MILFORD – Milford High School graduates Gabriella Monico and Aspen Tlapa were recipients for the American Association of University Women branch’s annual scholarship awards and were presented with their awards by Scholarship Chair Diana Owen on May 27 during the Milford High School Video Awards Night. Each award was $1,000. Both young women are passionate, intelligent, athletic, creative, hard-working, leaders, and focused. The young women selected are expecting to pursue studies in STEM (science, technology, engineering, math).The Scholarship Committee felt they will help guide the next generation in a positive direction – a goal of AAUW.

Gabriella Monico will be majoring in Mechanical Engineering and attending UMASS Dartmouth. In addition to her classes at MHS, she enhanced her learning at Manchester Community College and Nashua Community College where she took classes in Adv. Robotics, CAD Design, Adv. Engineering, AP Computer Principles, and Manufacturing. She even received a patent for a part she designed for a local company.

Aspen Tlapa plans to study Biology (Physician Assistant) at Clarkson University. Math and science are her passions. Practical experiences in her field include Community Emergency Team training and an internship in the birthing suite at Monadnock Community Hospital.

Milford High School composed a video featuring the sponsors of the local scholarships, which It was well designed and incorporated not only the presenters but photos of the students who won the scholarships. The video ceremony is available to be viewed at https://www.facebook.com/GraniteTownMedia (The AAUW awards are about nine minutes into the program.)

AAUW’s mission is to advance gender equity for women and girls through research, education, and advocacy. AAUW is a non-partisan non-political organization that never endorses candidates or specific parties. The organization roots date back to the 1880s. There are two branches in NH. The Southern New Hampshire Branch, established in the 1970s, hosts a variety of programs concerning women’s education and equity issues that are open to the public. Members of the branch live in the following New Hampshire communities: Amherst, Dover, Exeter, Hanover, Hollis, Manchester, Merrimack, Milford, Mont Vernon, Nashua, and Wilton. For more information about the organization contact Diana Owen at 673-7841.

Scholarship

Fundraiser Underway

The Southern NH Branch can benefit from the sale of raffle tickets to the Milford Rotary 100 Holes of Golf Tournament. Because of the unusual circumstances the Covid-19 pandemic presents, a decision on holding the event has not been decided, but tickets ARE being sold. This will be the main way for the branch to raise money for scholarship(s) to be presented in June 2021. The recipient(s) will be one or two students graduating from Souhegan High School. Raffle tickets are being sold online! By using the following link half the proceeds from each ticket sold will be given to the Southern NH Branch and used to support scholarships: https://pay.golf100holes.com/?charity=AAUW

The tickets sell for $20 each. Rotary keeps $10 and if the above link is used, the branch receives $10. Sales help the branch and also support programs sponsored by the Rotary.

Purchasers have a chance of winning cash prizes as follows: top prize is $5,000, second prize $2,500, third $1,200, fourth $1,000, fifth $750, and five each $500. Ticket holders do not need to be present at the drawing to win. Tickets sales end on June 19th.

Questions contact Deirdre Rogusky,100 Holes Fundraising Chair, at AAUWFundraisingChair@gmail.com.