Six graduating Olean High School and Portville Central School seniors recently received scholarship awards from scholarship funds managed by the Cattaraugus Region Community Foundation including two targeted for education majors.
Kaitlyn Ensell received the William D. and Catherine Griffin Fraser Scholarship, for $1,000.
This scholarship is for a graduate of any Cattaraugus or Allegany County High School pursuing a post-secondary education, with preference for a graduate of Olean High School or Cuba-Rushford Central School pursuing a degree in the medical or education field.
The late William D. Fraser, a long-time teacher and guidance counselor at Olean High School, initially established the scholarship in memory of his late wife, Catherine Griffin Fraser, who worked at St. Francis Hospital for 26 years. His name was added to the scholarship after his passing in 2019.
Ensell will study nursing at Jamestown Community College.
Sophie Sova and Holly Vincent of Olean High School and Julian Morales of Portville Central School each received the Ben and Rose Schwabenbauer Educational Scholarship, for $1,000.
The scholarship provides three annual scholarships for graduating seniors from Otto-Eldred High School (PA), Bradford Area High School (PA), Olean High School or Portville Central School who will be attending a four-year school. Preference is for students planning to pursue a degree or career in education, law enforcement or a related field.
Sova plans to study education at Ohio University. Vincent will attend Bloomsburg University to study early childhood education. Morales will study sports medicine and criminology at St. Bonaventure University.
Sam Mest received the OHS Walter L. Reisner Unsung Lineman Award, for $500.
This $500 scholarship is funded through the Walt and Ruth Reisner Fund, established as an endowment by Ruth Reisner in memory of her late husband, Walt Reisner. The award is for a graduating OHS varsity football letter winner. The scholarship is named for Walter L. Reisner, Walt’s grandfather, a standout Olean football player who went on to play at Muhlenberg College, where he was honored as a member of the all-time Muhlenberg football team.
Mest plans to study sports management at West Virginia University.
Alexander Peterson received the Paul and Betty Hanson Career/Technical Scholarship, for $1,200.
The scholarship, established by the late Paul Hanson and his wife, Betty Hanson, is awarded annually to one or two graduating Olean High School students pursuing a post-secondary career or technical education at a trade or technical school. Students pursuing other majors may be chosen if no applicants are pursuing a trade education.
Peterson plans to study electrical engineering technology at Alfred State.
Donations can be made to any of these funds at CRCF, 301 North Union St., Suite 203 in Olean, or online at cattfoundation.org
Established in 1994, the Cattaraugus Region Community Foundation is growing good by connecting donors to the causes they care about most in the region. Grants from the foundation support many areas, including education, scholarships, health care, the arts, community development, human service, and youth development. To learn more, call (716) 301-CRCF (2723), email [email protected], or visit online at www.cattfoundation.org. CRCF is also on Facebook (facebook.com/cattfoundation) and Twitter (@CattFoundation).
