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The MARTA 2024 Scholarship Winners
Scholarship winners and Committee members
Mary Kunzmann, Alice Nash, Alexa Bennett, Mikaela Murphy, Chanel Taylor, Abigail Eicher, Cindy Weintraub, Mike White
Mary Kunzmann, Alice Nash, Alexa Bennett, Mikaela Murphy, Chanel Taylor, Abigail Eicher, Cindy Weintraub, Mike White
Alexa Bennett – Port Jervis High School – Manhattanville University; Chemistry Education
Alexa Bennett is a senior at Port Jervis high school who is attending college at Manhattanville university next year to study chemistry education and hopefully minor in coaching. Being a teacher has always been a dream of hers. She loves the idea of being someone who can change a student’s life in just one year. Not only has she had multiple teachers who have done this exact thing for her, but she has had multiple coaches do the same. She has been a part of sports for her whole life. She started at the age of 3 and she is going to continue sports in college and then coach when she finds her future job. These coaches and teachers are just some of the many people that she looks up to in her life. Not only will this scholarship help her reach her dreams, but it will help her parents with their dreams coming true too. She wants to thank MARTA and everyone who chose her for this scholarship and thanks to all who got her here today.
Mikaela Murphy – Port Jervis HS – SUNY Cortland: Physical Education w/ concentration in Adaptive PE
Mikaela Murphy is honored to receive this scholarship and begin her journey in the fall at SUNY Cortland. Becoming an educator has been a lifelong goal for her. From an early age she knew she wanted to become a teacher and give back to the community in which she was raised. She has always admired the role of educators in shaping young minds and guiding them toward success. She was aware that teachers assume multiple responsibilities beyond “educator.” Educators know students cannot learn without their basic needs being met. Therefore, they purchase snacks, clothing, toothbrushes, soap, and other items for their students. Witnessing her mom’s dedication and impact as a teacher has inspired her to follow in her mom’s footsteps. She’s passionate about making a difference in people’s lives, especially through education. She thanks MARTA for this honor and will make us proud!
Chanel Taylor – Washingtonville HS - Ramapo College of NJ: Elementary Education
Chanel Taylor, first and foremost, would like to thank the Mid-Hudson Area Retired Teachers Association for choosing her to be a recipient of the MARTA Scholarship. Being a teacher has always been something she has wanted to pursue and after seeing her father work as an educator and mold the young minds of this generation it really solidified that she wanted to do the same. She also wants to thank her Coach who has motivated her to run and obtain a spot on the Ramapo College of New Jersey Track & Field Team. She is so thankful that she can achieve this dream in the coming fall when she will be studying elementary education at Ramapo College of New Jersey. She cannot wait to join such a brilliant group of educators like MARTA members and shape the minds of the next generation. She again thanks MARTA members.
Abigail Eicher – Warwick HS – Pratt Institute: BRF/MA Art Education
Abilgail Eicher would first like to say that she is very grateful to receive this scholarship. She remembers job-shadowing a science teacher when she was 13, but all the kids thought she was 30. She knew even then that teaching was going to take a lot of hard work, but she knew it would be worth it.
She wants to teach students to find their voice through art, like she has. She has been encouraged by amazing teachers her whole life to do things she never thought she could do, and they have helped her learn even when she was struggling to understand. Each of her art teachers over the years have expanded her knowledge and experience in their own ways. One taught her foundational art skills, and with her high expectations along with honest critiques, she learned how to continually improve her work. With that strong understanding of the basics, another’s fun projects allowed her to develop her style as an artist. Most recently, four years learning from another, a Pratt graduate herself, has helped prepare Abilgail for the professional art world. She pushes her to speak up in class and finds opportunities for her to practice her teaching skills. For example, last week she had her teach third graders a monster drawing game oner Zoom! After attending Pratt Institute’s Summer Pre-College Program, she is confident that Pratt’s combined BFA/MA Art Education Program that she has enrolled in will best prepare her to achieve her goals. She thanks MARTA again for our support and she looks forward to joining the teaching community.