PEF honors students with Scacalossi scholarships

Winners aim for degrees in music to equine medicine PEF honors students with Scacalossi scholarships Members earn AFT, SEIU and Union Plus awards By DEBORAH A. MILES Since 1988, PEF has awarded $526,000 in scholarships to college-bound students through the Joseph Scacalossi scholarship program, a merit-based aid program open to dependents of PEF members and PEF retirees. This year, another group of 10 talented students will receive $4,000 over the next four years, in annual $1,000 installments. And every year, the competition becomes fiercer. The 2003 winners were selected from a pool of more than 600 applicants. The scholarship committee reviewed academic records, teacher recommendations, interests, community involvement and demonstrated leadership. “We had a wide variety of applications this year,” said Robert Harms Jr., chair of the committee. “Each PEF region was represented and the quality of the applicants was outstanding. Our members have bright, caring and talented children.” Maureen Hogle and John Prince also serve on the scholarship committee. The scholarship program is named for the late Joseph Scacalossi, a leader in organizing PEF and Division 245 at the state Labor Department in New York City. He remained an activist in the union until his death in 1988. The winners said they were honored to receive the PEF scholarship. One of the youngest is 17-year-old Lindsay A. Ambrecht, who is enrolled at the College of William and Mary in Virginia and is looking forward to a future studying Pre-med and Neuroscience. Last summer, she volunteered at an eye clinic in Mexico with Medical Ministry International. She is a Monroe Scholar who enjoys running and also singing in musicals. Her father is Stephen Ambrecht, an administrative law judge for the Unemployment Appeal Board, state Department of Labor.
Carmen J. Barber, 18, is a freshman at Newhouse School of Public Communications at Syracuse University where he is majoring in Communications and Political Science. He scored in the top 5 percent of his class at Colonie High School. He plays the guitar and runs track. He is the son of Charles J. Barber III, who retired from his position as building manager for the Empire State Plaza, Office of General Services.	A sophomore attending SUNY Geneseo, Sarah G. Barnes, 19, made the Dean’s list in both previous semesters and sings in two ensembles. Sarah has a double major, Music and English, and she is an accomplished pianist. She is the daughter of Grace M. Barnes, a research scientist 5 at the Research Institute on Addictions at the University of Buffalo.	Aiming for a Biology degree at Cornell University, 18-year-old Michael Beckman was on the honor roll throughout high school and was the recipient of a NYS Regent’s Honor Scholarship. He volunteers much of his time doing community service and worked at a YMCA camp in Massachusetts and a Cheyenne Indian reservation in South Dakota. He plays soccer, but his ultimate joy is wakeboarding. He is the son of Marsha Beckman, a psychologist 2 at Pine Grove Continuing Day Treatment Center.
Earning an Academic Excellence Award from New York state, Sara L. French, 18, plans to study Secondary English Education at Elmira University. An arts lover, this student also plays trumpet, piano and guitar. Her mother is Nancy French, a retired social welfare examiner who worked at Steuben County Social Services.	Kyle R. Hauptfleisch is majoring in Pre-engineering and Physics at SUNY Oneonta. This 19 year-old won the Charles Wang Scholarship for Physics and maintained a 4.0 grade point average during his first semester. He is the son of PEF members Daniel and Lynn Hauptfleisch. Daniel Hauptfleisch is a teacher 4 at Allen Residential Center in South Kortright and Lynn Hauptfleisch is a social worker assistant 3 at Delaware Regional Center in Walton.	Planning to continue her studies in English and Pre-Law at Siena College, Candice M. Hunt, 19, was valedictorian at Coxsackie-Athens High School and received the distinguished Dwight D. Eisenhower Global Citizen Scholarship Award in 2001. Now in her sophomore year, her interests include judo, teaching self-defense to women and being captain of the varsity cheerleading squad. Charles Hunt, her father, is a retired disability analyst from the Department of Social Services who also worked as a nurse administrator 1 at Green Correctional Facility.
Jason Kowalski is planning on a double major, Physics and American Literature, when he heads off to Middlebury College in Vermont. The 18 year-old ranked in the top 10 percent of his class at Amherst High School and won a community service award. He found tutoring inner-city children to be most rewarding and in summer devotes his time as a wilderness counselor at a canoe tripping camp for boys in Ontario, Canada. He’s the son of David Kowalski, Research Scientist at Roswell Park Cancer Institute in Buffalo.	One of the winners is a horse lover, working 10-hour days during the summer on a horse ranch. Julia T.Rando, 17, will major in Pre-Veterinary Medicine and specialize in Equine Medicine. She was selected for the CUNY Scholars Program and will attend Hunter College. She is the daughter of Marilyn Rando, a speech language pathologist 2 at Staten Island Developmental Disabilities Services Office.	Katharine A. Spero, 18, will be starting her freshman year at Hampshire College in Amherst, MA. She was president of her student council and was active in a Peer Leadership program, working with students, parents and teachers for school improvements. Her passions are singing and acting, and maintaining top grades. Her father, Louis Spero, is an Absconder Search Officer at the Poughkeepsie Office of the state Division of Parole.

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