More than 420 students in Greater Waterbury and the Litchfield Hills will find their college educations more affordable thanks to scholarships awarded by Connecticut Community Foundation for the 2017-18 academic year. The awards totaled nearly $940,000. The students were honored at a reception held at Naugatuck Valley Community College (NVCC) on June 20th, where they heard from several speakers who spoke about the importance of higher education and playing an active role in the community. Speakers included Foundation Trustee and Scholarship Chair Elner Morrell, NVCC President Dr. Daisy Cocco De Filippis, and past Foundation scholarship recipient Xholina Nano, who now serves as a District Aide to Congresswoman Elizabeth Esty. Students also had the opportunity to meet some of the many donors from the community who made their scholarships possible. For decades, donors have worked with the Foundation to establish 130 college scholarship funds to benefit area students. As the region’s largest scholarship provider, the Foundation has awarded nearly 6,000 awards from these funds — totaling almost $10 million — to area students over the past 20 years. The awards are for students attending two-year and four-year schools across the country. Additional students at Naugatuck Valley Community College and Central Connecticut State University will receive academic support through scholarship grants awarded to those institutions by the Foundation. “Affording a college education is becoming more and more challenging,” said Paula Van Ness, President and CEO of Connecticut Community Foundation. “I am grateful that donors have placed their trust in us to make it easier for local students to realize their dreams of college. We all benefit from their vision and generosity. And I am awed by the talent and hard work this year’s scholarship recipients have already demonstrated—I have no doubt we will see great things from them as future scientists, teachers, medical professionals, artists, business and government leaders and more.” To learn more about establishing a scholarship fund at the Foundation, visit https://conncf.org/how-to-give/create-a-fund/. Below are local students (listed by hometown) who have been awarded scholarships by Connecticut Community Foundation for the 2016-17 academic year. Additional students at Naugatuck Valley Community College and Central Connecticut State University will receive academic support through scholarship grants awarded to those institutions by the Foundation. Beacon Falls Tyler Ciavarella, Laura Vitzoski, Monica R. Vitzoski   Bethlehem Ryan Jasensky   Bridgewater Rachel A. Crossley, Katherine E. Klein, Kristine L. Klein, Michael T. Leslie, Kailee C. Munson,, Kathleen C. Sinatra, Emma Virbickas   Cheshire Jessica Bertenshaw, Alice Chen, Roger Chen, Melek Hursid, Mevlana Hursid, Maria Latta, Isaac Marquez, Jacqueline M. Moran, Mashwiyat Mosharraf, Andrew Parducci, Jake Rinaldi, Bradley Robidoux, Sidney Tomko, Marla M. Walton, Kelsi Weed   Goshen Kyle A. Leary, Andrew Shepherd, Kailey Truczinskas   Litchfield Alexia N. Bohnenkamper, Margaret  Bove, Garrett Conaghan, Lydia  Hanlon, Elaine K. Hill, Quinton T. Lautz, Alexander D. Mendez, Sara Mitnik, Jeanine Moreau, Brooke Neller, Jessica Newbury, Rebecca Nordland, James Pavlick, Sophia L. Sabella, Jonathan Simonin, Ana Tiul, Mateo Tiul, Lea Vedovelli, Peter J. Wihbey, Juliana Zaharevich   Middlebury Michael Atallah, Megan L. Civitello, Matthew Doan, Claire E. Domogala, Kelly L. Domogala, Isha Joshi, Erin Mulhall, Stephen P. Niesobecki, Bernadette Sherwood, Stephanie J. Thompson, Zachariah G. Tzepos   Morris Evangeline Marecki, Kelsey Morris, Maria Stack, Jon’Quasia Wilson   Naugatuck Dean Andrade, Bryan Garcia-Medina, Edesiri Igbuya, Erin L. Korowotny, Theresa Montoni, Kevin Okifo, Oghenenyerovwo Faith Okifo, Toni M. Smith, Tyler Suarez, Allison  Tortorici, Christina Tran, Amanda Valentin   New Milford Sara A. Artese, Helen H. Bayers, Andre Cardenas, Christopher Ciaglo, Stephen  Ferrara, Meadhbh Ginnane, Marta Gryb, Sean Kunic, Nicole McCarthy, Stephen Morrissey, Julia R. Peck, Courtney Pecora, Zachary Pitcher, Eric Pongsamorn, Hannah