Kiwanis Club of Lewiston announces scholarship recipients

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Congratulations to the Kiwanis Club of Lewiston scholarship winners Charles Dieteman, Jessi Avila-Shah and Amaris Huang. The Lewiston Kiwanis Club awarded Dieteman with a scholarship of $1,000. In addition, scholarships of $500 were awarded to Avila-Shah and Huang. The William and Joanne Roth Memorial Scholarship, in the amount of $1,000, was awarded to Isabella Guerrucci. All four recipients were chosen for their high academic achievement, leadership skills, and community service involvement.

Isabella intends to major in dance at the University at Buffalo and plans on being a dance instructor and opening her own studio. She commented, “Volunteering with Key Club, LNN (morning announcements), drama club, Niagara University chapel, Historic Holy Trinity and the Greater Niagara Ballet Company through the years taught me how to be compassionate, generous and responsible.” Some of her favorite volunteer events included the Peach Festival food tent, Thanksgiving and Christmas holiday food baskets, Salvation Army bell ringing, and Earth Day clean-ups. Isabella also organized the book drive project and autism awareness campaign through Key Club. She said, “I rarely miss an opportunity to serve.” Isabella hopes to one day become a member of the Lewiston Kiwanis Club.

Charles plans on attending Niagara University in the academic exploration program. He has been actively involved with many volunteer organizations and community service projects, including Key Club, Lancer Council and the Business Academy. Charles volunteered more than 300 hours through Key Club and Builders Club. Some of the more memorable events he mentioned include the Peach Festival, beach sweep, Mighty Niagara water station, story hours, Heart of Niagara Animal Rescue, Youngstown Recreation Halloween and Christmas parties, and Salvation Army bell ringing. Most notably, Charles has been organizing annual cerebral palsy awareness fundraisers since he was in fourth grade, raising thousands of dollars for Empower. He said, “My volunteering experiences have shaped the adult that I am becoming and pushed me to work hard at school so that I can get a good degree and help people in the future. By getting involved in everything possible, I have become very familiar with many members of my community, and these connections will help to strengthen the community service I am able to do going forward.”

Jessi intends on majoring in biomedical engineering at Yale University. She has volunteered through Key Club, Lancer Council, St. Raphael Parish and Big Brothers Big Sisters. She said, “Over the years, community service has been a source of satisfaction and escape from the chaos of everyday life for me. No feeling can rival that of going home knowing that your actions today may have made someone’s tomorrow better.” She added, “Biomedical engineering would satisfy my desire to leave this world a better place than when I was born into it. As a biomedical engineer, I would help create devices that relieve individuals from their boundaries.” Jessi said she is grateful for having been exposed to so many community service opportunities and will continue to help in the future.

Amaris plans to major in biology at the University at Buffalo. She has been a piano instructor, helped with the Youngstown Free Library drama camp, and volunteered with Key Club. Huang said, “I plan to major in biology, where I hope to help my community through research; it is my plan to pursue medical research and make an impact on medical advancements towards cures for diseases that were once thought incurable.” She added, “After participating in Earth Day clean-ups in Key Club, I understand the importance of protecting our environment. It is my plan to participate in environmental justice clubs in college, as well as learn how to better fight environmental issues.” Amaris said the community service activities she was involved in taught her the importance of giving back, and she will continue to volunteer into the future.