Lions Club Scholarship Winners Announced
The Saratoga Springs Lions Club will award $30,000 in academic scholarships to six graduating seniors. They will be presented at a special Lions dinner on Tues., June 9, at the Holiday Inn.
Arisa Gillani and Daniella Fleming will each be awarded a $7,500 academic program award. Katherine Morrone will receive a $5,000 scholarship. Madison Finn and Ava Otte will each receive a $2,500 scholarship.
The Leos Club Member Scholarship award of $5,000 will go to Carina Schneider.
All are seniors at Saratoga Springs High School, and all were chosen because of their academic achievements, community service, essay based on the Lions Club International Motto of “We Serve,” letters of recommendations from faculty and mentors, and extra-curricular activities and employment.
Gillani, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Aqueel Gilliani, will study biology in a pre-med program at Adelphi University, with the goal of becoming a physician. While at Saratoga Springs High School, she was enrolled in a three-year science research program through the University at Albany, focusing on non-small-cell lung cancer. She served as president of the Future Medical Leaders, vice president of the Women’s Empowerment Club, and SSHS class president.
She volunteered at the Gateway House of Peace and the Home of the Good Shepherd, was involved with the Saratoga Springs Board of Education, and earned several leadership awards.
Fleming, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Josh Fleming, will major in human biology at the University of Virginia, with the goal of becoming a physician.
During her high school years, Fleming was involved with the SNACPack program which provides food bags for local children in need to take home each weekend. She served as a day camp counselor at the Saratoga Springs YMCA and as a set designer at Caroline Street Elementary School and is a server at the Prestwick Chase Retirement Community.
Morrone, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Vincent Morrone, will attend the University at Albany, with a major in chemistry and a minor in forensics. Her career goal: a forensic chemist.
She has been a volunteer with Saratoga Recreation for several years, as well as Give a Child a Christmas and Lake Avenue Elementary Volunteer Childcare.
Finn, daughter of Megan Kayser, will major in international business at the University of Tennessee. She is a founding member, co-president and secretary of the non-profit Global Girls for Change which supports women and children in Uganda. She has participated in fund raisers for Wellspring, braved the icy waters of Lake George in a polar plunge, and volunteers with Best Buddies.
She is vice president of the SSHS Class of 2026, president of the Key Club and Math Club, historian of the Venture Capital & Investment Club, and a representative to the Suburban Student Leadership Conference.
Schneider, daughter of Yvette Cortes and Eric Schneider, will major in environmental studies at Fordham University in the Bronx. She is president of the Leadership, Experience and Opportunity (LEO) Club and organized events for funding vision care, diabetes, and disabled children’s causes. LEOs is the high school branch of the Saratoga Springs Lions Club.
She is president of the SSHS Mock Trial Club, founder of the Green Ribbon Initiative at SSHS, founder and organizer of the Ecobricks Library Project at the Saratoga Springs Public Library, and a volunteer with Sustainable Saratoga. She also interned with the NYS Court System and Saratoga Springs City Court.
Otte, daughter of Patti Otte and Frank Otte Jr., will major in aerospace engineering at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in Troy, with the goal of becoming a propulsion engineer.
For the past four years, Otte has organized STEM nights and science fairs at elementary schools. This past year she received numerous science-related awards plus the Young Women Making a Difference Award. She is president of the Science in the Community Club and, as an 11th grader, made an “Earth Day” claymation video for the Geyser Road Elementary School.
The scholarships will be presented by members of the Saratoga Springs Lions Club: Joe Brady, chairman; Wayne Stevens, Ann Alexander, Shelley Riley, Brian Fredette, Sal Bonsangue, Jim Flynn, and Tony Wright.