Roche, Sidney M. Silva, Lars K. Vikstrom, Brianna M. Walker, Joshua R. Worthington, Kurt Zarba, Alexander Zevin   Oxford Justin Barre, Morgan A. O’Brien, Mary Palys, Sarah Zareski   Prospect Jarrett Allen, Drew I. Chura, Mitchill Moutinho, Zyria Newman, Bianca  Poehailos, Ariana Sherwood, Salma H. Shitia   Roxbury Lauren Bresson, Emily C. Chin, Daniel Kotas, Haley Pesce   Southbury Kristen Baranowski, Helmon Betancourth, Adam Burns, Leonardo Cavedagne, Lucas Cavedagne, Samuel J. DePalma, David Flook, Kaelyn M. Gurvis, Jessica N. Hicks, Alison Iaiennaro, Matthew Kelly, Victoria Korzan, Dereck B. Li, Nathan Lowry, Walter Manuel, Meghan A. McCloghry, Casey Moore, Griffin Namin, Joseph O’Rourke, Samantha Peters, Caleb N. Saleeby, Sophie Stanko, Jenna Tolin, Meghan Tooth, James A. Tranos, Heather A. Weber   Thomaston Samantha Bird, Paul Bocci, Jordan Boyle, Kathleen Brody, Jessica Ciavarella, Kimberly Deyo, Brian K. Duffany Jr., Megan M. Fainer, Megan A. Foell, Marcus Frank, Audrey Giordano, Olyvia R. Giordano, Jennifer N. Giroux, Amanda Grecco, Stefanie S. Lamy, Aaron Madow, Luke M. McMahon, Michaela E. McMahon, Patrick McMahon, Emily O’Hara, Julia Quinn, Gregg Rahuba, Kendyl Roman, Julia Romaniello, Alexandra  Scatena, Jonah Tanguay-Colucci   Warren Robin T. Carlson, Cassandra Frisbie, Christopher Schullery, Cassidy M. Spencer, Audrey Thorland   Waterbury Fajar Alam, Fizza Alam, Sara Aldarondo, Schesca Araujo, Mohammad Ashas, Kerryan Ashley, Sohan Aziz, Ebru Azizoglu, Camilo Barrera, Kellie Ann Barys, Emily Benton, Joyce Benton, Briann K. Bergin, Janely J. Betances, Sasha M. Biagiarelli, Emma E. Billett, Lilian Briggs, Miranda J. Briggs, Dashayna Brown, Ethan Brown, Hannah Butler, Damaris Cabrera, Celina M. Caetano, Samantha Campanaro, Erika L. Cavanaugh, Donald Cianciolo, Carlie Collini, Jennifer Cruz-Rincon, Stephanie Cruz-Rincon, Tea Culani, Mariette  DeCena, Roshica Dehaney, Allyssa DiGiovancarlo, Casey N. DiZinno, Anna-Nicole Doucette, Kyla Egenberger, Isabella Fazo, Stephanie Felton, Ashanti L. Fleming, Deon A. Francis, Sheila French, Randy Garcia, Emily Gardin, Benjamin Gomes, Mabelitza Guzman, Makyle Hawk, Savannah Hernandez, Destiny Hines, Megan Holland, Hayley A. Iannantuoni, Sergei Ivani, Mackenna Jacovich, Carolyn Kleinschmidt, Kaylyn R. Kleinschmidt, Kevin Kleinschmidt, Briana Latifi, Jaylen D. Lee, Gailen Leon, Jessica A. Lewis, Stanley Little, Era Lloga, Adaleta Loga, Brian Luis, Breanna Madison, Iqra Malik, Tyler P. Mannix, Jason Margison, Jovaun A. Mason, Jocelyn A. Medina, Natalia Melo, Christian Milian, Danixa C. Molina, Marjol Mukallari, Zachary Murtishi, Patricia K. Myer, Julia Nguyen, Tasaya L. Northover, Kathryn O’Donnell, John Ogando, Liliana Oliveira, Princess Oloyede, Arlene Once, Joseph Paduano, Lauren Patterson, Karla Peguero, Ryan Peguero, Angelica C. Pollard-Knight, Shayne Purandah, Rilind Racaj, Ramona Ramsarran, Jeanette Rendon, Natalie Resto, Morgan Rhinehart, Krysteena Rodriguez, Jade Roman, Almesa Sabovic, Matthew Sargeant, Hazheen Selevany, Zhian A. Selevany, Katelyn Shappy, Briana L. Smith, Daniel Speer, Andrew Svitlik, Enxhi Taluri, Kenny Tang, Chad Taylor, Silvi Tela, Alison Ternig, Solmary Vega, Nathalie Vega Ortiz, Cinthia Vega-Ortiz, Vod Vilfort, Janeidy M. Villar, Justice H. Walker, Kiara Walthall, Shelby Williams, William P. Wisti Jr, Kimberley E. Woodin   Watertown Paula Atallah, Kyle Brown, Ryan M. Brown, Ashleigh M. Buono, Michael Christie, Marissa Dos Santos, Anthony L. Gizzi, Taylor J. Graboski, Emily N. Leary, Sarah E. Lepine, Annmarie E. Masayda, Gabrielle Mayo, Matthew Mazzamaro, Chris Paturzo, Nino Polletta, Alyssa Quicquaro, Kristen VanDerlyn, Savannah-Nicole Villalba, Jason I. Zoldy   Wolcott Lauren Albert, Eric Beltrami, Caitlin M. Bisaillon, Lauren N. Bozzuto, Salvatore J. Bozzuto, Jacob A. Chicano, Alyse DeLuca, Erika T. Farrell, Pamela Gerhard, Adriana L. Gizzi, Madison  Greenstein, Isabella R. Inglese, Meghan Kelly, Hanna Klisenbauer, Rachel M. Langley, Melissa L. Michaud, Jessie Nelson, Alyssa A. Romano, Jacqueline  Ruegg, Brian J. Smail III, Carly Venditti   Woodbury Allyson Charette, Rebecca A. DiSarro, Jerica D. Olson, Vania Samoska, Tara Tranguch