21 Students in Mahoning County Receive J.L. Francis Scholarships

CANFIELD, Ohio – Twenty-one seniors throughout Mahoning County were recently awarded the J.L. Francis Scholarship through the First Place Community Fund, a component of the Community Fund of the Mahoning Valley.

The scholarship, which provides $1,000 to each recipient, was established in honor of Jeffery Francis in 2006. 

The award is presented to one student in each of the county’s public high schools and chartered Christian schools, one student from Ursuline High School, one from Cardinal Mooney High School and one vocational student from the Mahoning County Career & Technical Center and Choffin Career & Technical Center.

The 2024 recipients of the J.L. Francis Scholarship are:

• Jared Giovannone, Austintown Fitch High School.
• Swathi Padmanabhan, Boardman High School.
• Kendall Brunn, Campbell Memorial High School (Impact Academy).
• Simon Kovass, Canfield High School.
• Natalie DiVencenzo, Cardinal Mooney High School.
• Fa’Rah Little, Chaney High School.
• Niara Keyes, Choffin Career & Technical Center.
• Trent Williamson, Columbiana High School.
• Keagan Beck, Jackson Milton High School.
• Sophia Yon, Lowellville High School.
• Kaleigh Williams, Mahoning County Career & Technical Center.
• Leanne Williams, Poland Seminary High School.
• Blake Thomas, Sebring McKinley High School.
• Gretchen Bartels, South Range High School.
• Ashley Bellstrom, Springfield High School.
• Emma Morris, Struthers High School.
• Gabriella Gasior, Ursuline High School.
• Mikayla Upright, Valley Christian High School.
• Brynn Smith, West Branch High School.
• Evelyn Collier, Western Reserve High School.
• NeVaeh Shouse, Youngstown Rayen Early College High School.

Students who maintain a 3.0 GPA and demonstrate a commitment to their schools and communities through volunteer service are eligible for consideration. Each student then must submit a career essay, a letter of reference and an application to be considered for the award. Team members from the Educational Service Center of Eastern Ohio evaluate the entries. 

Pictured at top: Front row, from left: Gretchen Bartels, Brynn Smith, Kendall Brunn, Sophia Yon, Swathi Padmanabhan, Emma Morris, NeVaeh Shouse, Mikayla Upright and Niara Keyes; back row, from left: Keagan Beck, Jared Giovannone, Gabriella Gasior, Simon Kovass, Trent Williamson, Blake Thomas, Ashley Bellstrom, Kaleigh Williams, Evelyn Collier and Natalie DiVencenzo. Not pictured: Fa’Rah Little and Leanne Williams.

Published by The Business Journal, Youngstown, Ohio.