Huntington High School Class of 2021 members Jorge Parada Cisneros, Alana Wallace and Lily O’Heir all captured Tri-Community & Youth Agency’s Joseph Martone Memorial Scholarship Awards. Mr. Parada Cisneros also won a large scholarship that was funded by the DiStefano Charitable Foundation.
Mr. Martone had a long association with Tri-CYA, serving on its board of directors as president, vice president, treasurer and fundraising committee chairman at one time or another for more than two decades until his death in 2004.
The Martone scholarship is awarded annually to a graduating senior who combines “the values and ideals that Joe stood for; hard work, commitment to school work, athletics, teamwork and an unselfish dedication to a community cause,” according to Tri-CYA.
Tri-CYA Regional Director Debbie Rimler was on hand at Huntington High School’s senior scholarship awards ceremony to present the $500 Martone scholarship to Mr. Parada Cisneros (Colgate University) and $250 awards to Ms. O’Heir (CUNY Hunter College) and Ms. Wallace (Lincoln University)
Mr. Parada Cisneros was also presented with a separate $5,000 scholarship that was funded by the DiStefano Charitable Foundation for his work at Tri-CYA, his personal growth and his enormous future potential.
“As a [Tri-CYA] board member and volunteer, Joseph Martone stood for hard work and commitment to education,” Ms. Rimler said. “He was a team player and had an unselfish dedication to community service.”
Mr. Martone helped develop Tri-CYA’s Hall of Honor, which honors distinguished community members who have volunteered to help local youth. He was willing to do everything from helping around Tri-CYA’s facility to delivering food, supplies and even diapers to families in need.
