The Port Washington Children’s Center, a part of the community for more than 48 years, awarded its annual Alumni Scholarship to Matthew Calderon during a ceremony at Paul D. Schreiber High School.
PWCC board members Ann Mergler and Rona Moyer were on hand to present the award.
Each year, the $500 scholarship is awarded to a graduating high school senior who attended the Children’s Center. Applicants submit essays in response to the prompt: “How did the Center influence or help you with your education?” Calderon’s winning essay was praised by the PWCC scholarship committee for its heartfelt reflection on the center’s lasting impact.
“From my earliest memories, the Children’s Center was always a place of joy and learning,” Calderon wrote. “I learned that learning wasn’t just about being confined to books, it was an adventure filled with creativity and infinite opportunities. The Center wasn’t just a place to be before returning home, but became one of my homes.”
Calderon will graduate from Schreiber High School later this month and plans to attend the University at Buffalo in the fall.
“The Port Washington Children’s Center has always been dedicated to setting up our students for success from an early age,” Mergler and Moyer said in a joint statement. “By being able to present alumni with a scholarship every year, we have the opportunity to continue that mission throughout our students’ lives. It’s especially meaningful to see our former students thriving and giving voice to how our programs shaped them.”
“The Children’s Center laid a foundation in my heart and soul where learning was always a joyful experience… (It) allowed me to be me,” said Calderon.
For more information on the Port Washington Children’s Center and its programs, visit www.pwchildrenscenter.org.
