Pine Island Chamber awards Black Dirt scholarships

Celebrating the 10th anniversary of the Black Dirt Scholarship, the Pine Island Chamber of Commerce is pleased to announce this year’s winners.

The chamber awards three annual scholarships of $1,500 each to students who have demonstrated a commitment to and involvement in community volunteer service or community work experience.

Students are able to apply in three different categories:

Agriculture/Equestrian studies;

Culinary Arts/Hospitality; and the Arts and Sciences.

This year’s winners are:

Luke Blumenberg

Luke will be attending Binghamton University where he plans to study biology in a pre-med program. He is a member of National Honor Society and served as an after-school tutor for other students.

He achieved several top honors at S.S. Seward Institute, including the Sportsmanship Award, the President’s Education Award for Outstanding Academic Achievement, the Triple C Award (Commitment, Courage, Character), the Spartan of Excellence Award for Academic Achievement, and the National Outdoor Achievement Award.

Luke is an Eagle Scout and learned the importance and value of community service during his time in scouting. This commitment played a critical role in his decision to teach kids how to play basketball during his time at CYO programs, devoting time to the Sugar Loaf Methodist Church Roast Beef Dinner programs, and his eventual Eagle Scout Project decision to build a Gaga Ball Pit for youth summer recreation at the Warwick Town Park in Pine Island.

Katherine Smith

Katherine will be attending the University of Notre Dame, studying neuroscience and behavior, in order to eventually learn more about the brain and neurological diseases. She believes that there is an abundance of neurological disorders and diseases that have much less recognition by researchers and medical professionals when it comes to treatment.

Katherine was the captain of the cross country, indoor track and outdoor track teams; a two-time track NY State Champion; a two-time track All-American; and an MVP in both indoor and outdoor track teams.

Meanwhile, she sustained a summa cum laude academic achievement during all four years of high school.

She is a leader both inside and outside of the classroom, according to many of her teachers. Katherine was active in the sports medicine club and was a Junior EMS Ambulance Corps member, where she served for four years. As a member of the National Honor Society, she also volunteered to tutor other students.

Katherine will be graduating with a Biliteracy Seal from New York State for Spanish.

Paul Gagliano

Paul will be pursuing a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree at Manhattan School of Music. He has been active in Wire Choir, CTEC Awards night, playing for the local camp for children of migrant workers, and community performances at the Albert Wisner Library.

Paul has also participated in Fiddle Frenzy, a program that encourages musicians to volunteer their time for the community by playing for local nursing homes, senior centers, supermarkets, malls and festivals. He has also served as Vice President of the acclaimed Meistersingers during his senior year, and is he is also an accomplished violinist.

He has been accepted into All-County and Area All- State for both violin and voice for three years. Paul is a member of the National Honor Society, the NYSSMA (New York State School Music Association) during 2020, and is a Pine Island Chamber Youth Achievement Award recipient. He has also earned High Honor Role status for the last four years.

Michael Kamrowski

To commemorate the 10th anniversary of the scholarship, Committee Chair, Sondra Hall, reached out to the first recipient of the Black Dirt Scholarship from 2011.

Michael Kamrowski, also a student from S.S. Seward Institute in Florida, had pursued a career in environmental sciences at Penn State University. Michael had earned his B.S. degree in Environmental Resource Management, with a focus in soil sciences.

He is currently employed as a soil safety specialist for Schiavone Construction, experts in tunneling and excavation, for the New York City aqueduct project, a 60-mile water delivery system that the city has been building since 1970.

Michael continues to help out at his family farm which grows sweet corn, onions, pumpkins and squash, while maintaining his apiary business that he learned from the late James Wood, a Warwick beekeeper for many decades.

Michael also volunteers at the Florida Fire Department as he did while still in high school.

“The Black Dirt Scholarship was an important ingredient to the college expenses that I incurred,” Kamrowski said. “It helped offset the expenses of books, meal plans, and other fees. It was one less thing I had to worry about during my transition to a college program.”

Michael lives in Warwick with his wife Kristin and continues to be an active member of the community and an advocate for always giving back.

Essentials

Since its founding in 1961, the mission of the Pine Island Chamber of Commerce (http://pineislandny.com) has been to promote prosperity in the business community, support and enhance the uniqueness of the region, and to enrich the lives of all residents through community spirit and cooperation.