The MARTA 2026 Scholarship Winners

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 Committee members and Scholarship winners

            Mary Kunzmann, Mike White, Barbara Topps, Anne Pavek, Jane Groves
Moira Griffin, Olivia Groga, Shanel Carty​
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​Moira Griffin graduated from Washingtonville High School. This fall, I will be attending Siena University, where I plan to major in physics. My journey towards choosing my educational path has been shaped by my experiences in school, athletics, leadership, and community involvement. Through High School, I have challenged myself academically by taking college classes while staying involved in activities including National Honor Society, Music Honor Society, World Language Honor Society, Yearbook Club, Community Service Club, Wizards Against Cancer, while running Cross Country and Track at the Varsity level. These experiences taught me the importance of dedication, teamwork, perseverance, and giving back to others.​
I am passionate about Sciences, this is why I am choosing to pursue Physics because it explains how the world around us really works. I want a career that allows me to make a meaningful impact while continuing to grow personally and professionally. As I continue my education in college, I plan to work hard both inside and outside the classroom by taking advantage of leadership opportunities such as Siena’s Honors Program and Bonnie Program. I will work hard in my Academic, Athletics and remain involved in service. I hope to gain the knowledge, skills, and experiences necessary to succeed in my future while positively impacting those around me.

Olivia Grogan graduated from Middletown High School. Olivia has committed to Florida Gulf Coast University. It is here that she wishes to study special education.  Olivia was inspired by her brother, Jack, to pursue a career in special education. Jack was diagnosed with autism at a young age and Olivia has been his biggest advocate for as long as she can remember. Olivia is passionate about helping others just like her brother Jack, which prompted her to pursue a career in special education. Olivia cannot wait to make herself, but more importantly her brother Jack proud by graduating college with a degree that allows her to advocate for students in special education on a much larger scale. 

Shanel Carty graduated from Middletown High School.  She will be going to the University at Albany in fall. My major is going to be in early childhood/ childhood education. The reason I want to be a teacher is because of my own journey. I start off as a new kid in special education but the teachers I had believed in me. Ever since my 4th grade year I have been in general education. I want to help other children flourish like how my teachers helped me. ​
 
Anthony Russo graduated from Middletown High School. He will be majoring in physical education and health at SUNY Brockport.  His goal is to become a physical education teacher and a coach. The sports he is interested in coaching are football, basketball, tennis, and golf.   An interesting fact about Anthony is that he is a 3-sport varsity athlete and top ten in his class.   Anthony was chosen as an Orange County Interscholastic Athletic Association student-athlete.  We missed meeting Anthony at our scholarship brunch due to a tennis tournament, but he shared the following bio with us. 
Growing up with a father who is a teacher and my grandparents who are retired teachers, I was able to see the influence teachers could have on students, and I loved it. Some kids in middle school and high school dread going to PE class, but that was never me. When I would go to the doctor, they would ask me what my favorite subject in school was, and my answer would always be “Gym class.” I built such a strong connection with my gym teachers and my coaches that I knew I could go to them whenever I needed something. Being on 3 varsity sports teams, I saw many of my teammates struggle with schoolwork, and I would always offer them help because most of the classes they struggled in, I had already taken. Becoming a teacher can allow me to continue to be that positive influence on students that my PE teachers and Coaches had on me. 
I am the 6th of 7 children that my parents have together, and my mother chose to be a stay-at-home mom, limiting our income to solely my father's teacher salary. This meant that for my siblings to be able to afford college, we had to get our own jobs, and the same for me. Fortunately, my parents taught me early that education is key, which allowed me to end high school with 43 college credits from dual enrollment classes. I hope for these credits I earned in high school allow me to graduate from college a little earlier than most other students, so I can start my career early. I love being around sports and I can’t wait to be able to teach and coach student athletes.  With all the positive experiences I’ve had with coaches and teachers in the past I have so many good examples of what true mentors are and I can only hope one day to have the same impact on my student athletes that many of my teachers and coaches have had on me. 

  

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             Moira Griffin                                      Olivia Grogan                                       Shanel Carty                                   Anthony Russo