ESA Reveals 2016 Youth Scholarship Program Winners
Each year the annual scholarship program recognizes children of first responders.
Katherine Waugh of Easton, Conn., received top honors with a first-place scholarship of $8,500 and Trevor Carney of Rochester, N.Y., was awarded $3,500 for second place. Both students will be honored during a special presentation during ESX 2016 in Fort Worth, Texas.
IRVING, Texas – The Electronic Security Association has awarded $12,000 in scholarship funds to students from Connecticut and New York as a part of the association’s annual Youth Scholarship Program sponsored by DMP, Hikvision and Monitronics.
Katherine Waugh of Easton, Conn., received top honors with a first-place scholarship of $8,500 and Trevor Carney of Rochester, N.Y., was awarded $3,500 for second place.
Since the program’s inception in 1996, ESA and its affiliated chartered chapters have donated $621,500 in scholarship funds to children of police officers and firefighters.
“The police officers and firefighters that protect and serve our communities are true heroes and deserve our unwavering gratitude,” says ESA President Marshall Marinace. “These men and women put their lives on the line every day, and ESA on behalf of the electronic security industry is pleased to support these incredible families. Awarding scholarships to the first responders’ impressive children is one of the ways we can thank our deserving public safety partners and do our part to make their lives just a little easier.”
Waugh is a 2016 graduate of Joel Barlow High School where she excels in both academic and extracurricular activities while simultaneously taking an active role in her community. She held a cumulative 4.415 GPA at the time of her scholarship application, including multiple advanced placement courses such as AP Physics and AP Music Theory. Waugh’s extracurricular activities include vice president of class council, varsity soccer goalkeeper, secretary of the National Honor Society, officer of Modern Music Masters Honor Society, JBHS Select Choir, A Cappella Academy participant, and team captain of Physics Olympics. She is also a frequent national anthem singer, performer for various benefit concerts and holds the position of Junior Deacon at her church, Greenfield Hill Congressional Church.
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Katherine’s father, Steven Waugh, is chief at Easton Volunteer Fire Company No.1 and was the inspiration behind her essay. As a part of their entries, each applicant was required to write an essay entitled, “What it means to me to have my parent or guardian involved in securing our community.” Waugh wrote about her father and his sacrifices for their community and how he has motivated her to be more involved, as well.
“Seeing my dad as a leader in the community drove me to run for class officer in eighth grade and every year since,” says Waugh. “Having observed the positive impact my dad and his fellow firefighters have on the community, I want to be able to positively impact my school community through leadership.”
Carney is a 2016 graduate of Irondequoit High School where he has maintained straight A’s and a 4.0 GPA. Carney is captain of the varsity lacrosse team, captain of the varsity soccer team, class vice president, service coordinator for the National Honor Society, Eagle Scout, National Youth Leadership Trainer, DECA competitor, and summer 2015 research intern at the Rochester Institute of Technology. Carney is passionate about sports, the military and cars.
Trevor’s father, Patrick Carney, is a member of the Rochester Police Department where he serves on the K9 Unit and Special Operation Division. In his essay, Trevor details an “in-the-field” emergency he experienced while working as a confidential informant with his father and what that moment meant to him.
“Two police officers were trapped inside of a home with a man armed with a shotgun,” says Carney. “We paused our detail while the other officers working with us raced to the scene. Mentally, I lost control as my mind imagined my father stuck inside that house and feared hearing a fatal shot. Perhaps worse, my father and his boss in the front seat were perfectly calm, as this was simply a normal occurrence.”
The full essays by the 2016 awardees can be read on ESA’s Youth Scholarship page.
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