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Grand Island Chamber of Commerce: Youth Ambassadors named for 2013

by jmaloni
Fri, Nov 30th 2012 06:15 pm

The Grand Island Chamber of Commerce has announced the finalists and winners for its 2013 Youth Ambassador Scholarship Program.

Grand Island High School seniors Ashley Colan and Kelsey Ruszkowski were named Youth Ambassadors and will represent the youth of Grand Island at local business and chamber events, such as the Citizen of the Year awards dinner, Island Happenings, and the Fourth of July Parade.

Colan is currently a senior at Grand Island High School where she has been an Advanced Placement and honors student throughout her high school career. Last year, she was accepted into the National Honor Society and received both her academic pin and letter. She has been a part of both the GIHS concert band and wind ensemble, where she plays the flute. She is a part of the Donate Life club and last year she represented GIHS DECA at the regional level. She is involved in her parish at St. Stephen R.C. Church where she is a volunteer of the St. Stephen fish fry every year. Colan is a member of the varsity softball team along with a travel softball team outside of school.

Colan said she is very honored to be selected to be the Youth Ambassador and is very excited to be able to represent the Youth of Grand Island and to help better our community.

Ruszkowski is a senior at Grand Island High School and challenges herself with honors and Advanced Placement courses. She is a member of Interact, Donate Life, National Honor Society, and is the Art Club president, as well as a participant in Class of 2013 activities. She is greatly involved in volunteering and community service and looks forward to continuing her work while representing her peers. She has a passion for helping others. As a result Kelsey and her sisters have collected thousands of items for the Grand Island Neighbors Foundation among other achievements. She will graduate this summer with an Advanced Regents Diploma with Honors. Kelsey thanks her family for their support, especially her sisters, who have helped in all of her achievements.

Finalists were Daniel Konopski, a GIHS senior, and Molly Smith, a GIHS junior.

The Youth Ambassador program is open to all Island residents in grades 10, 11 and 12. The two chosen Youth Ambassadors each receive a scholarship award of $750. For more information, or to sponsor this program, call the Chamber of Commerce office at 773-3651.

The chamber thanked its 2013 Youth Ambassador sponsors:

Gold Sponsors

Northeastern Leasing & Finance Corp., Cannon Design, GI Moose Family Center 180, David Homes, Mary and Jeff Cooke, Mr. and Mrs. Robert Christmann, and Dr. Douglas Wright, DDS, PC.

Silver Sponsors

Brite Ideas Sales and Marketing - Bonnie P. Scuik, Sam Long's Excavating Inc., Ray Billica and Cataract Customhouse Brokerage Inc.

Bronze Sponsors

Attorney Daniel Sperrazza, Dr. James Burruano, Sybil Kennedy and Pritchard & Kennedy.

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