Community and school leaders came together Monday night to present scholarship awards to dozens of high school seniors who are just weeks from graduation.
As their principal Linda Simmons put it, it was the students' night to be proud and to feel special as they took to the stage at the start of the ceremony.
Simmons said among all the monetary scholarship awards presented a total of $51,000 went towards the furthered education of these high school graduates.
Scholarship awards were given in recognition of students' community leadership, academic achievement, music and the arts and for athletic achievement.
Upon presenting the awards, community leaders provided some background as to how the scholarship came about and why the particular students were chosen as recipients.
John Brady, president of the Hasbrouck Heights Mens' Association announced that they had renamed one of the scholarship awards the club presents each year in memory of Eugene Hughes, an active member of the community who recently passed away.
Barbara Kiefer Smith spoke of both her parents for whom the scholarships she was about to award were named for. The Alfred W. Kiefer Service to Humanity Scholarship was named for her father, a lawyer, and active member of the community for decades, known for his integrity, fairness, hardwork and service.
Smith awarded the scholarship to Kenneth Hesse, who has shown his commitment to longterm service. She awarded the Carolyn Kiefer scholarship in the Arts award to Connor Blake, who is headed to Rutgers to study photography.
Arthur and James Lynch of the law firm Lynch, Lynch, Held, Rosenberg & Perkins Scholarship, who recently moved their firm to Hasbrouck Heights, said they created a scholarship as a way of giving back to the community. Joseph Murphy was the first to receive this newly created scholarship.
Dr. Michael Perrillo presented the Matthew Ingenito Memorial Scholarship to Bernardo Valente. The scholarship was created in memory of Perrillo's cousin, a Class of 1996 graduate of HHHS who was killed in an auto accident. Students had to submit an essay describing their greatest ambition in life to apply for the scholarship and Valente's piece focused on the importance of one's virtue, morals and family, explained Perrillo.
Nick Delcalzo, middle school vice principal, presented two awards on behalf of the Delcalzo family. The Susan M. Delcalzo Guinan Memorial Scholarship and the John Delcalzo Memorial Scholarship.
Several other scholarships are named in memory of former active community members. Others were named for former educators. Organizations including the Lions Club, American Legion Post, Contemporary Club, Junior Women's Club, PTA groups at all schools, the police department and the Music Parents Association.
Students received academic awards from their teachers and administrators.
See the chart below for the full list of scholarships and recipients.
Scholarship Award Recipient SCHOLARSHIPS The Robert G. Flannery Scholarship Fund-James B. Scarr Post 106 Heather Herman J.P. Antonelli Senior Art Scholarship Abbigail Bracchitta Conner Blake Bergen County Coaches Ass'n. "Lou Lanzalotto" Scholarship Christopher Connors Bergen County Women's Coaches Scholarship Daniella Castellanos Borough of Hasbrouck Heights Police Department Scholarship Christopher Connors Samantha Salerno Contemporary Club Scholarship Rebecca Ratkowski Gerhard C. Depken Memorial Scholarship Michael Pikowski Drama Club Scholarship Christina Priore Sherin Shetty Euclid Masonic Lodge #136 of Hasbrouck Heights Memorial & Honorarium Scholarships: John Viola Jennifer White Remaining Honored Seniors: Jennifer Cheng Christina Le Sivatej Mudigonda Selvia Shafik Alexandra Orzel Vraj Patel Pooja Vyas Janice Park Euclid School PTA Scholarship in Memory of Ms. Denise Gorab Christina Priore Euclid School PTA Scholarship in memory of Mr. John Rau Kasey Caggiano Euclid School PTA Scholarship Christopher Connors Euclid School PTA Walter Fisher Scholarship John Viola Andrew Feintuch Memorial Scholarship Mark Palermo Susan M. Delcalzo Guinan Memorial Scholarship Jennifer Cheng Michael Pasqualone John Delcalzo Memorial Scholarship Christopher Abramo Community Service Leadership Scholarship/Sponsored by Stephanie Nuzzo Hasbrouck Heights Republican Club Katelyn Watkins Hasbrouck Heights Music Parents' Association Scholarship Kenneth Hesse Mark Palermo Samantha Salerno