Parish teens raise funds for scholarship to college

Cassie Tatten isn't sure what she'll write in her letter to the parish council at St. Catherine's Church in Middleburgh next March. But the Middleburgh Central High School senior is sure she'll be writing it -- an application for a college scholarship offered by the parish, funded by money raised by parish teens.

It's been at least 10 years since St. Catherine's instituted the practice of awarding a $500 scholarship to a teen parishioner who is "active in witnessing their Christian faith."

Originally, the parish council funded the scholarship; but a few years later, the teens started raising the money for it themselves.

Funded by teens

Every year, about 15 young parishioners make and sell Christmas wreaths and hold a spaghetti dinner. This year, they made their own cider and sold it at an Apple Festival on Columbus Day weekend. Youth team member Theresa Charland is always looking for new ideas from the students on how to raise the necessary funds.

If enough money is raised, remarked Rev. James Clark, pastor, more than one scholarship may be offered. The most recent winner, Colleen McCoy, now a freshman at Massachusetts College of Pharmacy, proved her eligibility in a letter that stated her parish activities: lector, student teacher in the religious education program and flutist for a parish music group.

The applicants' letters "say how they're involved in all their communities," from their school to the parish, said Ms. Charland.

March plans

Katy Coonradt is only a junior at Middleburgh Central High, but she's been working on the scholarship fund since she was nine and her older sister was in the youth group. Two years ago, that sister won the scholarship.

"Next year, I'm going to be going to college," Katy added. "I'm going to need help. I think [the scholarship] is great."

The student, who serves as a greeter at St. Catherine's, already knows part of what will go into her application letter someday: a statement of how important her faith is to her.

"I have higher morals than a lot of the kids I see in school," she told The Evangelist. "A lot of them go out drinking and doing drugs, and [the Church] has helped me to say, `No, I don't do that.'"

After working to raise money for the scholarships for seven years, Cassie will take her shot at the prize in the spring.

"I think it's a good opportunity for seniors involved in the Church to have a scholarship," she told The Evangelist. "Personally, the Church means a lot to me."

(11-06-97) [[In-content Ad]]