Valley Patriot Newspaper Raising Money for College Scholarships at Annual BASH!

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Every year The Valley Patriot celebrates our anniversary with an annual BASH Scholarship and Award night. This year it will take place at the Firefighters Relief’s In, on 1 Market St. in Lawrence on Friday, March 31st at 7pm. You can get tickets by contacting The Valley Patriot or on eventbrite.com.

As part of our Anniversary BASH we honor hero police officers, firefighters, and veterans with awards and recognition.

We also raise scholarship money for local students going to college in the fall.

Each Scholarship was established by someone in the community with a specific purpose, or for a student going into a certain field of study. Last year we raised more than $34,000 and we are hoping to beat that this year.

Here are the 2023 Valley Patriot BASH Scholarship Recipients:

METHUEN HIGH  – STUDIO 21 SCHOLARSHIP RECIPIENT
JAMES SUGDEN

This scholarship was established four years ago by Dave Garofolo, owner of Two Guys Smoke Shop and the Studio 21 Podcast Café in Salem, NH.

Dave donated $2,100 for a high school senior going into media or communications in the fall. Since we did not have a scholarship for a Methuen High student on our scholarship program, Valley Patriot publisher Tom Duggan asked Dave to gave us permission to designate this scholarship for a Methuen High student.

This scholarship recipient was vetted and chosen by former Methuen School Committee Member Jana DiNatale.

Read about James and donate to his Scholarship >> HERE

GR. LAWRENCE TECH SCHOLARSHIP RECIPIENT
ARIELLE CAVARETTA

The Valley Patriot’s Greater Lawrence Tech. Scholarship winner Arielle Cavaretta. This scholarship was started about ten years ago by Methuen City Councilor Jessica Finocchiaro who was on the Gr. Lawrence Tech School Committee at the time. Her pick this year is Arielle Cavaretta. Each year, Jessica interviews all scholarship applicants and chooses our scholarship recipient.

This year she chose Arielle Cavaretta.

Read about Arielle and donate to her Scholarship >>HERE

DAN COADY MEMORIAL SCHOLARSHIP
CAM REILAND

This year’s recipient is CAM REILAND of North Andover.

Four years ago, one of our readers, Al Veilleux donated $500 to start a scholarship in memory of Dan Coady Jr. who was killed in a tragic accident on Rt. 495 just a week before our annual BASH in 2018. Each year Al asks that we keep the Dan Coady Memorial Scholarship going for students who attended the Thomson Grammar School in North Andover where at least one of Dan Coady’s children attended at the time.

Read about Cam and donate to his Scholarship >> HERE

WHITTIER TECH SCHOLARSHIP RECIPIENT
ARTURO ZUNIGA

This scholarship was started by Whittier Tech. alum Al Veilleux for a Whittier Tech senior going into college. This is our 4th year giving out the Whittier Tech Scholarship. Haverhill School Committeeman Scott Wood interviews the applicants and chooses this scholarship recipient. This year he Chose Arturo Zuniga. 

Read about Arturo and donate to his Scholarship >>HERE

MICHELE DELUCA BENEDETTI MEMORIAL SCHOLARSHIP 
RECIPIENT LIAM ROBERTSON

The Michelle DeLuca Benedetti Memorial Scholarship was established by her brother Ken DeLuca with a $500 donation to a Haverhill High School Senior going into Criminal Justice or Social Work in the fall.
Michelle (DeLuca) Benedetti, 51, wife of Joseph A. Benedetti, passed away May 30, 2019 at High Pointe Hospice in Haverhill after a courageous battle with cancer.

Her long fight didn’t define her, however, nor did it slow her down. She made every moment count, right up to the last. She was surrounded by her loving family. Michelle obtained her Master’s Degree from University of Massachusetts, Lowell. For 21 years she was employed with the State of Massachusetts in the Department of Children and Families as a Social Worker and Supervisor, working in the Haverhill Office since 2001.

Haverhill School Committeeman Scott Wood chose this years’ scholarship recipient Liam Robertson.

Read about Liam and donate to his Scholarship >>HERE

EUGENE SMITH LAWRENCE HIGH JrROTC SCHOLARSHIP

Originally this was a scholarship designated for a Lawrence High School senior established in 2012 in cooperation with the Lawrence High Alumni Association.

In 2018 hero veteran Eugene Smith, (a Lawrence High alum), donated $1,000 to designate this scholarship for a member of the JrROTC at Lawrence High.

JrROTC Commander Ronan chooses this scholarship winner every year.

This years’ scholarship recipient is Jaraliz Morales

Read about Jaraliz and donate to her Scholarship >> HERE

SPECIAL NEEDS – PHIL GLENDYE MEMORIAL SCHOLARSHIP
Vanessa De La Cruz Sanchez

This is the second year we are honoring former Lawrence High School Teacher Phil Glendye who ran the Special Olympics at the Lawrence Veterans Memorial Stadium every year and love working with special needs students.

This scholarship goes to a special needs student either going to college, a trade school, or some form of higher education.

Lawrence High’s Timmy Finn chose this year’s scholarship recipient.

Read about Vanessa and donate to her Scholarship >>HERE