Cheshire, CT May 24, 2022

Winners of the college scholarship programs administered by the Cheshire Education Foundation (CEF) were announced at the annual Cheshire High School senior awards ceremony. Fifteen students will share a total of $42,500 to help offset their college costs beginning this fall. There were 165 applicants for the ten CEF scholarship programs.

“Helping these graduating seniors to continue their educations is one of the most important things we do each year,” said Derek Gromko, chair of the education foundation’s board of directors. “Our mission is to enhance the educational experience and create opportunities for students in the Cheshire Public Schools.”

This year the Balso Foundation Scholarships will provide four CHS seniors with $1,000 per year for each of the next four years. The winners were selected by CEF scholarship selection committees according to criteria first set down when the awards began in 1971.

The four students who will each receive a total of $4,000 over the course of their college careers are: Vincent Cai, Riley Hanover, Ian Harrington and Zoe Schwab.

Vincent was also selected as a recipient of the Mark S. Jardim Memorial Scholarship along with Edward Chen, Dionis Demollari, and Summer Vitanza. The Jardim Scholarships, which award $3,500 to each of the four winners, are named for Mark Jardim, a 1980 Cheshire High graduate who died in the 9/11 attacks on the World Trade Center.

The Meaghan Welch Memorial Artistic Scholarship was awarded to Olivia Kochol. This $3,500 grant is made possible each year by the Welch family in memory of Meaghan who was passionate about the arts.

Cheshire High seniors Timothy Nugent and Joseph Volpe were named the recipients of the annual Greg Schena Memorial Scholarships, which honor the former physical education teacher and coach who passed away in 2010. Timothy and Joseph will receive $1,500 each.

The $1,000 Greg J. Florio, ED.D Scholarship recipient this year is Anabel Fletcher. Dr. Florio served as superintendent of the Cheshire Public Schools for 12 years. Each year the Dodd PTA honors former principal Donald Wailonis with scholarships in his name. For this fall, Zoe Schwab and Brooke Stevenson will each receive grants of $500.

The CEF committee reviewing applicants for the Lombardo Family Scholarship named Vincent Cai as the student most deserving of this $2,000 award. Nadia Bauco was selected to receive the Cheshire Education Foundation Scholarship, which is a one-time $1,000 award. Grants of $500 each go to the winner of the Chapman School Scholarship, Victoria Santi and to the recipient of the Daniel P. Martinook Scholarship, Jillian Bauco.

“The Cheshire Education Foundation scholarships support our graduates, and they inspire our current students to pursue their dreams upon graduation from Cheshire High School,” said Superintendent of Schools Dr. Jeff Solan. “The Cheshire Public Schools are fortunate to have such an incredible partner in supporting our students during their public school education.”