Kurt Schaefer Scholarship Awarded to Dawin Preval

Dawin Preval is known for always giving his best. He works hard and he’s not afraid of a challenge. He has garnered honors in the classroom, athletics and even in the extracurricular club program with the Blue Devil mock trial team. The well-liked Class of 2023 member is this year’s recipient of the Kurt Schaefer Memorial Scholarship Award.

Mr. Preval has won varsity letters with Huntington’s football, winter and spring track and field and wrestling teams. He will be attending the University of Massachusetts Boston to prepare for a career in nursing. He’s a kind and gentle-hearted soul who has taken advantage of every opportunity since immigrating to the United States from Haiti.

The Kurt Schaefer Memorial Scholarship Award is presented annually to a student who has shown academic and social growth as well as maturity and responsibility toward their classmates. Mr. Schaefer was a friendly and kind-hearted young man. He was loved by many and is missed by all. His spirit lives on through the $1,250 scholarship that bears his name.

Sean Schaefer made this year’s scholarship presentation at Huntington High School’s senior scholarships and awards ceremony.

Kurt Schaefer Felled in Hit-and-Run

Kurt Schaefer had recently turned 17 years old and was preparing to enter his junior year at Huntington High School when he was struck by a car in a hit-and-run accident on Saturday, August 18, 1990 at 12:30 a.m. He died four days later at Huntington Hospital.

The teenager was riding a moped when he was struck at the intersection of Spring Road and Main Street in Huntington near Heckscher Park, according to a report published in Newsday. A Huntington man, who Suffolk Police said was driving a red Honda on his way home from a party in Huntington Bay, was later arrested.

Detectives said the Honda went over the double line, passed a pair of cars and went through the intersection on the wrong side of the road and through a red light, according to Newsday. The car struck Mr. Schaefer as he was crossing on Spring Street and it then fled the scene.

Mr. Schaefer enjoyed playing tennis, fishing, water skiing and snow skiing. He was known as a very friendly person and was called “a wonderful kid” by his father, Peter Schaefer.

As Mr. Schaefer lay critically injured in Huntington Hospital following the accident, countless friends tried to visit his bedside. “The Rock” at Huntington High School was quickly painted and inscribed with the words: “We Love You Kurt. Get Well Kurt.”

Visiting was held at M.A. Connell Funeral Home on Friday and Saturday, August 24-25, 1990. Interment was at St. Patrick’s Cemetery in Huntington.

While Mr. Schaefer was taken from his family and friends at much too young of an age, the scholarship presented annually by his family has been helping Huntington graduates start college on a strong footing since the time it was established.