity Cheerleader, Varsity Soccer player and Dancer. She is very passionate about giving back to her community and has helped Hen Hud Relay for Life raise over $46,000 for cancer research and awareness, volunteered with the Leos organization and founded and served as President of the Hendrick Hudson Stars & Stripes with the Veteran Initiative.

Adrianna DeSantis, Lakeland High School

Adrianna DeSantis is graduating from Lakeland High School as the 2018 Valedictorian and will be attending Christopher Newport University this Fall to study Neuroscience with the goal of becoming a doctor. Adrianna has received the scholar athlete award for both varsity soccer and varsity track all four years at Lakeland and has received recognition for her sports involvement. She is the Vice President of the National Spanish Honor Society and a member of the National Honor Society. Adriana is also in progress through her Girl Scout Gold Award Project and has won the National Heritage and Leadership Awards as a Girl Scout.

Jessie Zhanay, Peekskill High School

Jessie Zhanay is graduating Peekskill High School and will attend New York University in the Fall with the goal of pursuing her PhD and dreams of someday being called Dr. Zhanay. Jessie is the President of the Science National Honor Society and the President of the National Spanish Honor Society which she co-founded at Peekskill High School. She is part of the Peekskill Science Symposium, Art Club, Interact Club and Latino Culture Club. Jessie loves giving back to her community including volunteering at NewYork Presbyterian Hudson Valley Hospital, Drum Hill Senior Living and the Peekskill NAACP. She is an avid volunteer for the Assumption Church in Peekskill and is the President of the Church’s youth group.

Madelyn Deegan, Putnam Valley High School

Madelyn Deegan is graduating from Putnam Valley High School and will attend Quinnipiac University in the fall and hopes to become a high school science/health teacher. Madelyn is the Co-Vice President of her Senior Class and part of the National Honor Society, National Science Honor Society, National English Honor Society and National French Honor Society. Since her Sophomore year, Madelyn has been the Captain of the Varsity Girls Lacrosse Team and has been the Captain of the Varsity Girls Soccer Team the past two years, taking home All League and All Section awards in both sports. She volunteers in her community as a MAGMAH leader, Girl Scout and at the Jan Peek homeless Shelter.

Lauren Feeley, Walter Panas High School

Lauren Feeley is graduating from Walter Panas High School and will attend George Washington University in Washington D.C. in the fall to major in Engineering to help the world find more efficient ways to use energy. Lauren is the President of the National Honor Society, Vice President of the Spanish Honor Society, Class Treasurer of Student Government and part of the Spanish Honor Society, Environmental and Yearbook Clubs. Lauren has won many awards over her high school career including the Co-Curricular Award in Lakeland Central School District’s Board of Education. She is an avid volleyball player and spends time volunteering for Guiding Eyes for the Blind and participates in the Pancreatic Cancer Walk and the Breast Cancer/Ovarian Cancer Walk.

The annual scholarship application is posted to the chamber website in the spring at www.hvgatewaychamber.com, and is open to graduating seniors in the six high schools located in the chamber service area.