2015 GDFS Scholarship Awards

Gananda Dollars for Scholars Announces Recipients of Over $37,000 of Scholarships at Annual Awards Ceremony
 
 
All of Gananda Dollars for Scholars' 2015 scholarship winners. Gananda's 2011 Valedictorian Taylor Kulik at the 2015 Awards Ceremony

 
On Monday June 8, 2015, Gananda Dollars for Scholars awarded scholarships totaling $37,150 to 25 students from the school district's Class of 2015, and 15 from the Class of 2014. Ninety-nine scholarships ranging from $100 to $1500 were announced. Many sponsors, along with previous recipients, helped with the presentations. Taylor Kulik, valedictorian from the Gananda Class of 2011 was the guest speaker. An opening slide show featured former scholarship recipients with a "Where Are They Now?" theme. Many continue their volunteer activities in their adult lives.
Receiving scholarships were:
  • Donte Black - Monroe Community College - Gananda PTSA Award and Walworth Order of the Eastern Star Award.
     
  • Samuel Block - Finger Lakes Community College - Western Wayne Art Group-Thomas McCune Award, Gananda Community Youth Theatre, Children's Continuous Care Music Award.
     
  • Matthew Colbert - Gannon University - Gananda CSD Distinguished Panther Award, Sports Boosters Award, Luanne D. Palatas Bentzoni and Michael E. Palatas Memorial Award, Phone-a-thon Award, Re/Max I Heart My Hometown Scholarship.
     
  • Daniel Courteau - University at Buffalo - Baldwin Richardson Foods Scholarship, Foundations of the Future Award, Troop 167 Eagle Scout, Phone-a-thon Award.
     
  • Bradlee Doway - Niagara County Community College - GDFS Community Award
     
  • Kyra Folkins - Canisius College - Golf Club at Blue Heron Hills Award, Walworth Auxiliary Fire Department Award, Gananda Parents' Association Scholarship.
     
  • Brielle Hamel - University of New Hampshire - Long Acre Farms Award, Emily Paige Bickert Human Spirit Award, Phone-a-thon Award.
     
  • Robert Heumann - Ithaca College - Hayes and Stone Business Education Scholarship, Foundations of the Future Award, Mowers4U, Inc. Scholarship.
     
  • Garrett Hoteling - University of Rochester - Joshua Peter Bourgeois Memorial Scholarship, Sports Boosters Award, Rich Struzzi Memorial Scholarship and Phone-a-thon Award.
     
  • Alisha Johnson - Canisius College - Palmyra Moose Family Life Center Scholarship, Dee Happell Memorial Scholarship.
     
  • Summer Keovongxay - FLCC - Gananda Gardens Scholarship, Phone-a-thon Award.
     
  • Benjamin Leone - MCC and Rochester Institute of Technology - Troop 167 Eagle Scout, Invest Your Time Scholarship, Airy Acres Sportsman Award.
     
  • Sara MacDougall - Mercyhurst University - Phone-a-thon Award, Assemblyman Bob Oaks Award, Walworth Grange Award.
     
  • Rylin McGee - University of Richmond - K & D Salutatorian Scholarship, Gananda CSD Distinguished Panther Award, J.D. Chapman Agency, Inc. Award, Foundations of the Future Award, Phone-a-thon Award.
     
  • Zachary Meredith - FLCC - Drumlin Square Lodge No. 1180 Award, Get-It-Straight Orthodontics College Scholarship Award, Ruben A. Cirillo Award, Phone-a-thon Award, Children's Continuous Care Music Award.
     
  • Rachael Moore - Arcadia University - Hayes and Stone Business Education Scholarship, Phone-a-thon Award.
     
  • Paige Nelson - University of Tampa - Gananda Employees Care about Kids, Ryan J. Loftis Memorial Scholarship, Sports Boosters Award, Phone-a-thon Award.
     
