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More than $40,000 in local scholarships and financial aid for college or technical school was awarded this year to 41 McKeesport Area High School seniors through the alumni association.

The awards include the new Zon Fleckenstein, Bechtol and Guarascio scholarships, which were presented for the first time this year, says Karen Kost, spokeswoman for the McKeesport High School Alumni and Friends Association.

The association is an initiative of The Consortium for Public Education. Association President Linda Croushore says "gifts large and small" are accepted on an ongoing basis, and donors who don't want or are unable to establish a scholarship can contribute to the "all-alumni fund."

This year's scholarship and grant recipients include:

Antoncic Family Scholarship: Matthew Domiano, Rachel Forsythe, Amanda Schrott and David Kisan, $250 each. Domiano will continue his education at LaRoche College; Forsythe at the University of Pittsburgh, Greensburg Campus; Schrott at Saint Vincent College; and Kisan at Penn State University, Main Campus. Established by McKeesport physician Dr. Rudolph A. Antoncic Jr., Class of 1961 and 2004 McKeesport High School Hall of Fame inductee, in memory of former McKeesport Area School District teachers, coaches and support personnel.

Nick Bakalis Memorial Award: Blake Guzewicz, $1,500 and Rhiannon Countryman, $1,000. Guzewicz will attend Penn State University, Behrend Campus, while Countryman is headed to Allegheny College. Established in 2002 in memory of Nick Bakalis, Class of 1949, by his daughter, Melissa Bakalis Milbank, Class of 1975, and his wife, Eleanor Frum, Class of 1951.

Bechtol Family Scholarship: Lisa Bodner, who plans to attend Edinboro University of Pennsylvania. The $500 Bechtol award is earmarked for a student planning a career in teaching.

Neenie Campbell Memorial Fund: Kendall Hunter, $500. Hunter will attend Westminster College. Established to honor longtime McKeesport High basketball coach, C.P. "Neenie" Campbell. (Another $500 from this fund each year goes to the varsity basketball program for items not included in the school district budget, Kost says.)

Mary Jo Sharbaugh Cerepani Scholarship: Ashley Domer, $250. Domer will attend the Community College of Allegheny County, South Campus. Established by Dr. Mary Jo Sharbaugh Cerepani, Class of 1977 and 2008 MHS Hall of Fame inductee, the award is earmarked for a student who plans a career in nursing.

Albert T. Fallquist Memorial Scholarship: Julian Brown, Dylan Wysni and Kevin Eric Henry, $1,000 each. Established in 2002 in memory of Albert (Abby) T. Fallquist, longtime chemistry teacher and varsity baseball coach at McKeesport High School. Brown will attend Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania; Wysni, Rose Hulman Institute of Technology; and Henry, Community College of Allegheny County. In addition, the Fallquist fund provides continuing support to previous winners throughout their college careers, Kost says. This year, 11 graduates will receive $1,000 renewal grants.

Marlene Keller Farkas Memorial Scholarship: Casey Bricker, $1,000. Established in 2001 by family members to honor the memory of Marlene Keller Farkas, Class of 1941. Bricker will attend Seton Hill.

Richard and Robert Fetters Memorial Gift: Rosheeda Bryant, $400. Bryant will attend the University of Akron. The gift was established in 1997 by Beryle Fetters Nathan in memory of her brothers, Robert Fetters, Class of 1935, and Richard Fetters, Class of 1941. This award is given annually to a senior selected by the high school administration on the basis of merit and need.

Zon Fleckenstein Memorial Scholarship: Lana R. Bodner, Carly Pollock and Zachary Blacka. Each received $500. Bodner plans to attend Saint Vincent College; Pollock, Clarion University of Pennsylvania; and Blacka, Saint Francis University. The scholarship honors the memory of Zon Fleckenstein, Class of 2005.

Garden Club of McKeesport Scholarship: Jenna Dunlay, $600. Dunlay will attend Chatham University. Established in 2008 by The Garden Club of McKeesport.

Gerald Grayson Scholarship: Megan Brinkos, $500. Brinkos will attend Chatham University. Established in 2009 in honor of Gerald Grayson, outstanding Tiger athlete and girls' basketball coach by Carla Coleman, Class of 1990.

Lou Guarascio Memorial Award: Trevor Dujmic, who will attend California University of Pennsylvania. The Guarascio award is a $250 grant for a member of the marching band.

Sam Liberatore Memorial Scholarship: Julian Brown, $300. Brown will attend Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania. Established in 2002 in memory of Sam Liberatore, Class of 1963. The award is made annually to a senior member of the Tiger baseball team.

Kathy McCall Sportsmanship Award: Zachary Blacka, $500. Established by family members and friends of the late Kathy McCall, Class of 1972, to recognize the accomplishments of outstanding student-athletes. As noted above, Blacka will attend Saint Francis.

Justin R. Misura Memorial Award: Noelle C. Brancato, Laquala Jamison, Courtney Wright and Ivan J. Fleming Jr., $1,000 each. Brancato will attend The Art Institute of Pittsburgh; Jamison, LeCordon Bleu Institute of Culinary Arts; Wright, Lincoln Institute of Culinary Arts; and Fleming, Pennsylvania Culinary Institute. Established in 2004 in memory of Justin R. Misura, Class of 2001, by his family and friends, the award is offered annually to graduates planning to enroll in an accredited culinary arts program.

Arthur N. Rupe Foundation Scholarship: Casey Bricker, Lydia Kinkaid and Rachel Rajcsok, $2,000 each. As noted above, Bricker is headed to Seton Hill University, while Kinkaid is going to Westminster College, and Rajcsok to the University of Pittsburgh. The scholarship was established in 2001 by Arthur N. Rupe, Class of 1935 and a 2002 Hall of Fame inductee.

Walter C. Shaw Memorial Scholarship: Nicholas Ferraro, $1,000. Ferraro will continue his education at Washington and Jefferson College. The Shaw scholarship was established in memory of Walter C. Shaw Sr., former president and chairman of the G.C. Murphy Co., by his daughter, Elizabeth Shaw Gamble, Class of 1937.

Mary V. Tomko Scholarship: Dylan Rappold and Alijah Imani Buckham, $2,000 each, and Casey Bricker and Alaina Harvey, $1,000 each. Rappold will attend Penn State Greater Allegheny; Buckham, Westminster College; Bricker, Seton Hill; and Harvey, Penn State University, Main Campus. The Tomko scholarship was established in 1999 by Chris Casciato, Class of 1976 and member of the Hall of Fame, in his grandmother's honor.

All awards are administered by the alumni association in accordance with guidelines established by the donors and with the help of high school faculty and staff, Kost says. They are open to all seniors who are planning to attend college or a post-secondary school, including vocational schools, she says.

For more information about the alumni and friends association or the scholarships, call (412) 678-9215 or visit the Consortium for Public Education website.

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