Monroeville Rotary awards scholarships to 6 recent Gateway graduates

Six Gateway High School graduates were awarded scholarships from the Monroeville Rotary during a small program Thursday afternoon at Monroeville Community Park West.

Laia Reed, Saipriya Namasivayam, Makayla Harris, Erika Jackson, Gordon Wallace-Baiza and Jesse Kaufman each received $1,000 toward their future schooling.

Rotary President Som Sharma said the scholarship program has been going on for at least 10 years.

“We try to raise money in many different ways and get it to people who need it,” Sharma said.

Rotary and Gateway School Board member Susan Delaney presented the certificates to Reed, Namasivayam, Wallace-Baiza and Kaufman. Delaney said Harris and Jackson could not make it that day due to family commitments.

“We know that you’re our future, and we invest in our future because you’re important to us,” Delaney told the recent graduates. “Hopefully, you’re our future Rotarians, too. So keep that in mind as you move in life. We can’t think of a better way to honor you than these monetary gifts of support that we’re doing today.”

The awardees were selected out of 93 applicants and a dozen finalists.

Delaney said judges picked the recipients based on their essays, academics, community service, vocational/trade school selection, extracurricular activities, working while in school, leadership as well as their interviews and financial need.

Namasivayam received the William Segar Scholarship named after longtime Gateway School Board, Allegheny Intermediate Unit and Rotary board member. Segar died in 2018, at age 83.

Namasivayam was accompanied by her mother, Sumathi Balasundaram; and father, Venkatesh Namasivayam.

She said she plans on studying engineering at the University of Pittsburgh.

Reed plans on entering Community College of Allegheny County’s paramedic program at the Boyce campus. She was accompanied by her mother, Deanne Reed.

Kaufman was accompanied by his mother, Liana Kaufman. He plans on studying public health at Slippery Rock University.

Wallace-Baiza plans on attending classes at CCAC Boyce for a few years before going to Indiana University of Pennsylvania for animal rehabilitation. He was accompanied by his father, Mike Baiza; and mother, Shawn Wallace-Baiza.

The students thanked the Rotary for its financial support in their education.

Delaney said Harris plans to study nursing at the University of Pittsburgh, and Jackson is undecided about her major at Indiana University of Pennsylvania.

The next Rotary fundraiser is a golf outing at Green Oaks Country Club in Verona.

The cost of that event is $150 per golfer or $575 for a foursome. Ticket includes cart, boxed lunch, dinner, contests and refreshments on the course.

Contact Debbie DiLorenzo at 412-378-3006 or email debdilo@verizon.net for more information.