6 High School Students Receive $1K Scholarships (Photos)

Six students with excellent community service and academic records were awarded recently with $1,000 scholarships from Tinley Park's Community Resources Commission.

The Community Service Youth Scholarship Awards recognize students who combine their outstanding school achievements with extracurricular activities that help the people in their community and the surrounding area. This is the 11th year of the program, and the commission received 25 applicants from the three high schools that serve the village. 

A special presentation was held for the six recipients during the May 21 Tinley Park Village Board meeting. Here's a look at the winners:

ANNA BAILEY
School: Tinley Park High School
College: Either Northwestern University or DePaul University, majoring in business administration/finance
Community Service: Volunteered at Together We Cope and Tinley Wish; wrote "Dear Santa" letters at Harvey Elementary School.
Quote: "I've made a commitment to lending a hand to my community during difficult times and by providing my service at [Together We Cope], I am showing my commitment to my personal goal."

GABRIELLA FABIANO
School: Tinley Park High School
College: Friends University in Witchita, KS, majoring in zoo science, animal husbandry and behavioral research.
Community Service: Volunteered at Ronald McDonald House, Greater Chicago Soup Kitchen and interpretive/science track at the Chicago Zoological Society at Brookfield Zoo.
Quote: "I have decided to dedicate my life's work to environmental conservation leadership and wildlife. I hope to continue to enlighten our next generation on wildlife conservation issues."

EMILY RUZEVICH
School: Lincoln-Way North High School
College: Loyola University in Chicago, and she is "90 percent sure" she is majoring in forensic science.
Community Service: Working with St. Damian parish as a lector and volunteering at the food pantry; twice-weekly volunteer at Silver Cross Hospital in New Lenox.
Quote: "By volunteering my time at Silver Cross Hospital, I can make a small impact on the lives of the people I interact with. I believe my time at Silver Cross is more than community service: it is part of my calling."

MICHAEL ZWARTZ
School: Andrew High School
College: University of Illinois, majoring in industrial engineering.
Community Service: Serving as treasurer on the teen board at Oak Lawn's Ronald McDonald House and working on State Sen. Mark Kirk's Student Leader Advisory Committee. Ran a community service project where he received $25 and used it to buy cards for 27 Tinley Park soldiers overseas and five local businesses. He received $500 for Andrew's special education program from the businesses.
Quote: "I learned that a small resource can make a large difference in many lives."

MONICA TAMRAZI
School: Andrew High School
College: Choosing between five schools, but plans to major in biology or chemistry.
Community Service: Volunteering at Daybreak Shelter, Tinley Park Recreation Center and the Kids Expo.
Quote: "Volunteering has opened my eyes to the hardships that many Americans are facing in this time of economic crises."

DOMINIQUE TROST
School: Andrew High School
College: Choosing between five different schools (leaning toward Northern Illinois University in Dekalb), but she is planning on majoring in chemistry (forensics).
Community Service: Volunteering with the Tinley Park Recreation Center, Tinley Park Public Library and the Tinley Park Convention Center; helped out with Field Day at Kirby School District 140.
Quote: "Doing community service and volunteering my time has really affected the way I look on life."

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