The 2022 Ken Tashian Memorial Scholarships

The Scholarhsip committee comprised of Dave Oshinsky, Caryn Starr-Gates, and Stan Cohen, previewed a detailed list of applicants. We developed a system, really Dave's idea, by which we could score the students according to the criteria established and have a by-the-numbers evaluation. We then held a marathon Zoom meeting to review, sorted in, out, and down three times, until we concluded that the following girls would be our consensus choices. There were many worthy choices and it was a difficult task to complete the selection in the timeframe needed by PHS administration.

The two scholarship awards went to:

Isabella Fernandes who attended Ridge Ranch Elementary, East Brook Middle School, and Paramus High. She plans on going to Penn State University to study Finance, and Omayma Jabara who attended West Brook Middle School, and Paramus High. She plans on going to Montclair State University to major in Family Sciences and Human Development with the goal of becoming a Speech Language Pathologist.

At the awards, Omayma received my second-to-last copy of the 1974 Amaranth, PHS's literary magazine. Why? She was the Editor-in-Chief of the 2022 edition of the Amaranth and I thought this would have more meaning and purpose with her than being in my closet.

Thank you to the many contributors who made this night possible (listed below).

This is a summary of the evening.

There were eleven "Letters of Commendation from the National Merit Scholarship Program." 55 Academic Awards given in most areas of study. There are two Valedictorians this year, Iris You, and Alina Gu. Scholarships were awarded by elementary school PTAs, East Brook, West Brook PTAs, PASA, EAP, PAES, Paramus Rotary Club (9), Music Parent Association (10), Memorial Scholarships given in the names of Arlene T. Berman, Doris Behnke, John Villano "Caring" Award, George W. Hodkins (2), Jennifer Williamson (Class of 1984, East Brook Faculty and the teacher killed in the school bus crash on May 17, 2018 that injured 40 and killed a student), Joseph Navas (Class of 1975, Port Authority of New York and New Jersey Police Department, End of Watch: Tuesday, September 11, 2001), Ken Tashian Memorial Scholarship from the Paramus High School Alumni Association (2), Paramus Junior Baseball League (4), Pops Tashian (4), Paramus Lighting (6), Alphonse DeFillipo, Barbara Kruse "Good Person" Scholarship, Louis Lanzalotto, Mary Bellini, Benjamin Barbarosh, Frank and Elsie Scibetta, Scholarship Show (65!), Terri Roemer Paramus Run (10), Christ Evangelical Lutheran Church, Woman's Club (4), Coccia Foundation (5), Alex Cabrera, (5), "La Societa Onorario Ilatica (2),  Greater Bergen County Realtors, and DOG Award. (Not sure what all the acronyms stand for.) It's amazing that presentations started punctually at 7 and we were done by 9.

Getting ready to take the walk. Award-winning smiles.

Omayma and Isabella with diplomas in hand. Omayma's was a very decorated graduate and honored to be so. "I’ll just list the significance of my cords, stole, and pins. Spanish Honor Society, National Honor Society, DECA, NJ Seal of Biliteracy, Varsity track and Field Athlete, Editor in Chief of Amaranth."

Contributors in the order received (as of 14 August 2022)

Louis Riehl ('61)
Gregory Gan ('64)
Robert Pons ('74)
Charles Mala ('64)
Michele Simon ('64)
David Ofshinsky ('74)
Michael Brown ('76) & Brown Family
Nancy Lewis ('74)
Kathleen Molloy ('74)
Faith Heisler ('74)
Philip & Geri Fontana ('64)
Roger Smith ('63)
John Skorski (Faculty)
Theresa Salvatore ('65)
Robert Germano ('65)
Bernie Yaged ('60)
Caryn Starr-Gates ('74)
Chris Carazo ('68)
Robert Luckow ('65)
Salvatore Rotolo ('62)
Joseph Leicht ('70)
Linda Tuzio Tomasso ('71)
Barry Cohen ('74)
Elizabeth Hays ('67)
Larry Lazar ('62)
Jed Weintraub
Carol M Puterko ('62)
Len Zander ('64)
Roland de Guzman ('90)
Ben de Guzman ('90)
Cathryn Villano ('67)
Stuart Blank ('78)
Richard Kane ('62)
Michael R. Landauer ('64)
Judith Albro
Ronald Braham ('67)
Chris Carroll ('68)
John O'Carroll ('67)
Robert Fatovic ('67)
Richard Petouvis ('64)
Jan Appelbaum ('65)
Brittany Stedtler ('06)
William Dickinson ('64)
William Bucceri ('67)
Joseph Muklevicz ('61)
Doreen Ottavinia ('61)
Jeffrey B. Perry ('64)
Carl Newman ('60)
Patrick Velucci ('65)
Walter Gan ('67)
Dennis Spillane ('65)
Tory Tashian
Lou Lanzalotto ('76)
Barry Toth ('64)
Ira Goldberg ('64)
Persia Banach Barile ('69)
Richard Suter ('73) ["Dedicated to Norm Reicher Memory"]
David Vaccaro ('68)
Gregory Gorab ('65)
Walter Talarek ('64)
Marti Sender Guinta ('64)
Charles Bartolomeo ('68)
Barbara Futter ('64)
Dwight Galda ('60)
William Savage (Coach/Faculty)
Candace Lira ('73)
David Reicher ('70)
Peter Grefrath ('73)
Linda LoPresti ('67)
Ronald Carletta ('64)
Michael Panchuck ('65)
James Finch ('74)
Albert DeLauro ('64)
Robert Weber ('64)
Peter Zoschak Jr ('63)
David Brody ('64)
Malory Fischer ('67)
Brenda Soong ('74)
Rena Harris ('74)
Ron and Karen (Adler) Rubinstein ('73 and '78)
Eileen Napolitano ('67)
Denise Stone ('64)
David Samuels ('65)
Kathleen Ryan ('67)
Michael Danylchuk ('67)
Sam Brewer ('67)
Harry Sadlock ('65)
Charles Hlawatsch ('64)
Robert Probst ('64)
Gloria (Cohen) Lewissohn ('65)
Lori Mercer ('77)
Jack Graham ('64)
Paul C. Pecoraro ('62)
Barbara (Weigner) Russel ('64)
Particia (Shaw) Parker ('67) and Steve Parker
Keri Greene ('01)
Andrea (Robinson) Kopido ('74)
Dennis ('64) and Aleida Kosce
James Carpenter ('63)
Robert Preyss ('64)
Gary Kriftner ('70)
William "Bill" Dickinson ('64)
Lynda Robertson Pasqueretta ('71)
Richard Rothschild ('75)
Nicole Biggart ('65)
Patricia Decker