Liberty Grants Scholarships to High School Seniors

Liberty New York Water, in partnership with the New York chapter of the National Association of Water Companies (NAWC), awarded nine scholarships to high achieving high school seniors pursuing a college degree in a field related to the water industry.

Congratulations to the following recipients:

Aidan Attina, a senior at North Shore High School was raised with an acute awareness of environmental issues. He has used that passion to volunteer for the non-profit organization North Shore Land Alliance, where he assisted in maintaining fragile ecosystems by removing invasive species. Aidan will major in Natural Resources Sustainability at SUNY Environmental and Forestry School.

Kelly Hinz will study environmental engineering at Worcester Polytechnic Institute where she hopes to learn about improving water quality and disposing of contaminants. She is especially interested in how environmental issues such as oil spills affect ocean water and drinking water. Kelly began studying these topics as a student at Wantagh High School.

Emma Keller has had an interest in protecting the environment since taking environmental science in eighth grade. From thrifting to cleaning up local beaches, she puts her words into action working to keep our planet clean. A senior at Malverne High School, Emma has chosen to study Environmental Engineering at Clarkson University.

Sean Krivitsky will attend Stony Brook University as biology major to prepare him for a career in biochemistry. While at Lynbrook High School, Sean developed an interest in science research and knows that a laboratory is where he will feel at home in the future.

Lance Lowman will study mechanical engineering at the University of Michigan this fall and hopes to create a career in which he creates designs that are fun and safe. A senior at Wantagh High School, Lance would like to combine his strengths, passions and creativity to provide a benefit to people and society.

Christopher Lucchese is fascinated by how things work and will naturally prepare for a career in civil engineering at Virginia Tech. From converting his home’s fireplace to gas to being sworn in as a Lynbrook firefighter, this Lynbrook High School senior is never afraid to take on a task.

Abigail Maler, a senior at North Shore High School will study biology at Tulane University this fall where she plans to continue her efforts to preserve the environment. She has a head start as a founder of an environmental committee that partnered with local nonprofit organizations to grow oysters in a local harbor to help purify the water.

Dean Mallen, a senior at North Shore High School is an advocate for the health of the environment and local waters. Spending time on the Long Island Sound, Dean has seen the effects of pollution on the water. He hopes to make a difference and will begin his journey as a biology/environmental science major at the University of Georgia.

Emilia Perri will also be a biology major this fall as a freshman at the University of Virginia. Her goal is to conduct research that has a long-lasting impact on our environment’s health or medical health, which she said are often synergistic. The Lynbrook High School senior grew to love research at the Hofstra University Bird Sanctuary where she worked to help conservationists understand the implications of a constructed wetland.

The recipients were honored at a reception held at the Thayer Hotel at West Point on June 1 and presented with scholarships in the amount of $3,000 each. Recipients unable to attend were presented with their scholarships at the New York Water office in Merrick, NY.

Debbie Franco, President, Liberty New York Water, said she is proud to lead a company that gives back in this manner. “Investing in our youth is an investment in our future,” she said. “We are confident that one day these young people will make a difference in the world through their interest in environmental issues.”

Each of the scholarship recipients plans to go into a career related to the water industry, many majoring in engineering. These high school seniors expressed an interest in preserving our environmental resources and proved that they are hard working through obtaining high grade point averages and participation in a variety of extracurricular activities and part time jobs.