  • Alexander Poulsen - Alfred University - Susan H. Alexander Memorial Scholarship, Joshua Peter Bourgeois Memorial Scholarship, Foundations of the Future Award, Phone-a-thon Award, Walworth Fire Department Music Award.
     
  • Nicholas Rapp - St. John Fisher College - Nettie Bullis Prize in Business, Sports Boosters Award, Gananda Youth Lacrosse Scholarship.
     
  • Bethany Riethmeier - Valparaiso University - Macedon Association of Police Officers Award, Foundation of the Future Award, Gananda Performing Arts Boosters, Phone-a-thon Award.
     
  • Michael Vasilik - MCC and RIT - Baldwin Richardson Foods Scholarship, Liebert Family Visual Arts Scholarship.
     
  • Mikayla Vogt - University of South Carolina - Steinmiller Associates, Inc. Award, Richard Mann Award, Macedon Center Twirlettes Award.
     
  • Katilynn White - RIT - Macedon Town Ambulance Corps Scholarship, GDFS 911 Award, Walworth Chamber of Commerce WTCC Award, Phone-a-thon Award, Sports Boosters Award.
     
  • Peyton Wyjad - FLCC - Physician Business Solutions Award, Gananda CSEA Local 859 Scholarship, Sports Boosters Award.
     
  • Annaleigh York - Vanderbilt University - Lyons National Bank Valedictorian Scholarship, Abraham Bullis Prize in Mathematics, Gananda Performing Arts Boosters, Phone-a-thon Award, Re/Max I Heart My Hometown Scholarship.
Every year, Gananda Dollars for Scholars organizes several fundraisers to generate scholarship funds. The Phone-a-thon, the largest fundraiser, distributed $6000 to 15 graduating seniors this year. The Foundations of the Future donor recognition wall has generated $3000 in scholarships this year.
There were new scholarships sponsored by Gananda PTSA, Golf Club at Blue Heron Hills, Physician Business Solutions, Re/Max I Heart My Hometown Scholarship and Steinmiller Associates, Inc. The featured scholarship of the evening was the Gananda Employees Care about Kids, which is funded by payroll deductions collected from participating Gananda employees. In 3 years' time, it has grown from $350 to $600. This support is worthy of recognition.
Winners of the Phone-a-Thon Awards were recognized for their consistent demonstration of high personal and academic standards throughout four years of high school. These same students will receive an additional amount as college sophomores through the multi-year Scholarships Plus initiative when they confirm both the successful completion of their first year of college and the registration for the second.
There is a growing need for scholarships after freshman year. Two sponsors have addressed this idea by offering their scholarships as renewable for three more years of school. We thank Jeff and Sharon Mochan for their Mowers4U Inc. scholarship and Brad Newton for his Re/Max scholarship.
The following 15 graduates of 2014, who received Phone-a-thon Awards as college freshman, will receive $200 each as sophomores through Scholarship Plus: Rachel Bush, Allison Camp, Jessica Carder, Alex Cunningham, Emily Dean, Katherine Drake, Morgan Hart, Kristina Keenan, Colin Nims, Zoe Paris, Heather Prinsen, Kyler Schwind, Kole Seeber, Jessica Stookey and Nicholas Skrotzki.
Ten Super Senior Volunteers were also recognized for their outstanding record of volunteering to help others where they see the need. They are Samuel Block, Matthew Colbert, Daniel Courteau, Garrett Hoteling, Rylin McGee, Zachary Meredith, Alexander Poulsen, Bethany Riethmeier, Michael Vasilik, and Katilynn White. Each of them received a GDFS signed collectible Gananda Community Poster to take to college. 
Gananda Dollars for Scholars is a community-based, nonprofit organization that raises scholarship funds for qualified Gananda graduates. These scholarships help to further the education of students who have a strong work ethic and contribute to the community. GDFS is supported by local individuals, organizations and businesses, and is a part of Scholarship America. For more information on Gananda Dollars for Scholars and its activities, visit www.gananda.org/GDFS.  To initiate a new scholarship or to volunteer, contact Lisa Fox at (315) 986-3980.