The Bradford Area High School Alumni Association awarded its annual scholarships of $500 each to four 2019 graduates during a luncheon with them and their guests on Thursday at the Bradford Club.
This year’s recipients were Alan Burritt, Destiny Smith, Callie Luke and Chloe Bay.
Burritt will enroll at Penn State Behrend campus this fall to start studies toward a degree in aerospace engineering. He has carried college level courses through his school years while also participating in Penn State and Naval Research sponsored labs. Activities included school organizations, serving as vice president of the Criminal Justice club, volunteering for community service projects and school events while also holding part-time employment.
Smith will major in early education at the University of Pittsburgh at Bradford preparing for a career in teaching and eventually becoming a school counselor. She has been an honor roll student while pursuing her certificate in childhood development spending over 1,100 hours in experience, three times the amount required. Her activities have included three years of volunteering as a teacher’s aide with two local preschool programs and also serving as bus aide for school students. Also she has been an officer for three years of the Bradford Area High School chapter of the Family, Career, Community Leader Association while serving as vice president of the organization at the state level for the past two. Other activities include participating in chorus and having a part-time job.
Luke plans to start the fall semester at Penn State Main Campus majoring in psychology looking toward working in the field of drug treatment counseling. She carried college level courses and remained on the distinguished honor roll through her high school years, being named to the National Honor Society, and has participated in challenge labs sponsored by Penn State and Naval Research. Her activities included band, soccer, DECA, Criminal Justice and Animal Welfare clubs, as well as volunteering for community fundraising events.
Bay will enroll in the nursing program at Edinboro University in September. She has been an honor roll student carrying college level courses while serving as junior class treasurer and on student council. Activities included soccer, Key Club, School Pride Club, school committees and volunteering time for various community non-profit organizations — Special Olympics, CARE for Children, SPCA, Friendship Table and nursing homes — as well as holding part-time employment at Perkins Restaurant.
One of the four awards was given in memory of John Kaufman, a World War II veteran and BAHS graduate, who went on to work as an aerospace engineer starting in 1960 with NASA as its space flight program was beginning and continuing with them for 33 years, He supported several historic NASA missions, including the Apollo and Space Shuttle programs. The award was funded by the family of his sister, Florence Trulick.
The remaining three were named by the association to honor the classes of 1951, 1953 and 1958, all of whom donated their remaining treasuries to the scholarship fund during the past year.
The association awards scholarships each year and membership is open to any person who graduated from, attended, or was employed by Bradford High, regardless of year. Nominal dues, as well as donations from members, support the grant program.
