NEW YORK, June 9, 2005 (PRIMEZONE) -- Lawrence Auriana, President of the Columbus Citizens Foundation, and other members of the charitable organization last evening presented education grants to 67 kindergarten through eighth grade students at a ceremony held in Wallace Hall of the St. Ignatius Loyola Church in New York City.
The grants take effect in the 2005-2006 school year. They range from one to three years in length and will total approximately $200,000. Recipients are students from New York City and Westchester, Dutchess and Orange Counties who are of Italian descent and whose families have demonstrated financial need.
"The Columbus Citizens Foundation is proud, once again, to take a leadership role in contributing to the education of talented and motivated Italian-Americans who would be unable to receive the benefits of a private education without our support," said Mr. Auriana. "The boys and girls who are receiving our elementary school grants have shown in interviews and tests an aptitude that will be nurtured and cultivated in private schools. We anticipate that the Elementary School Program will make a critical contribution to the lives of many Italian-American children."
Most of the recipients and their families attended the ceremony. Among the 24 recipients from The Bronx are 10 who will be attending St. Francis Xavier and four who will be going to St. Theresa School. Ten students from Brooklyn will receive grants, including five who will be attending the St. Athanasius School. Six students will be attending the Holy Trinity School in Poughkeepsie. Three from Staten Island will attend the St. Sylvester School, and among the 11 recipients from Queens County will be four going to the Sacred Heart School. Eleven students from Westchester County are receiving grants, and five of them will attend the Corpus Christi School in Port Chester.
The Columbus Citizens Foundation, a non-profit organization based in New York City, celebrates Italian-American heritage and supports cultural and educational programs including grants and scholarships for elementary school, high school and college students. In 2005, the Foundation will be disbursing $2.1 million in scholarships and grants to 618 students. In addition, the Foundation administers the Franco Zeffirelli Scholarship Fund for the Arts. The Foundation is best known for producing New York City's Columbus Day Parade, which it has organized since its inception in 1929.
Students
City County School Attending
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Bronx Bronx Our Lady of Assumption 2
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Bronx Bronx St. Brendan School 2
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Bronx Bronx St. Clare of Assisi School 2
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Bronx Bronx St. Francis Xavier 10
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Bronx Bronx St. Lucy's School 1
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Bronx Bronx St. Theresa School 4
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Bronx Bronx Visitation School 3
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Poughkeepsie Dutchess Holy Trinity School 6
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Brooklyn Kings Mary Queen of Heaven 1
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Brooklyn Kings Most Precious Blood School 1
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Brooklyn Kings Sacred Hearts & St. Stephen 1
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Brooklyn Kings St. Athanasius School 5
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Brooklyn Kings St. Finbar Elementary 1
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Brooklyn Kings St. Frances Cabrini School 1
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Newburgh Orange Sacred Heart School 1
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Astoria Queens St. Francis of Assisi 2
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Glendale Queens Sacred Heart School 4
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Jackson
Heights Queens Our Lady of Fatima 1
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Long Island
City Queens St. Joseph School 1
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Ozone Park Queens St. Stanislaus Bishop & Martyr 2
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Woodhaven Queens St. Elizabeth School 1
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Staten
Island Richmond St. Sylvester School 3
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Bedford Westchester St. Patrick's School 2
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New Rochelle Westchester Holy Name of Jesus 1
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Pelham Manor Westchester Our Lady of Perpetual Help School 1
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Port Chester Westchester Corpus Christi School 5
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Tuckahoe Westchester Immaculate Conception 2
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Yonkers Westchester St. Anthony School 1
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