Three graduating students of Port Jervis High School were awarded scholarships on June 6^th from the Oscar B. Greenleaf Memorial Scholarship Fund, and the Lillian J. Bauer Memorial Scholarship Fund, charitable funds administered through the Community Foundation of Orange and Sullivan. 

The 2013 Oscar B. Greenleaf Memorial Scholarship recipient is:

• Krushna Shah  $20,000: $5,000 per year for 4 years

Krushna Shah is the Valedictorian of her graduating class. She is an impressive young lady with an outstanding record of community service and academic excellence. Her stellar academic credentials include a combined SAT score of 1860 and an un-weighted class average of 97.87, which includes challenging AP and college courses. She plans to pursue a degree in pharmacy and has been accepted to several colleges including Wilkes University, Rutgers University, St. John’s University and the Albany College of Pharmacy. Krushna was selected for this scholarship award based on an essay, letters of recommendation, participation in extracurricular and co-curricular activities, moral character, and contributions to the community.

The Oscar B. Greenleaf Memorial Scholarship Fund was created in 2003 through a one million dollar bequest. Oscar B. Greenleaf, originally from Otisville and later, Port Jervis, died at the age of 97 in 2003. Greenleaf was an ordinary person of modest means with extraordinary goals.  He provided a one million dollar bequest to the Community Foundation and established a fund that has provided over $230,000 in scholarships since 2004. Oscar B. Greenleaf gave so that others could learn. His name and goodwill live on forever through his gift to the Community Foundation.

The 2013 Lillian J. Bauer Memorial Scholarship recipients are: 

• Victoria Blancato  $10,000:      $2,500 per year for 4 years
• Joshua Ramos       $5,000:      $2,500 per year for 2 years

Victoria Blancato will be graduating 7^th overall in her class. She is an outstanding student with an un-weighted class average of 95.67 and a combined SAT score of 1880. She is a member of the National Honor Society and has completed difficult college and AP level courses. Victoria has been accepted at SUNY Geneseo where she will pursue a degree in political science and pre-law. She was selected to receive this scholarship based on an essay, several letters of recommendation from the High School Administration, career goals, academic achievement, participation in extracurricular activities, and contributions to the community.

Joshua Ramos will be graduating within the top 5% of his class. He has a combined SAT score of 1710 and an un-weighted class average of 90. He is a member of the National Honor Society and his coursework includes several challenging college and AP level courses. Joshua has been awarded the distinction of outstanding scholar athlete for both 2011 and 2012. He has been accepted to SUNY Buffalo as well as SUNY Albany and he plans to study business and accounting. Joshua was selected for this scholarship award based on an essay, career goals, academic achievement, and letters of recommendation from both the High School Guidance office and several community leaders.

The Lillian J. Bauer Memorial Scholarship Fund was established in 2010 through a $500,000 bequest from the estate of Lillian Bauer, born August 7, 1916 and died in Huguenot September 19, 2008.  The Bauer’s were a very private, old-time, hard-working family. Mrs. Bauer attended local schools in the Town of Deerpark.  A woman of modest means, Mrs. Bauer was a homemaker and worked with her husband, Frank, on the family farm, Route 209, Huguenot (Town of Deerpark) from 1935 to 1974.  Running the farm was hard work, 365 days a year, sunup to sundown.

The Bauer’s were a product of the Depression – they worked hard, spent little, knew how to save, and accumulated a significant estate of which Port Jervis High School students will now benefit. After her husband’s death in 1994, Mrs. Bauer continued to live out her days in a small house near their former family farm.  She and her husband had no children, but enjoyed the company of many cousins and friends.