PEEKSKILL -- Before a packed house at the Paramount Center for the Arts, members of the Peekskill Class of 2011 were recognized last week for their many accomplishments in the fields of academics, athletics, fine and performing arts, and community service and spirit. Principal Sherrill Murray-Lazarus presided over the evening, with the help of assistant principals Emily Hersh, Griselda Reyes and Margie Daniels. Board of education president Michael Simpkins, vice president Fran Feuerman, and former board president Tuesday McDonald joined superintendent of schools Dr. Lorenzo Licopoli on the stage to shake the hand of each student who crossed the stage.
Over 25 special awards were presented to 79 recipients, including five who won the Presidents Award for Educational Excellence: Shannon Garvey, Fadhel Hamid, Derek Johnson, Jose Lebron, and Alexander Stand. The Presidents Award for Educational Achievement was awarded to Jennifer Archila, Jesus Andrade, Hashim Campbell, Malika Hunt, Myriam Pauta, Mario Rice, Jimmy Ruano, Kayla Stepinac, Kelly Stevenson, Joanne Williams, and Melissa Williams. Over 170 scholarship awards presentations were made in 79 separate categories. Many scholarships are in the names of former Peekskill High School graduates or faculty members. The Peekskill High School Class of 1971, which is celebrating its 40th reunion this weekend, awarded a $1,000 scholarship to senior Malika Hunt.
An emotional moment came when Tuesday McDonald presented the first Jason C. Paige Memorial Scholarships to Tamisha Greenhill, Andre Smith, Renate Pagan, Idrissa Dunkley, Arthur Semple, and Bria Waterman. Paige, McDonalds brother, was a beloved staff member at the high school who passed away unexpectedly earlier this year. This was also the first year for the Peekskill Educational Funds Judith Johnson Scholarships, named for Peekskills recently retired superintendent. Two awards of $1,000 went to Kayla Stepinac and Jesus Andrade. The Peekskill Education Foundation also presented a $1,000 art and music scholarship to Hashim Campbell.
The Peekskill Rotary Club, Lions Club, and Community Foundation made sizable scholarship awards, including the Rotary clubs $1,000 Fontana Music Award, which was given to Charlie DiNota. Other notable scholarships awarded included The American Red Cross Jerome and Laura Holland scholarship presented to Tamisha Greenhill; The Hudson Valley Gateway Chamber of Commerce Scholarship presented to Myriam Pauta; The BASF Chemical Company Scholarship of $1,000, given to Jose Lebron; The Harry Mattin Scholarship for $4,000, given to Fadhel Hamid; The Hope for Youth Foundation Scholarship for $2,000 given to Derek Johnson; The Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc-Westchester Alumnae Chapter Scholarship for $3,000 and the Zeta Nu Omega Chapter Of Alpha Kappa Sorority scholarship of $1,000, both awarded to Kayla Stepinac and Jandon Scholarships for $10,000 each, awarded to Shakeema Jones and Jose Lebron.
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