Scholarship winners Thomson Catrambone, Marlena Roberto, Caleb Vail, Isabella DiPaolo and Noah Banholzer. Photo courtesy of West Suburban Teachers Union
Fox Valley Labor News
staff reports
Thursday, May 5, 2016
WESTMONT — The West Suburban Teachers Union (WSTU) Local 571 recently awarded more than $22,000 in scholarships to outstanding students and teachers. Winning students are the dependents of Local 571 members.
College-bound high school seniors were judged based upon academic excellence, involvement in extracurricular activities, and community service participation. Applications were reviewed and scored by members of the union’s Scholarship Committee and Chair Chris Schulz, a counselor at East Leyden High School in Franklin Park.
Gene, Stephanie and Tyler, the Phillips family, with Kimberly Vitale and boyfriend Jose. Photo photo courtesy of West Suburban Teachers Union
Six WSTU Mary Wheeler scholarships of $2,500 each were awarded to:
Isabella DiPaolo of Lyons High School. Her mother, Karyl DiPaolo is a teacher at Pietrini Elementary School in Franklin Park District 84.
Advertisement
Marlena Roberto of Riverside Brookfield High School. Her mother is Linda Kuypers-Roberto, a secretary at Central Elementary School in Riverside District 96.
West Suburban Teachers Union Local 571 President Jane Russell, father Bruce Kelsay with Nicolette Kelsay and Scholarship Committee Chair Chris Schulz. Photo courtesy of West Suburban Teachers Union
Noah Banholzer of Oak Park River Forest High School. His mother is Mary Banholzer, a teacher at Hauser Junior High in Riverside.
Advertisement
Nicolette Kelsay of St. Francis College Prep High School. Her parents, Bruce and Mary Kelsay, are teachers at Addison Trail High School, District 88.
Thomson (Mac) Catrambone of Riverside Brookfield High School. His mother Nancy Catrambone is a secretary at Hollywood Elementary School in Riverside District 96.
Parents Michael and Louise Serpico with Madison and grandmother, Barbara Serpico. Photo courtesy of West Suburban Teachers Union
Caleb Vail of William Fremd High School. His father, Jeff Vail is a teacher at East Leyden High School in Franklin Park District 212.
The union also awarded one $2,500 Jo Ann Horowitz Scholarship to Madison Serpico, a student at the University of Illinois — Urbana-Champaign. Her grandmother is Barbara Serpico, a retired support staff member in Lyons, District 103. This scholarship is presented each year to a college student who is pursuing a major in education or women’s studies.
Gene, Stephanie and Tyler Phillips with Dana Lord and her mother, Janet. Photo courtesy of West Suburban Teachers Union
WSTU awarded its newest scholarship in the name of Julie Phillips, the former president of the Franklin Park Council of Local 571. The $2,500 award is presented to a current, licensed educator who is pursuing an additional degree through graduate work.
This year, there were two winners: Kimberly Vitale, a teacher at Pietrini Elementary School in Franklin Park District 84, and Dana Lord, a teacher at Wilkins Junior High School in Indian Springs District 109.