The JLS Foundation announced five finalists for the Foundation’s scholarship from the Class of 2011 at Hoosick Falls Central School. The finalists are Kendra Andrew, Mike Brewster, David Ciuk, James Lynch and Brennen O’Donnell.
The JLS Foundation, which honors the memory of the late John Liporace Sr., was created to empower high school students at HFCS to realize their fullest potential by exposing them to a variety of career opportunities, connecting them to a network of professionals and awarding them with the financial resources to pursue their careers.
The five finalists, selected on a number of criteria including grades, community service and an essay contest, will participate in a networking day in New York City. The day will be hosted by John Liporace Jr., Managing Partner at Taylor, one of the nation’s leading marketing communications agencies, at his office in the Empire State Building. The students will meet leaders from various industries, learn about their careers and have the opportunity to stay in touch with each of them as the students begin to make their college choices and eventually plan their own careers.
The JLS Foundation also announced an increase in the scholarship from $1,500 to $2,000 for the eventual winner, who will be selected prior to his or her graduation from HFCS.
After the students return from New York, each of them will write a 250 word essay about their experience. One will be selected to receive the $2,000 scholarship and a matching donation of $2,000 will be made to the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, a national voluntary health organization dedicated to finding cures for leukemia, lymphoma, Hodgkin’s disease and myeloma and to improving the quality of life of patients and their families. The donation will benefit the Upstate New York/Vermont Chapter of the Society, which services the Hoosick Falls area.
This year will mark the fifth year the JLS Foundation will award a scholarship when the Class of 2010 winner is announced later this month. The preceding winners have been Kaitlyn Pirie (Class of 2006), Jessica Abramovich (Class of 2007), Brandon Foster (Class of 2008) and Laura Stevenson (Class of 2009).
For more information about the JLS Foundation, log on to www.thejlsfoundation.org.