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Neighbors | Abby Slanker.Mahoning County Educational Service Center Superintendent Ronald Iarussi welcomed scholarship recipients and their guests to the breakfast, which took place to honor the recipients of the J.L. Francis Scholarship, First Place Community Fund, at A La Cart Catering on May 12.
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Neighbors | Abby Slanker.Canfield High School senior Braxton Madison, son of Adelle and Stacy Madison, attended the breakfast where he was honored as a recipient of the J.L. Francis Scholarship, First Place Community Fund, at A La Cart Catering on May 12.
By ABBY SLANKER
A recognition breakfast took place to honor the recipients of the J.L. Francis Scholarship, First Place Community Fund, at A La Cart Catering on May 12. The breakfast was organized by the Mahoning County Educational Service Center on behalf of the Community Foundation of the Mahoning Valley, which manages the First Place Community Fund and disperses the moneys for the scholarship.
Twenty-two students, one from each public high school in Mahoning County, as well as Choffin Career Center, Ursuline and Cardinal Mooney, each received a $500 college scholarship. These individuals were honored for their dedication to service, while maintaining a high level of achievement in their high school studies.
MCESC Superintendent Ronald Iarussi welcomed the scholarship recipients and their guests to the program.
“Good morning everyone. Thank you for coming. On behalf of our governing board and employees, welcome to our scholarship breakfast. This breakfast is an opportunity to us to get to know the students from our partner school districts. We are very proud of each student. It is nice to see the focus of these students here today. And to their parents, we know how proud you are of them, too. Congratulations to each award recipient,” Iarussi said.
After breakfast was served, Casey Krell, director of supporting organizations and donor services of the Community Foundation of the Mahoning Valley, spoke to the large audience. Kim Davis, MSESC director of teaching and learning, Iarussi and Douglas Hiscox, MCESC assistant superintendent, awarded the students their scholarships. Paula Roberts, MCESC instructional supervisor, provided closing remarks.
Canfield High School senior Braxton Madison, son of Adelle and Stacy Madison, was a scholarship recipient. Madison was chosen from among the top 10 students in the CHS graduating class. He will attend Georgia Institute of Technology in the fall.
“It’s an honor to be chosen to receive this scholarship. The Canfield graduating class is a competitive class. The other students in the top 10 had amazing acts of service and were very involved in school activities. To be chosen as the scholarship recipient winner out of that group of individuals is definitely an honor,” Madison said.
In administering this scholarship, the Mahoning County Educational Service Center is able to support the youth of Mahoning County in their pursuit of continuing education. The recipients have successfully met the grade point average requirements and have also demonstrated a commitment to their schools and communities through volunteer service and involvement during their high school years.
The J.L. Francis Scholarship was established during the 2005-06 academic school year for schools in Mahoning County by the First Place Bank and the First Place Bank Community Foundation. Before his death in 2005 from ALS, Jeffery L. Francis served as Chief Operating Officer of First Place Bank and the Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of the First Place Financial Corporation. His hard work and dedication inspired the creation of this scholarship. In 2014, the First Place Community Foundation fund was transferred to the Community Foundation of the Mahoning Valley which maintains a 50 year tradition of supporting continued education.