Philanthropic Organization Offers Record Number of Scholarships in the Area

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla., May 24, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- On May 18, 2011, the Board of Directors of the Community Foundation for Palm Beach and Martin Counties approved a record amount of $730,000 in scholarships for 106 students from Palm Beach and Martin Counties. The scholarships ranged from $1,000 to $30,000.

"Few doubt the importance of education in shaping the opportunities of a lifetime. We know firsthand that scholarships open doors, which otherwise may remain closed for talented students were it not for the care and vision of donors who appreciate the power of this gift," said Leslie Lilly, President and CEO of the Community Foundation.

Students were evaluated based on a written application, test scores, grade transcripts, letters of recommendation and interviews. The Scholarship Committee of the Community Foundation was impressed overall by the achievements and aspirations of the many applicants.

Lucas Metropulos, 18, is the winner of the Helen Powers Monahan Scholarship Fund at the Foundation. A senior of Saint Andrews School in Boca Raton, Lucas started Fishing for Families in Need, a nonprofit entity that hosts after-school fishing sessions for underprivileged children at Florence Fuller Child Development Center. He turned it into a program that has received nationwide recognition. This scholarship will help Lucas - who was nominated by Boca Life Magazine as one of the South Palm Beach County Rising Stars and a winner of the Palm Beach Post Pathfinder's Award for Community Involvement - to continue his education in marine biology at Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

Erika Solloway from Lake Worth, FL, received an award from the Williamson Pioneer Fund. As a student of the American Heritage School, Erika started fundraising to build a medical clinic in Uganda to support disadvantaged populations near Ngamba Island Chimpanzee Sanctuary located on Lake Victoria. Erika plans to major in Psychology at the University of South Florida.

A graduate from Martin County High School, Kevin J. Peavler, received an award from the Flicker/Freudenberg Scholarship Fund at the Community Foundation. Since childhood, Kevin was fascinated with LEGOs and robotics. He was a member of a FIRST Robotics Team 180, NASA-sponsored competition, who won the best robot built by high school students in the southeastern United States. As an Eagle Scout, Kevin also performed over 100 hours of community service and conservation projects including food drives, beach cleanups and adopt-a-road cleanups.  He received the "Leave No Trace" Outdoor Ethics Achievement Award, World Conservation Award, 50-Miler Canoe Award and Troop Honor Scout Award. Kevin plans to evolve his passion for building robots into a career in the field of electrical engineering. The scholarship he received today will help him pursue his degree at the Florida Institute of Technology.

"The large number and dollar value of the scholarship awards this year is a testament to donors who care deeply about education and a stirring acknowledgement of the deep reward that comes by investing in our communities' most precious resource, the inspiring young men and women who are future bound to make a difference in the world," added Leslie Lilly.  

All scholarships were started with donations made by individuals through the Community Foundation for Palm Beach and Martin Counties, often to honor a loved one. For information on establishing a charitable fund at the Community Foundation, contact Danielle Cameron, Vice President for Development, at 561-659-6800.

2011-2012 scholarship recipients are:

