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Luzerne County Head Start Inc. held its 60th Anniversary Luncheon on May 19 to celebrate its longstanding commitment to enhancing the quality of life for low-income families. Along with recognizing its staff for years of service, the agency granted college scholarships to former Head Start students and presented awards to its community partners.
Now in its 39th year, the Alumni Scholarship Program – funded by businesses, organizations and individuals in the community – honors the achievements of former Head Start students set to graduate from high school and continue their education. LCHS awarded $25,500 in scholarships this year to 16 seniors from Northeast Pennsylvania, bringing the total to $380,950 since the program’s inception. This year’s scholarship recipients were:
Kelvin Kocher, Wyoming Valley West High School, $6,000 Fran Williams Memorial Scholarship
Petra Pribula, Wyoming Area Secondary Center, $2,500 Mary & Tom Sewatsky Family Scholarship
Brenda Velasquez, Elk Lake Jr. Sr. High School, $2,000 Benco Family Foundation Scholarship
Maia Costagliola, Pittston Area High School, $2,000 Tomalis-Gatusky Family Scholarship
Mariely Sosa, Wilkes-Barre Area High School, $1,500 Eugene Hogan Memorial Scholarship
Georgia Baskett, Bloomsburg Area High School, $1,500 Jeffrey Rehill Memorial Scholarship
Anya Richet, Wyoming Valley West High School, $1,000 Cross Valley Federal Credit UnionScholarship
Nathanael Obrzut, Wyoming Area Secondary Center, $1,000 Cross Valley Federal Credit UnionScholarship
Emilia Alcantara, Hazleton Area High School, $1,000 PNC Bank Scholarship
James Rasimovich Jr., Lackawanna Trail Jr. Sr. High School, $1,000 Navient Community FundScholarship
Amanda Dougert, Wilkes-Barre Area High School, $1,000 George & Ann Evans MemorialScholarship
Khayyona Jackson, Wilkes-Barre Area High School, $1,000 LCHS Board of Directors LenaTaylor Memorial Scholarship
Ashley Peralta Martinez, Hazleton Area High School, $1,000 Luzerne County Bar AssociationCharitable Foundation Scholarship
Alexis Shotwell, Lake-Lehman Jr. Sr. High School, $1,000 Church of Christ Uniting Scholarship
Ariel Starrie, Pittston Area High School, $500 LCHS Policy Council Claudia O’Boyle MemorialScholarship and $500 Pittston Tomato Festival Committee Scholarship
Libby Stevens, Tunkhannock Area High School, $500 Coombs Family Memorial Scholarship and$500 Delaney Family Scholarship
Luzerne County Head Start established the Outstanding Community Partner Award over 40 years ago to recognize businesses, organizations and individuals who have made significant contributions to Head Start. This year, the agency honored four Outstanding Community Partners based on nominations from its staff:
Cathy Connors, Pennsylvania Traffic Injury Prevention Project
Nanticoke City Fire Department
Pennsylvania State Police, Troop P
Pride Mobility Products
Luzerne County Head Start also recognized 39 staff members, foster grandparents, bus drivers and members of its board of directors for their years of service to the agency. This year’s honorees were:
Staff: 40 years, Suzanne Christian; 35 years, Lisa Malarkey; 30 years, Lynn Meizanis; 20 years, Rebecca Eck, Tammy Harvey and Susan Snyder; 15 years, Alba Castillo, Michelle Granahan, Charles Josulevicz, Kursten Nah, Joann Puterbaugh and Justin Temperine; 10 years, Marta Atiles, Heidi Birkel, Daisy Nunez Mendez, Hiddekel Olivo, Kathleen Pittack, Yajaira Roman, Julia Scott and Brittany Wojciechowicz; and 5 years, Anjelica Camacho, Michael Drazba, Kathryn Hrivnak, Melinda Kiddish, Karina Martinez, Joann Matusick, Kippie Morgan, Julianne Pettit, Anna Marie Silkowski, Inocencia Torres-Reluzco, Jessica Vanchure and Katelyn Wolfe.
Foster grandparents: 10 years, Arline McClure
Bus drivers: 30 years, Dennis Faux and Lori Faux; 20 years, Leah Winslow
Board of directors: 10 years, Phyllis Mundy and George Rable; 5 years, Teri Ooms
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