Last night, the Loggia Giovanni da Verrazzano #1236 Order of Sons and Daughters of Italy in America awarded scholarships to 14 seniors at its 35th Annual Scholarship and Excellence in the Study of Italian Ceremony at Tappan Zee High School. Each scholarship winner gave a brief speech in Italian and in English, thanking the Loggia, their teachers and their families.
The 2023 recipients are:
- Louis “Sonny” DiCasoli Scholarship in Memory of Michele Arroyo: Samantha Talone
- Salvatore Conigliaro Memorial Scholarship: Fiona Treanor
- 2023 Loggia Giovanni da Verrazano #1236 Scholarships: Panagiota Alatsas, Philip Bray, Nicholas Burns, Dylan Canter, Mariel Caulfield, Megan Clancy, Jack Haughey, Kate Haughey, Carly Sardo, Olivia Supaswud, Olivia Temple and Esther Tyler.
“[Piermont Sons of Italy Social Club President and Loggia Past President] Joe Stillo is an alumnus who came from Italy in 1966 and I came from Cuba the same year–so we have a connection. I cannot stress how important it is to speak a second, and even a third, language. It gives you a tremendous advantage in the job market, no matter what career you pursue. Keep up with your language study, continue to practice…and congratulations!”
Twenty-four students were inducted into the Lodge’s Italian Language and Culture Honor Roll with a brief, candlelight ceremony for earning an average of 90 or higher for four years of Italian study: Layla Barber, Claire Berkowitz, Philip Bray, Nicholas Burns, Dylan Canter, Mariel Caulfield, Ethan Chen, Megan Clancy, Owen Dell’Accio, Sofia DeStefano, Nicholas Grippi, Jack Haughey, Kate Haughey, Ariana Kupi, Aine Malora, Hannah McMackin, Charles Santoro, Carly Sardo, Olivia Supaswud, Samantha Talone, Olivia Temple, Daniel Thomas, Fiona Treanor and Esther Tyler
Merit awards were presented to 35 SOMS eighth-graders and 109 TZHS Italian II, III, IV and V students for achieving an average of 90 or higher in their Italian coursework.
Italian has been offered as a world language to South Orangetown students for more than 50 years. Instruction begins in sixth grade with an introductory course emphasizing cultural understanding and basic listening and speaking skills and extends through high school culminating with college level courses and the option to take the AP Italian Language and Culture exam.
Congratulations to our Italian language students and to World Language teachers Christina Nilson, Vittoria Conway and Maria Bruno!