• Adele Wells Meyer Memorial Scholarship Fund: Winie Camille, Adisson Fortunel and Gadwin Stewart
• Andrew Hatfield Scholarship Fund: Robert Pettet    
• Ann E. Stewart Memorial Scholarship Fund: Sandro Martin
• Arthur C. Tilley Memorial Scholarship Fund: Sebastian Collins and Mary Kelly  
• Beverly Sommer Scholarship Fund: Channa Dorvilias and Kyle Yong  
• Bradley Collins Memorial Scholarship Fund: Demi Baldwin, Megan Farley, Nikita Machak and Laura Tolliver    
• Christopher N. Coppola Scholarship Fund: Sebastian Collins    
• Claire B. Schultz Memorial Scholarship Fund: Bethany Cramer, Isiah George and Kaitlyn Smith    
• Colonel Karl V. Price Lake Worth Community High School Air Force Jr. ROTC Scholarship Fund: Enrique Pineros    
• Colonial Bank Scholarship Fund: Janell Cleare    
• Community Scholarship Fund: Summer Benson and Megan Mattila  
• Courtlandt and Gina Miller Scholarship Fund: Anthony Adderly    
• Dan Smith Dairy Scholarship Fund: Peter Duong    
• Danny Knichel Memorial Scholarship Fund: Samuel LeBlanc    
• Delray Beach Playhouse Ernest G. Simon Scholarship Fund: Taylor Shasha    
• Denise Lynne Padgett Scholarship Fund: Iesha Johnson    
• Don Dahlberg Memorial Scholarship Fund: Andrew Levine    
• Dr. Sidney Davidson Nursing Scholarship Fund: Erica Sanchez    
• Edward T. Bedford Foundation Scholarship Fund: Marco De Govia Comeau, Bruno Faviero, Stephanie Heung, Michelle Kautz, Holly McAloney, and Hannah Schulte    
• Ellen Beth Eddleman Memorial Scholarship Fund: Kristy Shore    
• Flicker/Freudenberg Scholarship Fund: Katelyn Malin, Kevin Peavler and Victoria Velinsky
• Fran Gay Memorial Scholarship Fund: Miracia Regisme and Erica Sanchez and Victor Aguirre
• Frank P. Husvar Memorial Scholarship Fund: Ronkevious Smalls
• H. David Faust Memorial Scholarship Fund: Brandon Scott
• Harry and Bertha Bronstein Memorial Scholarship Fund: Brianna Scerenscko
• Heather and Patrick Henry Scholarship Fund: Melanie Carle and Alexanndra Heyert  
• Helen Powers Monahan Scholarship Fund: Lucas Metropulos    
• Honorable Eva W. Mack, First Black Mayor of West Palm Beach Scholarship Fund: Frank Cunningham    
• Inez Peppers Lovett and Charlie Ellington Scholarship Fund: Ronkevious Smalls    
• James H. Davis Memorial Scholarship Fund: Isabel Branstrom, Jayne Branstrom and Tyler McGrew    
• John S. Atwater  Memorial Scholarship Fund: Anthony Flowers    
• Jon M. Napierkowski Memorial Scholarship Fund: Gretchen Quattlebaum    
• Julian and Eunice S. Cohen Scholarship Fund: Tori Adams, Leonie de la Cruz, Scott Greenwald and Madison Sims    
• Kyle Fredrik Schuemann Scholarship Fund: JohnPoul Holm    
• Lawrence A. Sanders Scholarship Fund for Creative Writing: Kristy Shore
• Leah G. Schad Memorial Scholarship Fund: Samantha Shelton    
• Lisa Bjork Memorial Scholarship: Jessica King    
• Loblolly Scholarship Fund: Brooklyn Maguire    
• LSP Educational Scholarship Fund: Lawrence Bright    
• Matthew "Bump" Mitchell/Sun-Sentinel Scholarship Fund: Cassandra Knaggs    
• Matthew James Audin Memorial Scholarship Fund: Jesse Hoek    
• Maura and William Benjamin Scholarship Fund: Stephanie Brown    
• Mickey Mandelblatt Memorial Scholarship Fund: Cody Cox  
• Nicholas Megrath Scholarship Fund: Orlando Espino
• Palm Beach Kennel Club Scholarship Fund: Carissa Drew, Gabrielle Fisher
• Palm Beach Newspapers Scholarship Fund: Maria Olea-Badillo
• Palm Beach County Society of Plastic & Reconstructive Surgeons, Inc. Scholarship Fund: Rachael Henry  
• Phillip D. O'Connell, Sr. Memorial Scholarship Fund: Matthew Guzy, Robert Pettet    
• Pundit Mulchand and Janki Devi Sharma Scholarship Fund: Shuangxou Long and Maria Murillo
• R. Bruce Jones Memorial Scholarship Fund: Jessica Bennett, Alex Chu and Claude Orelus
• Ralph O. Wood Memorial Scholarship Fund: Kasey Moore
• Ray Howland Scholarship Fund: Julian Cousins
• Robert and Deborah Jacobson Scholarship Fund: Diogo Adrados, Zachary Homans and Olivia Plana
• Robert D. Handley Memorial Scholarship Fund: Stephanie Nunez, Miracia Regisme and Erica Sanchez    
• Robert P. Koch Memorial Scholarship Fund: Walda Dorolian, Anthony Flowers and Chrislande Germain    
• Roberta and Stephen R. Weiner Scholarship Fund: McKinley Wallace    
• Ryan Kollmer Memorial Scholarship Fund: Rachael Taucher    
• St. Mary's Extended Education Fund: Brenda Escutia    
• Stefanie Liberti Memorial Scholarship Fund: Chrislande Germain    
• Stephen Madry Peck, Jr. Memorial Scholarship Fund: Iesha Johnson    
• Sunburst Foundation Community Scholarship Fund: Jasmine Bland, Naomi Chiti, Vasthi Ciceron, Ki'Ishae Hodges, Megan Pino, Bria Robinson, Li Rong, Remy Sanders and Edward Tucker    
• Ted Trimble Scholarship Fund for Vocational Training: Ryan Hirth    
• Terry Darby Memorial Scholarship Fund: Adisson Fortunel    
• The Gubelmann Family Foundation Scholarship Fund: Octavia Galloway    
• The Reuter Scholarship Fund: Victor Aguirre    
• The Weitz Company Scholarship Fund: Sebastian Collins    
• Theodore Satter Memorial Scholarship Fund: Brenda Escutia    
• Thomas William Bennett Memorial Scholarship Fund: Daisy Roa    
• Trimble Scholarship for Martin County Fund: Alison Thalacker    
• Walter & Adi Blum Scholarship Fund: Ivan Calderon, Maria De La Rotta, Anastassia Goidina and Amy Ramos
• Williamson Pioneer Fund: Erika Solloway and Donald Watts

About the Community Foundation for Palm Beach and Martin Counties

As one of Florida's largest community foundations, the Community Foundation for Palm Beach and Martin Counties advances quality of life, citizen engagement, and regional vitality through its promotion of philanthropy. We have been in existence for more than 35 years, with permanent endowment now totaling more than $100 million. Last year, the Foundation awarded over $3.4 million in grants and led initiatives to address critical issues of common concern among our region's communities, including hunger, homelessness, affordable housing, and the conservation and protection of water resources. For more information, visit our website: www.yourcommunityfoundation.org

Contact:
Aleksandar Milojica
Sr. Director of Marketing and Communications  
Community Foundation for Palm Beach and Martin Counties
(561) 659-6800 | [email protected]

SOURCE Community Foundation for Palm Beach and Martin Counties