Optimists honor 2 teens

The Sunrise Optimist Club of Free-hold recently presented two local high school seniors with scholarship awards based on their academic achievements, an original essay, letters of reference, commitment to community service and leadership ability.

These scholarship awards are made available to all students who reside in the Freehold Regional High School District as well as those who attend Allentown High School. The club received a record number of scholarship applications this year, according to a press release.

In an awards ceremony held on June 22, Mary Kristina Prince of Howell High School was presented with the Ray Favocci Memorial Scholarship and Karen Biala of Marlboro High School was presented with the Joseph P. Salkin Scholar-ship. Both students were present to accept their awards and were supported by family members in attendance.

"Franklin D. Roosevelt once stated, 'We cannot always build the future for our children, but we can build the youth for our future.' I believe that your organization has and will continue to contribute to the success of students such as myself for years to come. Words cannot express my gratitude for having received the Ray Favocci Memorial Scholarship. It is touching and inspiring to know that an organization composed of wonderful people like you recognize and support my efforts," Biala said in her acceptance speech.

Both students were quite vocal in their commitment to continue their involvement in community service as they enter university life.

Prince described her aspirations for the future, which include " ... the study of business as well as the many extracurricular activities and community service projects that will help further my education beyond the classroom, learning other qualities that will help me with life after I graduate."

Biala went on to add, "Thank you for granting me such a generous scholarship. I hope to continue to make you proud and to keep you updated on my future endeavors. I appreciate everything that you do."

These scholarships are sponsored by the Sunrise Optimist Club of Freehold, a service organization made up of local business people and community leaders dedicated to meeting the needs of young people in the local communities.

Optimist clubs have been "Bringing Out the Best in Kids" since 1919. Optimist Clubs conduct service projects aimed at providing a helping hand to youth. There are 105,000 individual members who belong to more than 3,200 autonomous clubs. Optimists conduct 65,000 service projects each year, serving 6 million young people. Optimists also invest in excess of $78 million in their communities annually.