It was a great night at the Hicksville Library on Thursday, June 13 as the Hicksville Gardens Civic Association awarded six scholarship winners. Hicksville High School seniors, Caitlyn Garger, Veronica Grebe, Harneet Gulati, Kristine Jao, Kiran Sharma and Pawandeep Singh were each awarded a $500 check by Scholarship Committee Chairman Ed Bossong. Four of the scholarships were sponsored by local businesses including Met Food Markets, Perfect Pharmacy, Perillo Fuel Oil and Delco Plaza.
“We had more scholarship winners this year than ever before which is definitely a great thing in our economic times,” said Bossong. “These kids were very committed to making the community of Hicksville a better place to live.”
Some examples of the scholarships winners achievements included:
Sharma who helped produce the winning video in the NYCM Insurance Teen Video Contest said she was highly honored to receive the scholarship. The video that she and her classmates put together focused on the dangers of distracted driving like texting behind the wheel.
“I am honored that they chose me for this scholarship,” said Sharma who was sponsored by Perfect Pharmacy. “I am going to continue trying to work for the community and make Hicksville a better place to live. I will use the scholarship money to help me in the medical field.”
Sharma will attend Stony Brook University in the fall majoring in biology.
Singh volunteered his time at NUMC, (Nassau University Medical Center), putting in over 100 hours in the emergency and pharmacy sections of the hospital. He kept patients company in the ICU and stocked and filled prescriptions in the pharmacy as well as checking for expiration dates on medications. Singh also worked at the Sarah Grace Foundation for children with cancer, helping to organize a walk-a-thon and a toy and clothing drive.
Singh said that he felt very blessed to receive the scholarship award from the Civic Association. Met Food Markets was his sponsor.
“I am very thankful to the Hicksville Gardens Civic Association for giving me this scholarship,” said Singh. “I am going to put this money to good use as I pursue the field of biology at Stony Brook.”
Garger was ranked number 10 in her class at Hicksville High School. She was also a star of the Lady Comets basketball team leading her team in scoring. She will attend Merrimack College in the fall.
Garger was very active in the community, helping to put together a car wash at Holy Family Church and volunteering for the Empire State Games Special Olympics and the Sarah Grace Foundation for children with cancer.
She also volunteered for the PAL summer basketball clinic for special needs athletes and was a junior assistant coach for a CYO girls fourth grade basketball team.
“I love helping out kids as much as I can especially when it comes to sports,” said Garger. “I am very appreciative for the scholarship I received from the Hicksville Gardens Civic Association.”
