CHESTER, Vt. – The Rotary Club of Chester, Vt. has awarded six scholarships to graduating seniors at Green Mountain Union High School. This includes the Ladd Scholarship, a four year scholarship of $1,000 per year in memory of Andrew and Heidi Ladd of Chester, both of whom died too young, Andrew in 2008 and Heidi in 2014. Andrew was an active and enthusiastic Rotarian for many years. His wife, Heidi, was a beloved member of the community and hosted many Rotary events at the Ladds’ home.
The recipient of the 2022 Ladd Scholarship is Kimberly Cummings. In addition, five Rotary scholarships of $1,000 each were awarded to: Miles Garvin, Clara Gignoux, Kagan Hance, Eva Svec, and Grace Tyrrell. The Chester Rotary scholarships use the following criteria: grade point average, essay, extracurricular including sports and employment, community service, and financial need.
Kimberly Cummings of Chester will attend Worcester Polytechnic Institute where she plans to major in computer science. Her parents are Angela and John Hurd and John and Jennifer Cummings. She was President of her class for four years and served on Student Government for four years. She is a member of the National
Honors Society. She is an AP Scholar with Distinction. Cummings volunteered as a Junior Counselor at Green Mountain Conservation Camp and became a Junior Counselor Ambassador there. She served as a peer tutor in math and a coach for Recreation Soccer and Recreation Basketball Camp.
Cummings also played soccer for four years and holds the school record for the highest number of goals in a season. She was on the All-State Team for three years and on the Vermont high school girls soccer coaches’ All State Team her senior year. She played varsity basketball and softball for four years and made the Southern Vermont South in basketball.
Cummings is a Green Mountain UHS Green and Gold recipient from University of Vermont and has received awards from Rochester Institute of Technology, Clarkson University, and University of Rochester.
Miles Garvin will attend University of Vermont, majoring in neuroscience. His parents, Allyson Oswald and Allan Garvin, live in Chester. He served on Student Government for four years and is a member of National Honors Society. He is an AP Scholar with Honor.
Garvin worked at the Edgar May Health and Recreation Center for four years as a lifeguard and as a youth camp counselor on the rock climbing belay staff. He served as a peer tutor for four years and was the website manager of the Environmental Club.
For four years, Miles was on the track and field team, ran cross-country, and was on the rock climbing team, winning three awards. He was on the CVRS Stingrays, the winter medley summer swim team winning the Vermont Swim Association championship in the 200-yard individual medley in 2021.
Garvin has received awards from Rensselear Polytechnic Institute and Rochester Institute of Technology.
Clara Gignoux plans to attend Rensselear Polytechnic Institute where she will major in environmental engineering. Her parents are Julia and Paul Gignoux, who live in Cavendish. She is a member of National Honors Society.
For four years, Gignoux was a member of the Environmental Club, serving as President and Vice President and a member of Interact providing serviced to the community.
Kagan Hance of Chester plans to attend Paul Smith’s College where he will major in natural resources conservation. His parents are Julie and Jeff Hance.
He was on Student Government and played varsity soccer, basketball, and baseball, serving as Captain in all three sports. His basketball team won the Division-3 state championship.
He worked at a variety of jobs, including lifeguard, throughout high school.
Eva Svec plans to attend Ithaca College and will major in integrated marketing communications. Her parents are Wendy and Jeff Svec of Chester. She attended the College of Vermont with a dual enrollment at Green Mountain. She is a member of National Honors Society.
She volunteered at the Recreation Soccer Camp for three summers, serving as a coach, and she volunteered at the Recreation Art Camp for two summers. She was a staff writer for the yearbook her junior and senior years and a member of Interact for four years, serving as Secretary in 2022.
Svec played varsity soccer for four years and ran track for two. She made the Division-3 soccer defense second team in 2019 and the defense first team in 2020 and 2021. She was a Division-4 track champion and a 100-meter dash champion in 2019. She performed ballet at the Dance Factory from 2010 to 2021. She received the George Eastman Young Leaders award in 2021.
Svec has held a variety of jobs, including hostess at The Killarney Irish Pub.
Grace Tyrrell of Cavendish will attend Stonehill College and plans to major in psychology. Her parents are Amanda and Daniel Tyrrell. She was class Treasurer for three years, served in Student Government for four years and is a member of National Honors Society. She was also a member of Interact and the Environmental Club.
She was a classroom volunteer at CAES for four years and a volunteer athletic instructor for four years. For four years, Tyrrell played varsity soccer and varsity basketball and was on the track and field team.
Anyone who wishes to make a tax-deductible donation to the Chester Rotary scholarship fund is encouraged to send a check to Chester Rotary/Andrew and Heidi Ladd Scholarships, P.O. Box 304, Chester, VT 05143. The Rotary Club of Chester VT, Inc. is a 501 (c) (3) organization under the Internal Revenue Code. For more information contact Ron Theissen, CPA at [email protected] 917-488-2785.
As your daily newspaper, we are committed to providing you with important local news coverage for Sullivan County and the surrounding areas.