The Upper Columbia Academy Foundation recently awarded six students with scholarships from the foundation's various endowment funds. Melina Maniscalco received the Olin Peach Scholarship, and five UCA band students received a Wayne Hooper Scholarship.
Karl Peach, son of Olin Peach, was pleased to present the Olin Peach Scholarship to Maniscalco. This specific scholarship focuses on excellence in character and service. The Peach family recently worked with the UCAF to create the Olin Peach Scholarship Memorial Endowment in memory of Olin Peach, who was a teacher at UCA for more than 40 years. He died in a snowmobile accident in April 2010. His family set up the fund to commemorate his service and friendship to countless UCA students and fellow faculty members and staff.
"I felt undeserving of this award, but after I thought about it some more, I am happy to know that God is working through me," says Maniscalco who will be a senior at UCA next school year and went on two mission trips to Borneo with Olin Peach.
Maniscalco's parents were equally surprised and excited about hearing of the scholarship award. "As parents, we feel honored that our daughter was recognized in this way. We pray that our children will show God's character, and this award is encouraging to us," says Debby Maniscalco.
Tony Pavlic, who graduated as a four-year senior in June, remembers Peach being so friendly and kind to everyone. To show his appreciation for Peach and UCA, Pavlic's graduation announcement requested friends and family to give to the Olin Peach Scholarship Endowment in lieu of graduation gifts.
In May, UCAF's Wayne Hooper Scholarship was awarded to five UCA band students: Jonathan Bradshaw, River Davis, Nate Stratte, Tommy Dalrymple and Andrew Fisher for their excellence in progressing musically. This scholarship effort, set up as a memorial to Wayne Hooper, is both a music ministry and a strengthening tool for UCA's music program.
The UCAF is an organization independent of UCA and the Upper Columbia Conference. It is made up of UCA friends and alumni who envisioned a way to financially assist qualified students who wish to attend UCA. The UCAF endowments are professionally managed by the Washington Trust bank's top investment brokers and directly help eligible UCA students pay tuition costs.
The UCAF began with one major endowment provided in 2003 and has currently grown to more than $1.3 million in the overall endowment base. These tax-deductible gifts to the UCAF have provided major funds, which have awarded 307 UCA students with scholarships over a period of seven years.
Qualified UCA students can count on additional scholarships being awarded in September 2011. They will be able to apply this to their tuition costs for the 2011–12 school year.
The UCAF's vision is to continue aggressively building endowments for the sole purpose of providing an increased number of scholarships to qualified students who wish to attend UCA. The Foundation encourages people to contact the UCAF website to learn of ways they can honor a life and continue a legacy.
To find out more about the UCAF and their upcoming fundraising golf event, please visit www.ucafoundation.org.
Five UCA band students recieve the Wayne Hooper Memorial Scholarship award. Pictured are, from left: (back row) Recipients Jonathan Bradshaw, River Davis, Nate Stratte, Tommy Dalrymple and Andrew Fisher. (Front row) Dean Kravig, band director; Jan Hooper Lind, UCA Foundation; and Doug Wells, UCA Foundation.
Karl Peach thanks Tony Pavlic, who graduated as a four-year senior in June, for showing his appreciation for the late Olin Peach and UCA by requesting friends and family to give to the Olin Peach Scholarship Endowment in lieu of graduation gifts.
