Eighteen college−bound students from the Bay Ridge⁄Dyker Heights area have been awarded scholarships of between $5,000 and $1,000 based on their records of community service.
The names of the winners of the scholarships, granted by the Kassenbrock Brothers Memorial Scholarship Fund, were announced during the May meeting of the Bay Ridge Community Council (BRCC), which was held at Public School 176, 1225 Bay Ridge Avenue. A total of $31,000 was awarded to 18 students who live or attend school in the neighborhood.
The winning students were Joseph Campbell, Kenneth Hopkins, Anthony Jebran, Francis Petric, John Renda and Sean Wagner of Xaverian High School, 7100 Shore Road; Brian Dinerman, Roseangela Fracchiola, Gregory Gounardes, Jenny Kouretsos, Kenneth Lai and Stephanie Orellana of Fort Hamilton High School, 8301 Shore Road; Michael Cunningham and John Young of Xavier High School, 30 West 16th Street, Manhattan; Dana Iannicelli, of Bishop Kearney High School, 2202 60th Street; and Lauren Canterino, Jill Lombardi and Christine Muller of Fontbonne Hall, 9901 Shore Road.
“These scholarships are based on community service,” stressed Barbara Vellucci, the assistant administrator of the fund, who called the recipients, “Fantastic young people who have given to our community.”
“It doesn’t matter how much money mommy or daddy makes,” Vellucci added. “We want to recognize you. We want to reward you for your service, because we want something back −− more community service. We want you to be the administrator of the Kassenbrock Scholarship Fund or work on behalf of BRCC or the Guild for Exceptional Children, or for the community board or a hospital.”
Beyond the basic eligibility requirements, there are only two others, Vellucci noted. You must go on to college, she said, and you must cash your check. If you want to frame it, Vellucci recommended, to much laughter, make a color copy.
