Two different organizations in Wilton recently announced student scholarships they awarded.

P.E.O.

P.E.O. Scholarships:  Chapter W Recognizes Anne McArdle and Lily Kepner; Chapter AL Commends Julia Morneau

The Wilton Chapter W of the International P.E.O. (Philanthropic Educational Organization) recently granted scholarship awards to Anne McArdle, a 2014 Wilton High School graduate, and Lily Kepner, WHS Class of 2019, in recognition of their exceptional academic achievements, impactful contributions to their communities and proven leadership skills.

McArdle is a 2017 Magna Cum Laude graduate with distinction from Hamilton College in Clinton, NY and will begin an intensive Master’s degree program in special education this June at Lesley University in Waltham, MA.

Kepner, daughter of Jennifer and Tyler Kepner, has been a high honors student at WHS every quarter from 2015 to the present and received the 2018 AP Scholar award from the College Board of Distinction. She is one of six student columnists this year for the Wilton Bulletin and plans to attend Boston University College of Communications in the fall concentrating in journalism.

P.E.O. Chapter AL of Wilton announced that former Wiltonian, Julia Morneau is a 2019 recipient of the P.E.O. STAR Scholarship. Before moving from Wilton to North Carolina, Morneau attended Wilton schools through the 11th grade and was a member of the National Honor Society and a member of the varsity swim team for three years. She was also president of Top Inclusion Models and ran Disability Awareness Week at WHS. As co-president of the Link Crew, she was responsible for leading freshman orientation and meeting with and mentoring students in order to assist in their assimilation to high school.

Morneau’s most important contribution to the Wilton community was Little Minds, the mental health initiative and foundation that she created. The goal of the foundation is to educate others on mental illnesses such as anxiety, depression, ADHD, OCD, etc., and the impact they have on children and adolescents. In July 2017, she began the process of planning the curriculum for Mental Health Awareness Week in Wilton, meeting with district and school leadership and developing a week-long program for all four Wilton schools. The program was implemented in May 2018, with over 4,000 students participating.

“We interviewed quite a few accomplished young women in order to find our 2019 nominee,” Chapter AL STAR scholarship chairman Gail Hiestand said. “All of them had top notch academic, athletic and leadership credentials. However, Julia stood out to us as a young woman of tremendous substance and demonstrated excellence in all of the STAR Scholarship categories: Scholarship, Talent, Accomplishment and Recognition.”

Morneau will be attending UNC-Chapel Hill and plans to attend medical school after receiving her undergraduate degree.

P.E.O. is celebrating 150 years of women helping women achieve their goals through education. Since its inception in 1869, the nonprofit organization has helped more than 105,000 women pursue educational goals by providing more than $321 million in grants, scholarships, awards and loans. Through its membership, the P.E.O. Sisterhood is passionate about helping women advance through education, while supporting and motivating them along the way. To learn more about P.E.O. and its powerful educational philanthropies, visit P.E.O.’s  state and international websites.

DAR

Drum Hill DAR Announces Kace Stewart and Dylan Pojano as Scholarship Recipients

The Drum Hill Scholar Award recognizes and rewards, with a $1,000 scholarship, individuals who possess the qualities of outstanding academic achievement, dependability, service, leadership, and commitment to patriotism in their homes, schools, and communities. The Scholar Program, which has been in place for over 60 years, has honored students who have gone on to careers as renowned concert pianists, philanthropists, doctors, lawyers and educators.

Drum Hill Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) announced that this year’s recipients are two students from Wilton High School, both of whom embrace the DAR ideals of patriotism, historic preservation and education.

Kace Stewart is an Eagle Scout, member of the soccer team and Youth Conservation Corps in Idaho, and coordinator of the WHS Socks 4 Vets program. He will be attending the University of Michigan, Ross School of Business, studying how conservation and preservation can be applied to business practices and work.

Dylan Pojano is very active in the performing arts, as a volunteer and mentor with Wilton Children’s Theater. Pojano has served as a local society president of the Children of the American Revolution and is currently the state president. His state project, “Heartsome Harmony,” is raising funds to provide musical instruments to children who would otherwise be unable to afford to play. He will be attending Hofstra University in the fall and plans to pursue a BA in drama with a minor in communications.

Pictured above:  (top row) Lily Kepner, Kace Stewart and Julia Morneau; (bottom row) Dylan Pojano and Anne McArdle.