People in the news

Friday, July 2, 2010

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Rodanas wins scholarship

On May 24, 2010, at The Derryfield School Scholarship Assembly, Vanessa Rodanas of Bedford received a $1,000 scholarship from the Bedford Women’s Club.

Rodanas will attend Cornell University.

Rodanas established the Get Real Foundation (http://getrealfoundation.synthasite.com) to get individuals involved in needed community service. Families in Transition of Manchester has benefited from her support. Her wide range of projects, including the Daily Bread Program for the homeless and the hungry and the ‘09 Mission Garden, can be noted on the Get Real website.

The Bedford Women’s Club invites high school seniors and non-traditional students to apply for scholarships each January. The club sells the cookbook Tasteful Treasures and conducts other fundraising activities to offer these scholarships. To download a scholarship form, go to www.bedfordwomensclub.org or, for details, call Nancy Herper at 471-0892 or Linda Hardgrove at 471-1443.

Buchanan earns scholarship

On June 4, at the Bishop Guertin Baccalaureate Dinner, Rosemary Buchanan, of Bedford, received a $1,000 scholarship from the Bedford Women’s Club.

Buchanan will attend Yale University, where she will major in the classics. A member of the Latin Club for four years, she also was secretary of the Latin National Honor Society in grade 11 and president in grade 12. In conjunction with LNHS, she proposed, organized and launched a Latin enrichment program at a local middle school to revive interest in the study of the classics; its Latin program had been eliminated. Each Wednesday she would travel to the middle school to share her passion with 17 seventh- and eighth-graders. Because of this volunteer work, the middle school has decided to reinstate the Latin program. Last summer, she spent her hard earned savings to travel to both Italy and Greece.

Captain of varsity lacrosse, Buchanan has been a four-year member of the team.

Local dancers get scholarships

Erika Davis, 14, of Bedford and Rebecca Wilson, 16, of Mont Vernon received scholarships at this year’s Regional Dance American Northeast Festival in Pittsburg, Pa., in May.

Wilson is a junior at Souhegan High School and has been dancing for more than 13 years. She has performed with Southern New Hampshire Youth Ballet for more than seven years. She has performed lead and featured roles in many of the youth ballet’s most recent productions. Wilson received a full tuition scholarship, including room, board and travel allowance to attend RDA Summer Intensive featuring the Craft of Choreography Conference to be held at North Carolina School of Arts.

Davis, a freshman at Bedford High School, has been dancing for 12 years, four of those years at Southern New Hampshire Dance Theater. She has also trained with School of American Ballet, Briansky Saratoga Ballet, Central Pennsylvania Youth Ballet and Walnut Hill School. She received a tuition scholarship to the Philadelphia Dance Theater Summer Program.

Straeffer wins scholarship

Gwendolyn Straeffer, daughter of Gregory Straeffer, of Bedford, has been awarded a $20,000 college scholarship by the Millipore Corporation. Through its scholarship program, Millipore honors children of employees to encourage and assist them as they work towards personal and professional goals. After graduating from Chelmsford (Mass.) High School, Gwendolyn will attend Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois. She is a regular honor roll member and National Merit Scholarship finalist. Gwendolyn is also an active volunteer having worked with a number of charities including the American Cancer Society, Chelmsford Food Pantry and the Salvation Army.

Nathan Streeter in first ASD graduating class

The Academy for Science and Design in Merrimack has announced that its first graduating class was honored at a commencement ceremony June 18 at ASD.

ASD opened its doors in September of 2007 to a student body of 32 students. Most of the students enrolled that first year were in the seventh and eighth grades, but the two sophomores, Ryley Paquette, of Hooksett, and Nathan Streeter, of Bedford, now comprise the class of 2010.

Paquette and Streeter have set the bar high for future ASD graduates: Both received full scholarships to four-year university. Streeter received a full tuition scholarship from Northeastern University and a National Merit Scholarship. In addition to a course load that includes advanced-level math and science classes, Mandarin, English and history, graduating seniors at ASD must have completed an internship, 150 hours of community service and a senior project. Streeter’s project involved omnidirectional drive trains.

Amherst Orthodontics scholarships

Amherst Orthodontics announces the recipients of the 2010 Amherst Orthodontic Scientific Scholarship. Applications were accepted from graduates ranking in the top 10 percent of their class who are pursuing a college education in the healthcare profession. The winners were Leigh Kowalski, of Hollis/Brookline High School, who will be attending the Univ. of Virginia; Katie Clemensf of Milford High School, who will attend University of New Hampshire; Katie McClain, of Bedford High School, who will attend University of Connecticut, and Monica Gandhi, of Souhegan High School, who will attend University of Massachusetts.

Eagle Scout honored by VFW

Matthew Silvia, son of Edward and Jacqueline Silvia, of Bedford, was honored at the VFW New Hampshire state convention June 18 as the 2010 Outstanding Eagle Scout in New Hampshire. Department of New Hampshire VFW State Commander Ron Miller made the presentation.

Silvia, a 2010 graduate of Bedford High School and sponsored by Bedford VFW Post 8401, competed against Eagle Scout nominees presented by the other VFW posts in New Hampshire. As New Hampshire’s representative, his credentials will be evaluated against those of candidates from the other states for national honors. First and second place winners will each receive a scholarship awarded by the national VFW organization at its convention in Indianapolis in July.

Kohl’s Kids Who Care

Matthew Prothero, 11, of Bedford, was recently recognized by the Kohl’s Kids Who Care Scholarship Program for making a difference in his communities through volunteering.

He received a $50 Kohl’s gift card and qualify for a chance to receive a $1,000 college scholarship to be awarded in July.