• $95,000 awarded to students during annual awards ceremony

    awardsMore than $95,000 in scholarships were granted to Bellefonte Area High School seniors during the annual awards ceremony the night of May 30. Among that were more than 180 awards presented, and included the announcements of the Class of 2018 valedictorian and salutatorian. This year’s valedictorian is Cassandra Vogel; the salutatorian is Lindsay Knupp.

    The awards included those that honored students for excellence in academics, activities, community, school and citizenship.

    Some of the biggest scholarships were the Julia, Ray C. Noll Sr. and Son Ray C. Noll Jr. Memorial and Daughter Dr. Janet Noll Naumer Honorary Scholarship Award, which granted $5,000 to a senior who resides in Pleasant Gap and excels in academics, extracurricular activities and more. The scholarship was provided through the Centre Foundation and was presented to Vogel. Other scholarships provided though the Centre Foundation included the EF Pat and Jane Houser Family Scholarship for $4,123 and the Next Step Scholarship for $3,000.

    In an emotional presentation, the mother of Dylan Crunick presented two students, Alexis Wetzler and Cade Fortney, with the Dylan K. Crunick Memorial Scholarship that annually recognizes graduating seniors who “best exemplify the qualities Dylan was known for,” according the scholarship description. Crunick was diagnosed with cancer when he was 14. He died in 2014 at age 15.

    “After the death of my son Dylan to an extremely aggressive type of childhood cancer, my family formed the DC8 Fund in Dylan’s honor and memory,” she said. “That fund has multiple purposes. The first is to raise awareness for the serious lack of funding allotted to research for treatment and cure for the 16 major types and over 100 subtypes of childhood cancer. In addition to raising awareness, we also raise money to help fund research into these cancers at the Children’s Hospital in Philadelphia where Dylan was treated. The DC8 fund also financially and emotionally offers support to other families in our community who face the same battles we have faced after having a child diagnosed with cancer. Lastly, we provide a scholarship to a graduating senior each year at Bellefonte Area High School – a place very near and dear to our hearts even though we no longer live in the community. Bellefonte will always be a home to us.”

    In just two years, nine scholarships were awarded totaling more than $7,000. Applicants are required to write an essay describing how they exemplify the characteristics Dylan was known for: kindness, compassion, integrity, honesty, strength of character and bravery. This year, there were 19 applicants.

    To see the full video of the Awards Ceremony, visit this link: Awards ceremony

    *By Brit Milazzo, public relations director, BASD