Nicholas Sciancalepore Alex Sisco Bernardo Valente HHEA Memorial Scholarship Kenneth Hesse Rajvir Singh Hasbrouck Heights High School PTSA Robert P. Fitzgerald Memorial Scholarship Conner Blake Hasbrouck Heights High School PTSA Scholarships Alexa Cintron Christopher Connors Jennifer Dowd Stephanie Nuzzo Michael Pasqualone Michael Pikowski Christina Priore Samantha Salerno Bernardo Valente John Viola Hasbrouck Heights PTSA Scholarship in Honor of Audrey Maisch Heather Herman H.H. Men's Ass'n. Steven R. Bizik Memorial Scholarship Kenneth Hesse Conner Blake Bernardo Valente Lucy Lohrmann H.H. Men's Association Gene Hughes Memorial Scholarship Jennifer Cheng Alexandra Orzel Michael Pikowski Jennifer White Matthew Ingenito Memorial Scholarship Bernardo Valente H.H. Lions' Club James W. Mason Memorial Scholarship Christopher Connors Christopher Schneider Chris Heller Memorial Scholarship Jennifer Cheng Michael Pikowski Brianna Walsh Junior Woman's Club Scholarship Sven Nielsen Stephanie Nuzzo Jennifer Dowd Ruth Earle Perry Memorial Scholarship Katelyn Watkins Alfred W. Kiefer Service to Humanity Scholarship Kenneth Hesse Carolyn Kiefer Scholarship in the Arts Conner Blake Key Club Scholarship Amanda Link Stephen DelloStritto Erika Fackelman Jodee Giarratana Julianna Smith Janice Park Vraj Patel Pooja Vyas Selvia Shafik Sivatej Mudigonda Key Club / Community Blood Services Brianna Walsh Kiwanis Service Award Scholarship in Honor of Dr. Burnett Eglow Ashlee Trent Kiwanis Science Scholarship in Memory of Dr. Ben Witkoff Rajvir Singh Kiwanis Memorial Scholarship Amrit Parmar Lincoln School PTA Scholarship Jennifer Dowd Amanda Link Christopher Schneider Nicholas Sciancalepore Kenneth Hesse Stephanie Nuzzo Lincoln School Cheryl Terlemezian PTA Scholarship Adam French Lynch, Lynch, Held Rosenberg & Perkins, P.C. Scholarship Joseph Murphy Cheryl Terlemezian Memorial Scholarshhip Nicholas Sciancalepore H.H. Soccer Assoc. Jerrold R. McDowell Memorial Scholarship Jordyn Anderson Parents Association for Athletes Scholarship Alexa Cintron Mark Palermo Michael Pasqualone Michael Pikowski Jordyn Anderson Jennifer Dowd Christopher Connors Rebecca Fortul Jodee Giarratana Samantha Salerno John Viola Mary B. Quigg Scholarship Daniella Castellanos Jennifer Dowd Adam French Priscilla Maduro Rebecca Ratkowski Julianna Smith Katelyn Watkins Marguerite Stahl Scholarship Christina Le Mr. Heights Scholarship Kenneth Hesse Michael Pikowski Student Council Scholarship Patricia Angeles Kasey Caggiano Amanda Link Sherin Shetty Ashlee Trent Jennifer White Dr. Mary E. Tamanini Scholarship Sherin Shetty Teterboro Airport Scholarship Sivatej Mudigonda St. Anthony's Women's Auxilary Scholarship Veronica Terrana AWARDS James B. Scarr Post 108 American Legion Essay Contest Alexandra Orzel Sivatej Mudigonda Bernardo Valente Art Award Victoria Rojas Drama Club Award Salma Abdelmeguid Meron Aberha Erick Balboa Kenneth Hesse Alyssa Messina Victoria Parodi Michael Pikowski Christina Priore Sherin Shetty Bernardo Valente Blake Van Curen Drama Club Certificates Kayel Flores Adam French Nicholas Leone David Porzl Christopher Schneider Nicholas Sciancalepore Anthony Warren History Award John Rapaccioli Erik Kloepping Italian Award Salma Abdelmaged Veronica Terrana Coronian Award for Excellence in Yearbook Journalism Sherin Shetty Excellence in Yearbook - editor Thomas Pellegrino Jennifer Cheng Junior Woman's Club Visual Arts Award Nicole Callen Junior Woman's Club Performing Arts Award Kenneth Hesse Junior Woman's Club Instrumental Arts Award Mark Palermo Mayor's Award Kasey Caggiano National School Choral Award Heather Herman New Jersey Scholar / Athlete Award Jennifer White "The Observer" Journalism Award Conner Blake Physical Education Award Mark Palermo Public Speaking Award Ashlee Trent Sherin Shetty Quill & Scroll Journalism Honor Society Award Conner Blake Amrit Parmar Rebecca Ratkowski Victoria Rojas Rajvir Singh Brianna Walsh Jennifer White Journalist of the Year Brianna Walsh Jennifer White Robert A. Searle Award Jennifer Cheng Kenneth Hesse Christina Le Brian Lee Alyssa Messina Sivatej Mudigonda Alexandra Orzel Janice Park Amrit Parmar David Porzl Selvia Shafik John Viola Pooja Vyas Science Award Christina Le John Phillip Sousa Instrumental Award David Porzl Student Council Award Patricia Angeles Kasey Caggiano Amanda Link Sherin Shetty Ashlee Trent Jennifer White
