Two Students Awarded the 2016 Claire Williams O’Neil Scholarship

Claire Williams O’Neil (1928-1980) was a teacher in the Susquehanna Community School District for over twenty years. Because of her dedication to education and the community, the Claire Williams O’Neil Foundation, a non-profit institution that sponsors educational and charitable initiatives on a community level, awards this scholarship to reflect her belief in the importance of education, both to the individual and to the community. The Scholarship is awarded to a Susquehanna Community High School student who has achieved a cumulative average of 90% at the end of eleventh grade, and who also possesses a sincere desire to pursue high quality university studies with the potential to contribute meaningfully to the community. The student can be awarded anything up to about $80,000 for four years. To date, this award has totaled over $900,000.

The Claire Williams O’Neil Scholarship has created an incentive for all seniors in our small, rural, and economically disadvantaged school district to look well beyond the typical college options by applying to America’s best colleges and universities.

This year, Rachel Serfilippi (Right) and Alyssa Hubal (Left) have been named the recipients of the CWO Scholarship, in the amount of $40,000 each.

Rachel is the daughter of Steve and Laurie Serfilippi. Rachel is an active member of the Envirothon, and has a strong passion for the wildlife and environment. She was a member of the National Honor Society, Chorus, Band, track and field, and the drama club. She plans on furthering her education at Paul Smith’s College where she will major in Wildlife Biology.

Alyssa is the daughter of George and Nina Hubal. Alyssa has also been very active throughout her high school career by participating in a variety of sports and activities such as basketball, softball, and football cheerleading. She is a member of Student Council, National Honor Society, Student Mentor Program, Envirothon Club and Yearbook Club. She was also our recipient for HOBY during her 10^th grade year, and was WVIA Scholar of the Year during her senior year. Alyssa plans on furthering her education at Loyola University where she will study Biology with an emphasis on premed.

Congratulations to both Alyssa and Rachel, and we wish them a very successful and prosperous future!