LSAA Presents Scholarships to Neshaminy High School Seniors

Past Lower Southampton Athletic Association [LSAA] President Joe Olenski presented Neshaminy High School seniors Joseph Hart, Carleigh Kitchenman and Scott Morantz each with a $500 scholarship Thursday at the .

"I feel really lucky that I got to receive it," Kitchenman said, who is planning on studying exercise science at Bloomsburg University. While she played field hockey for Neshaminy High School, she played softball for the LSAA.

"I feel honored and I'm glad to be a part of the association," Hart said, who played basketball through the LSAA and football in high school. He will be attending La Salle University in the fall and is considering declaring a business major.

"I'm thankful they were able to give me this scholarship. I'm very happy to receive it," said Morantz, who will be studying accounting at Stevenson University in Maryland in the fall. He played basketball for Neshaminy High School and, in the past, played baseball and flag football for the LSAA.

"It was important for us to give somethoing back to our players," Olenski said.

From 1994 until about 1998, past Olenski presented graduating seniors with scholarship money from the Eric Hanson Scholarship Foundation.

Eric Hanson, who the scholarship fund is named after, was tragically killed in a car accident on Brownsville Road in Trevose in 1991, Olenski said. His parents were heavily involved in the LSAA before his death, Olenski explained.

"We as a board decided to name the scholarship in his honor," Olenski said. Glen and Lana Hanson, Eric's parents, presented the scholarships to the students Thursday.

Olenski said that he asked the LSAA board, including current President Tony Crooks, if they could bring back the scholarships this year. The board unanimously agreed and Olenski offered to organize the effort.

"It's our chance to recognize our kids," Olenski said.

"We should give something back to the kids," he said. 

In the past, the LSAA used to give scholarships to one student from Neshaminy High School, Bensalem High School and  Archbishop High School. But this year, Olenski said they did not restrict what high schools the applicants attended.

The scholarship winners, which are chosen by the Feasterville Business Association, are selected based on being in the top 50 percent of their class, be involved in the LSAA and played a sport their senior year.

Olenski said that he and the LSAA board members hope to give out many more scholarships in the years to come.