‘Who’s Who’ among Scacalossi scholarship winners

‘Who’s Who’ among Scacalossi scholarship winners
PEF awards thousands to talented children

By DEBORAH A. MILES
In its 17th year awarding Joseph Scacalossi Scholarships, PEF will honor 10 college-bound students with $4,000 each during the next four years, in annual $1,000 installments.
Since 1988, when the scholarship was created in memory of Scacalossi — a leader in organizing PEF and Division 245 at the state Labor Department in New York City — PEF has given nearly $590,000 to talented and committed students.

“Our enthusiasm and dedication to help ease tuition costs for students who have demonstrated academic excellence and outstanding character continues,” said Robert Harms, chair of the scholarship committee.

Harms said nearly 500 preliminary applications were received and the winners were selected from a pool of 325 final applicants. He said the broad range of interests among all the candidates impressed the committee that includes Diane Hart, Maureen Hogle, Eric Lindemann and John Prince.

Many of this year’s winners were listed in “Who’s Who Among American High School Students” and have ambitions ranging from medicine, journalism and pharmacy to architecture.
The scholarship program is merit-based and open only to dependents of PEF members and PEF retirees.

**THE 2005 WINNERS ARE:**
Monica T. Allen, a Harvard-bound freshman, is looking at physics or chemistry as a career. This National Merit Scholar is also interested in liberal arts and is an accomplished violin and piano player. In her free time, she does volunteer work for the Muscular Dystrophy Association and in the physical therapy department at Binghamton Psychiatric Center where her father, Samuel Allen, is a senior physical therapist.	Pre-med is on the agenda for Benjamin Daggett, who will study at Stony Brook University. He was listed in “Who’s Who” for high school students, won an award from the U.S. Achievement Academy and is a National Honor Society member. He was the 2005 salutatorian from Norwood-Norfolk Central School and enjoys baseball, plays drums and participates in a travel and language club. His mom is Christine Daggett, a corrections counselor at Upstate Correctional Facility in Region 7.
Facility in Region 7. Megan English will attend SUNY Geneseo where she will study communications and looks forward to a career in journalism. On the National Honor Roll for four years, she was in the top 2 percent of her class at Colonie Central. There she was editor of the school newspaper, Sandscript. She was also listed in “Who’s Who.” As treasurer of Key Club, she participated in many charitable causes. Her pastimes include swimming, tennis, varsity basketball manager and the clarinet. Her parents, Richard and Mary Storonsky-English, work at the state Office of Mental Health. Her dad is manager of data processing services and her mom is an associate computer analyst.	Lindsey Garrett is headed for Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) to pursue a career in mathematics. At Stillwater Central School, she was valedictorian and named the 2005 Scholar Athlete for her performance in varsity basketball and volleyball. She also received the Capital Region Top Scholar Athlete award, the RPI Medal Scholarship and a Miss Scroptimist community award. Add Captain of the Master Minds team and you can see why her mom, Kimberly Garrett, a tax technician trainee in Region 8, is so proud of her.
A National Merit Scholarship winner and salutatorian from Ardsley, Robert Jerry is excited about pursuing a career in economics at Cornell University. His passion for music as a guitarist and drummer have also led him to a summer internship at Epic Records in Manhattan. He has an interest in film, was president of the Model U.N. Club, captain of Academic Challenge, likes fencing and volunteers for Habitat for Humanity. He is the son of Region 9 member Peter Jerry, a retired parole officer with 26 years of service.	Renee Morgiewicz will head south to Naples, FL to study at Ave Maria University to begin her second semester as a freshman. Graduating early from Warwick Valley High School, where she received scholar athlete awards, Morgiewicz maintained a 94.5 grade point average. There she enjoyed public speaking and track. She is a National Honor Society student, listed in “Who’s Who” and has an interest in liberal arts and English. At Ave Maria, she was named most valuable player on her soccer team. Her dad, Gary Morgiewicz of Region 9, is a parole officer at Mid-Orange Correctional Facility.
Providence College in Rhode Island is where Abby Nazarian will study history/ secondary education. She is president of Shaker High’s literary magazine and was in the high school edition of “Who’s Who” for three consecutive years, and for two years in its sports issue. A National Honor Society student, she was named most valuable player as a varsity swim team member and worked as a swim instructor for the Adirondack Bluefins Swim Club. She also plays the flute. Her mom is Elizabeth Nazarian, a research scientist 2 at David Axelrod Institute in Region 8.	Brett Ouimet will attend Albany College of Pharmacy. This salutatorian from Chateaugay Central School received many awards for academic excellence including the Rensselaer Medallion — one of the highest honors for achievements in math and science. In his spare time, he can be found playing baseball, basketball and soccer. He is also involved in band, chorus, skiing and is vice-president of a business club. His dad, Region 7 member Robert Ouimet, is a recreation program leader 2 at Franklin Correctional Facility.
Pursuing a career in medicine and economics, Bryan Stanistreet will return to Notre Dame University in Indiana this fall as a sophomore, where he was on the Dean’s List for both of his freshman semesters. He was the 2004 valedictorian at West Genesee High School and received the Baush and Lomb Science award. This National Honor Society member has interests ranging from symphony orchestra to rowing. As a recreational counselor, he organizes park activities in Onondaga. His dad, Joseph Stanistreet, is a claims service representative 2 at the state Insurance Fund, Region 4.	Sarah Walsh plans to study architecture and design at Pratt Institute in Brooklyn. She attended Lafayette Junior and Senior High School in Syracuse where this National Honor Society student received an RIT Computing Medal, and an award for calculus. She was student council president, a cross-country runner and enjoyed track. Her interests include singing, playing the saxophone and clarinet, and volunteering for charity walks. Her mom, Lynn Walsh, is a teaching and research center nurse 2 at Syracuse Hospital, Region 4.