Members of the Knights of Columbus from St. John the Baptist Parish, Allentown, awarded scholarships to seven parishioners who graduated from high school and are planning to attend college in the fall.

According to Bob Diszler, past grand knight and scholarship chair, it is the eighth year for the council to award scholarships to graduating seniors from the parish. The council, he said, invites students to complete an application that is reviewed by judges. There are six judges who determine the level of the amount awarded based on the information provided by the students including their grades, Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT)and/or American College (ACT) scores, their extracurricular activities, three letters of recommendation and the 500-word essay they prepare on “What my Catholic faith means to me.”

Diszler said that the council first offered a $500 scholarship in 2005 and since that time the funding to award more scholarships has dramatically increased. The money is raised through various events that the council holds throughout the year.

“We have received annual $1,000 donations from the wives of two Knights, Nicholas Il©¦ic and Salvatore J. Damiano, Jr., who have passed away, as well as a $500 donaton in memory of Margaret Eleanor Maurer, a wife of a member,” said Diszler, adding that another $1,000 donation was also given by the family of Mark and Emilia Napolen. Mark is a member of the Knights while Emilia sings with the parish choir.

Diszler said the seven St. John the Baptist scholarship recipients and the high schools from which they graduated were: Nicole Breccia, Steinert High School; Kyle Sulit, Ryan Shaw, Patrick McCarthy, Mark Duffy and Daniel Goodstein, all Allentown High School, and Kyle Gavalchin of Robbinsville High School. The students have applied and been accepted at various colleges.

Sulit, Breccia and Shaw were each awarded $1,000, while McCarthy, Duffy, Goodstein and Gavalchin were presented $500.