Marco Valle’s Italian-American community is helping raise him up to new heights.
The New Hyde Park Memorial High School valedictorian was the recipient of the Assemblyman James D. Conte Memorial Academic Scholarship, one of the four $3,000 scholarships from the New York Italian American Conference of State Legislators awarded annually to New York students attending college.
Valle, who has lived in New Hyde Park his whole life with his Italian parents, said his Italian-American culture and the similarities he saw between his and his father’s paths were what motivated him to apply for the scholarship.
“My dad was the one who sort of pushed me,” Valle said of his father, Andrea Valle. “He grew up in Italy and then he came to the States for college. He came here alone, but he came with the help of his Italian community and his family members. That’s something that really helped him and pushed him in college.”
“I sought out that same sort of community resource while applying for this scholarship,” Valle continued. “We’re in different scenarios. But having access to an Italian community that can help support college financially was such a big draw.”
Assembly Member Edward Ra, a member of the Italian American State Legislators Conference who presented Valle with the scholarship at the annual Italian American Legislators Day in Albany in June, said he believed Valle was an incredibly deserving recipient of the scholarship.
“Marco’s exceptional academic record and leadership within his school and community make him a deserving recipient of this award,” said Ra. “Leaders like Marco are a reminder that the next generation is ready to meet the challenges ahead.”
Ra, Valle’s Assembly member, chose to submit Valle’s application to the conference’s panel of educator judges, who then selected Valle for one of two academic awards that hundreds of students across the state were competing for. Students do not have to be Italian-American to apply for the scholarship.
“I was just happy to have the opportunity to give a little bit of help to start his college career,” Ra added.
Valle will be studying economics at Dartmouth College in the fall. While in high school, he won awards on his school’s Model United Nations team, served as class president and student council treasurer, was an Eagle Scout and troop instructor with Troop 544 and interned for U.S. Rep. Tom Suozzi’s campaign.
“It’s great to see someone Marco’s age already so eager to get involved in public service,” Ra continued. “You can tell he has a real passion for how the government works and making a difference. I’m excited to see where the road takes him.”
Valle emphasized how important and ingrained his Italian culture was to him, saying that he and his family frequently attend local Italian cultural celebrations, visit family in Italy who help him learn Italian and make sauce for friends and neighbors. He said receiving this scholarship has helped him feel a sense of security in his roots, even though he’s leaving home.
“The scholarship is sort of a reassurance that culture doesn’t end the second you leave home,” Valle said. “I think the scholarship proves that no matter where your cultural background is, there’s always going to be other people within your culture that will help you, whether that’s socially, through financial means or just to provide you with a community experience.”
“It’s a way to just continue your community and your culture from your home to school, even if it may seem scary and far away.”
