Riley Taylor is the winner of the Club’s Putnam-Pitts Scholarship, given to a graduating senior with a distinguished academic record. Ms. Taylor will attend Colgate University to study environmental science while also exploring the fields of English and history. Her ultimate goal is to become a higher education professor so that she can “demonstrate to students of all walks of life that anything is possible despite challenges along the way.” She is a graduate of Hugh C. Williams High School in Canton.

Sophia Brown received the Members’ Memorial Scholarship, established in memory of former Zonta Club of Canton members and given to a senior who demonstrated strong leadership skills and dedication to service in school and in the community throughout her high school career. She reported completing 1676 service hours in a wide variety of meaningful activities. Ms. Brown will attend Nazareth College to study math education and special education. She says that her most effective leadership skill is empathy. Facing forms of harassment in high school herself taught her to be empathetic and understanding of others’ difficulties. She is a graduate of Massena Central School.

Angelie Bush is the winner of the Club’s Jean M. Coon Humanitarian Award, given to a senior who demonstrated significant community service through projects that enhanced her community and its target audience. Her primary project is called “Sting with Kindness” (the school mascot is the yellow jacket.) It’s a new program Ms. Bush created for elementary students who report incidents of kindness; the recipients are recognized by the principal with a special pin and a certificate of kindness. Ms. Bush will attend Nazareth College to study Occupational Therapy so that she can continue to help people in the future. She is a graduate of Madrid Waddington Central School.

Emma Friot received the Helen Ann Horvath Nursing Scholarship, the Club’s newest offering to graduating seniors who will pursue the study of nursing. Ms. Friot states that she has been “passionate” about being a nurse her whole life, a natural feeling because she comes from a family of nurses. Each one has inspired her to pursue the same profession. She writes that a nurse is “a person of many talents” and uses words to describe what a nurse is – an advocate, empathetic, team oriented, and exhibiting good self-care, among others. Ms. Friot will begin her studies at Siena College. She is a graduate of Hermon DeKalb Central School.

Abigail Backus-Mackey is the winner of the Club’s SUNY Canton Endowment Fund Scholarship. The SUNY scholarship is given in memory of Margaret (Peg) Sibley to a single parent who has returned to college after experiencing some of life’s challenges. Ms. Backus-Mackey is earning her bachelor’s degree in Health and Fitness Promotion with a minor in Applied Psychology. Because she really wants to be a nurse, she plans to get a second bachelor’s degree in that field as well while working full time and caring for her child.

The Zonta Club of Canton congratulates its 2022 winners and urges area young women and men to consider applying in the spring for the 2023 round of awards. Contact high school guidance counselors for more information or call Zonta Scholarship Chair Lyn Swafford at 315-262-2807.