CSEA MONROE COUNTY LOCAL 828 AWARDS EDUCATIONAL SCHOLARSHIPS TO DESERVING YOUTH

THE 2011 GEORGE M. GROWNEY SCHOLARSHIP AWARD WINNERS
photo:  Bess Watts

Webster, N.Y.-- On May 16, the CSEA Monroe County Local 828 Executive Board and the Local 828 Scholarship Committee hosted a Scholarship Award Dinner for local students and their families at Finn Park Lodge in Webster, N.Y. To view photographs of the event, you can go here to our Flickr photostream.  Nearly 100 CSEA members and their loved ones attended the banquet.

The 2011 George M. Growney Scholarship Awards began in 1993. Every year since then, CSEA Local 828 has cumulatively awarded over $100,000.00 in scholarship prize money to assist our area's working families. In 1994, the Monroe County Employees Unit 7400, the largest Unit in the Local, created their own scholarship program and has distributed more than $20,000.00.

Bess Watts congratulates Jenna
DiRaimo on her award.
photo:  Sue Trottier

CSEA Local 828 is comprised of 21 Units throughout the Monroe County area, and represents nearly 3,500 workers.  Bess Watts, President of Local 828, and Cris Zaffuto, Unit President for the Monroe County Employees, doled out the prize money to the deserving students.  Flo Tripi, WNY Region 6 President, was also in attendance.

And new this year, the City of Rochester Library Workers Unit 7420 created the Jane McManus Scholarship fund, however no applicants met the minimum standard qualifications. This $200 annual award will roll over to 2012.

Mr. Growney was a long time labor leader and activist who was employed as a probation officer with Monroe County. He served as local president for nearly two decades before his retirement in 1995. George had a passion for kids to succeed, and would be proud that his union brothers and sisters have carried on his legacy of love and commitment to youth. George M. Growney died on August 10, 1997. The scholarship program was named in his honor the following year after his death.

The scholarship is open to graduating high school seniors and first year college or vocational students whose parents or caregivers are members or agency shop fee payers of Monroe County Local 828.

The scholarship committee worked very hard to review many detailed entries again this year. Scholarships applicants were judged on academic achievement, a written essay, financial need and potential.

The 2nd Year $1000 winners are:

Ethan Harding, Monroe Community College
Matthew Stevens, Niagara University
Andrew Zielinski, Clarkson University

The 1st Year $1000 winners are:

Olivia Linden, Avon Central School
Matthew McGinnis, Caledonia-Mumford High School
Kiernan Smith, Rush Henrietta High School
Nicholas Trottier, Webster Thomas High School

The 1st Year $500 winners are:

Andrea Chevalier, Webster Schroeder High School
Jenna DiRaimo, Eastridge High School
Daniel Fedison, Greece Athena High School
Emily Kinch, Webster Schroeder High School
Zachary Lamb, Webster Thomas High School