The Double “R” Twirlettes held its 41st annual twirl-a-thon to benefit St. Joseph’s Center on Feb. 29 in center court at the Viewmont Mall. The Twirlettes are under the direction of Kathleen Y. Mercatili. For more information on the group, call 570-489-1935 or visit www.doublertwirl.com.
Shown in front row, from left:Madeleine Scheurmann of Dunmore, Alessandra Moreli- Kolatis, and Brielle Esken of Dunmore. Back row, same order: Alivea Matay, Kali Mercatili, Eva Schuler and Aleecya Jennings.
The Scranton Area Community Foundation is now accepting applications for its 2020 James F. Swift Scholarship, which provides local high school seniors graduating from a Lackawanna County high school $4,000 per year for each recipient for up to four years to assist with continuing education expenses. Twenty area students will be selected for this prestigious scholarship through the James F. Swift Scholarship Fund administered by the Scranton Area Community Foundation.
Created in 2002 through a gift by James F. Swift to the Scranton Area Community Foundation, the James F. Swift Scholarship Fund has awarded over $2,982,000 since 2008, benefiting over 220 local students to date. Following Mr. Swift’s death in 2006, the Scranton Area Community Foundation gratefully received an unanticipated and significant gift from his estate to the scholarship fund which has allowed a great number of students from Lackawanna County the opportunity to pursue their academic and professional goals through higher education.
Applications for the James F. Swift Scholarship will be accepted until 4 p.m. on March 16, 2020. Applicants must apply online at https://www.scholarsapply.org/james-swift/.
Dunmore School District was among the recipients of total of $554,407 in state grants been awarded to area school districts to support and implement school safety efforts, state Reps. Kyle Mullins and Marty Flynn, both D-Lackawanna, announced last week. Dunmore’s grant totals $35,000.
“There should be no limit to the extent to which we go about protecting our children,” Mullins said. “Students and school-based professionals deserve to feel safe at school, and they deserve to know their state leaders will continue to work with school districts to secure these critical grants.”
“I am pleased to see this funding approved to allow our schools to be proactive in keeping kids safe,” Flynn said. “The programs and equipment will not only enhance school security, but also ensure students have the safest learning environments.”
Other school districts that received funding are: Abington Heights, $40,000; Mid Valley, $35,000; Valley View, $75,900, and Scranton, $368,507.
The funds will be provided through the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency’s School Safety and Security Committee. This committee is the result of Act 44 of 2018, and is responsible for establishing the standards schools must meet when performing school safety and security assessments.