Lawrence resident among those rewarded
By: Mark Moffa
HIGHTSTOWN – Two local students were recently awarded $4,000 through an Elks National Foundation program.
Heather Kulik, a 2000 graduate from Hightstown High School, and Kristina Pentek, a 2000 Peddie School grad and Lawrence Township resident, were both awarded $1,000 a year for four years to attend an American college or university of their choice.
The scholarship was granted through the Elks Most Valuable Student competition, a contest that not enough students are entering, according to a local Elks member.
"I don’t get a great response," said Don Seladi, who runs the program for the Hightstown Elks Lodge No. 1955. "I only get, if I’m lucky, 10 applications."
Ms. Pentek agreed that more students should take advantage of the scholarships available to high school seniors.
"It’s just important to go out there and look because they’re out there and they’re everywhere, really," Ms. Pentek said. "It’s definitely worthwhile to put the time into it because there’s so many out there."
In addition to the Elks award, Ms. Pentek won a $5,000 award from Comcast and a $1,000 scholarship from the Governor’s Association. She was called the "scholarship queen" by her classmates – Ms. Pentek applied for about 30 different awards.
"We needed all the help we could get," said Ms. Pentek, who will be attending George Washington University this fall.
This year the Elks awarded 500 scholarships nationwide. There were 494 fourth-place awards of $4,000 over four years. Two graduating seniors won a third-place prize of $12,000 over four years, and two second-place prizes of $16,000 over four years were awarded.
The grand prize is $30,000 over four years, awarded to two college-bound high school grads. Males and females compete separately, with one male and female winning each of the top three prizes.
Applications for next year’s awards will be available to all high school seniors Nov. 1.
"They (students) should just go into the counseling office and ask for one. And if they run out, call me," Mr. Seladi said.
Mr. Seladi said that local Elks chapters select three male and three female candidates to send on to the regional competition. The regional Elks group selects five males and five females to send to the state for entry in the national competition.
Some prize amounts for next year’s contest have increased, with the first-place award doubling from $30,000 over four years to $60,000 over four years.
Second-place finishers will receive $40,000 over four years, and third-place students will get $20,000 over four years.