Jefferson Valley Mall Awards Two Scholarships to Peekskill, Patterson Residents

A Patterson man and Peekskill woman each received a scholarship from and the Simon Youth Foundation on Friday. 

Catherine Semple, a Peekskill High School graduate, received the special Simon Youth Foundation Build-A-Bear Workshop Endowed Community Scholarship valued at $1,000. Semple is bound for SUNY Buffalo State College in Buffalo this fall where she will major in Biology.

Stephen Mosso, a recent Carmel High School graduate and and a Patterson resident, received the Simon Youth Foundation Community Scholarship valued at $1,400 scholarship. He has exemplified himself through academic excellence, leadership skills and participation in both school and community activities. He plans to study law at Pace University in New York in the fall.

"We are very proud of the Simon Youth Scholarships program, because it has given us theopportunity to support the academic endeavors of promising youth right here in our community," said Lauren Penchina, director of marketing and business development for Jefferson Valley Mall.

Simon Youth Foundation is a national non-profit organization dedicated to providing educational and career development opportunities to youth. This spring a combined $1 million of scholarships have been awarded nationwide.

"Anything is possible with education, and Simon Youth Foundation is committed to igniting this kind of hope in students," said J. Michael Durnil, President and CEO of SYF. "We are proud that our Simon Youth Scholarships help remove financial obstacles that would otherwise prevent deserving young people from pursuing the dream to attend college or another post-secondary institution."

The winners were each presented with gifts courtesy of the mall's retailers. THe gifts included: $25 Sears gift card, Brookstone calculator clock, cookie cake from Great American Cookie, and T-shirt from Olympia Sports plus a fully costumed Build-A-Bear from The Westchester's Build A Bear Store.