By kathy baratta
Staff Writer
HOWELL — The Howell Sports Feder-ation recently awarded 10, $500 academic scholarships to graduating high school seniors.
Also awarded was a new $1,000 annual scholarship in the name of Cpl. Michael E. Curtin, the 23-year-old Howell resident who was killed with three other American soldiers by a suicide bomber while serving in Iraq in March. Curtin was with the U.S. Army 3rd Infantry Division.
The Curtin scholarship is the only one that is not strictly based on academic achievement. Howell Sports Federation President George Krebs explained that the recipient of the Curtin scholarship will be chosen by school officials and Curtin family members.
He said the award will be given to an individual whose character is consistent with Curtin’s character. Furthermore, the Curtin scholarship is not limited to those attending college, but also to those attending a trade or technical school.
Krebs announced the recipients of the group’s fourth annual scholarship awards at the July 14 Township Council meeting.
The winners of the 10 academic scholarships are: Daniel Irvin, a student at Howell High School who will be attending Cornell University to study business and hotel administration; Erica Wisniewski, a student at Colts Neck High School who will be studying journalism at Catholic University; Jason Minion, a student at Freehold Borough High School who will be attending Johns Hopkins University as a pre-medical student; Kevin Robinson, a Colts Neck High School student who will be studying engineering at Syracuse University; Heather Gannon, a Saint Rose student who will major in education at Rider University; John Romano, a Howell High School student who will study engineering at Rutgers University; Natalie Vadas, a Howell High School student who will study sports medicine at Ursinis College; Brian Deckhut, a student at Monsignor Donovan High School who will be studying mathematics and education at Utica College; Erica Belton, a Howell High School student going on to study education at Albright College; and Eileen Fairlie, a Howell High School student who will study political science at James Madison University.
The inaugural Michael E. Curtin Scholarship winner is Elissa Mango, a Howell High School student who will study biology at Salisbury University.