Chester Rotary awards scholarships to six

The Rotary Club of Chester has awarded six scholarships to graduating seniors at Green Mountain Union High School.

This includes the Ladd Scholarship, a four-year scholarship of $1,000 per year in memory of Andrew and Heidi Ladd of Chester, both of whom died too young. Andrew was an active and enthusiastic Rotarian for many years. His wife, Heidi, was a beloved member of the community and hosted many Rotary events at the Ladd home.

The recipient of the 2022 Ladd Scholarship is Kimberly Cummings. In addition, five Rotary scholarships of $1,000 each were awarded to Miles Garvin, Clara Gignoux, Kagan Hance, Eva Svec and Grace Tyrrell. The Chester Rotary scholarships use the following criteria: grade point average, essay, extracurricular activities, including sports and employment, community service and financial need.

Kimberly Cummings of Chester will attend Worcester Polytechnic Institute, where she will major in computer science. Her parents are Angela and John Hurd and John and Jennifer Cummings.

Kimberly Cummings

For four years, Cummings was president of her class as well as serving in student government. She is a member of the National Honor Society, is an AP Scholar with Distinction, a GMUHS Green and Gold recipient from the University of Vermont and has received awards from Rochester Institute of Technology, Clarkson University and the University of Rochester.

Cummings volunteered as a junior counselor at Green Mountain Conservation Camp and became a junior counselor ambassador there. She served as a peer tutor in math and a coach for Recreation Soccer and Recreation Basketball Camp.

She played soccer for four years and holds the school record for the highest number of goals scored in a season, was on the All-State Team for three years and was named to the Vermont high school girls soccer coaches’ All State Team her senior year. She played varsity basketball and softball for four years and made the Southern Vermont League’s first team for basketball.

Miles Garvin of Chester will attend the University of Vermont majoring in neuroscience. His parents are Allyson Oswald and Allan Garvin. He served in the student government for four years, is a member of the National Honor Society and an AP Scholar with Honor. Garvin has received awards from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and Rochester Institute of Technology.

Miles Garvin

He worked at the Edgar May Health and Recreation Center for four years as a lifeguard and as a youth camp counselor on the rock climbing belay staff. He served as a peer tutor for four years and was the website manager of the Environmental Club.

For four years, Garvin was a member of the track and field team, ran cross country and was on the rock climbing team, winning three awards. He was on the CVRS Stingrays, the winter medley summer swim team, winning the Vermont Swim Association championship in the 200-yard individual medley in 2021.

Clara Gignoux

Clara Gignoux of Cavendish plans to attend Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute where she will major in environmental engineering. Her parents are Julia and Paul Gignoux.

She is a member of the National Honor Society. For four years, Gignoux was a member of the Environmental Club, serving as president and vice president and a member of Interact, providing service to the community.

Kagan Hance

Kagan Hance of Chester plans to attend Paul Smith’s College where he will major in natural resources conservation. His parents are Julie and Jeff Hance.

He was a member of the student government and played varsity soccer, basketball and baseball, serving as captain in all three sports.

His basketball team won the Division 3 state championship. He worked at a variety of jobs, including as a lifeguard, throughout high school.

Eva Svec of Chester plans to attend Ithaca College and will major in integrated marketing
communications. Her parents are Wendy and Jeff Svec. She attended the College of Vermont with a dual enrollment at GMUHS and is a member of the National Honor Society.

Eva Svec

She volunteered at the Recreation Soccer Camp for three summers, serving as a coach, and she volunteered at the Recreation Art Camp for two summers.

She was a staff writer for the yearbook her junior and senior years and a member of Interact for four years, serving as secretary in 2022.

Svec played varsity soccer for four years and ran track for two. She made the Division 3 soccer defense second team in 2019 and the defense first team in 2020 and 2021, was a Division 4 track champion and a 100-meter dash champion in 2019, performed ballet at the Dance Factory from 2010 to 2021, and received the George Eastman Young Leaders award in 2021.

Grace Tyrrell of Cavendish will attend Stonehill College in Massachusetts and plans to major in psychology. Her parents are Amanda and Daniel Tyrrell.

She was class treasurer for three years, served in student government for four and is a member of the National Honor Society.

Grace Tyrrell

She was a member of Interact and the Environmental Club, and for four years was a classroom volunteer at Chester-Andover Elementary School and was a volunteer athletic instructor.

Tyrrell also played varsity soccer and varsity basketball and was on the track and field team for four years. She won first place in four events at the Division 4 state track meet in 9th grade and in 12th grade. She placed in the top 10 in track in the Southern Valley League in 11th and 12th grades.

Anyone who wishes to make a tax-deductible donation to the Chester Rotary scholarship fund is encouraged to send a check to Chester Rotary/Andrew and Heidi Ladd Scholarships, P.O. Box 304, Chester, VT 05143. The Rotary Club of Chester VT Inc. is a 501(c)(3). For more information email Ron Theissen, CPA or call him at 917-488-2785.

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About the Author: This item was edited from one or more press releases submitted to The Chester Telegraph.

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  1. Congratulations to these students, their parents, teachers, and coaches. Thanks be to Rotary. Bonnie and Lew Watters