Celebrating Excellence: 2025 ACCL Scholarship Awards Ceremony Honors Outstanding Students

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Pictured above are ACCL Board Members along with their 2025 scholarship recipients (holding their scholarship certificates) who attended the luncheon on June 17, 2025.  Front row, from left to right: Nichole Geraci, ACCL Board of Directors; Alona Livengood, scholarship recipient; Ava Schrecengost, scholarship recipient, Natalie Kamer, scholarship recipient, Calise Czekanski, scholarship recipient; Morgan Rupert, scholarship recipient; Dr. Paula Berry, ACCL Board of Directors; Jessica Schaub, ACCL Board of Directors; Jennifer Palumbo, ACCL Board of Directors.  Second row:  Nicholas Kinter, scholarship recipient; Gianna Dobransky, scholarship recipient; Jocelyn Appleman, scholarship recipient; Taylor Ripple, scholarship recipient; Alena Taladay, scholarship recipient; Megan Hayes, scholarship recipient; Nicholas Raleigh, scholarship recipient; Everett Walker, scholarship recipient; Dr. D. Wesley Minteer, ACCL Board of Directors.  Back row:  Philip Tack, ACCL Board of Directors; David McFarland, ACCL Board of Directors; Kimberly Smith, ACCL Board of Directors; Dr. Richard Muth, ACCL Board of Directors.

ACCL Awards Nineteen Scholarships Totaling $32,000 to Post-Secondary Students

The Armstrong Center for Community Learning (ACCL) held their annual Scholarship Awards Ceremony on June 17, 2025 to congratulate the recipients of the 2025 McAllister Scholarships, ACCL Post-Secondary Scholarships, William R. Schall Memorial Scholarship, and the inaugural Future Nurses of Armstrong County Scholarship.  Nineteen (19) scholarship recipients and their family members were invited to join the ACCL Board of Directors and Staff during the ceremony at the Outdoor Discovery Center at Crooked Creek, which included a catered lunch from Garda’s Restaurant.  Forty-four people attended the luncheon.

The McAllister Scholarships, originated by the late Mrs. Mary Lou McAllister, are awarded to students who reside in the greater Ford City area and are pursuing a bachelor’s degree.  Since 2004, the ACCL has awarded 115 McAllister Scholarships for more than $275,000.  This year, seven (7) McAllister Scholarships were awarded for a total of $19,000.  This year’s McAllister Scholarship recipients included:

  • Jocelyn Appleman, Ford City PA – University of Pittsburgh (Nursing)
  • Calise Czekanski, Ford City PA – Community College of Beaver County (Aviation)
  • Gianna Dobransky, Ford City PA – Penn State University (Science)
  • Natalie Kamer, Ford City PA – Slippery Rock University (Education)
  • Nicholas Kinter, Ford City PA – Bowling Green State University (Aviation)
  • Alena Taladay, Ford City PA – Westminster College (Early Childhood Education & Special Education)
  • Lisa Morgan, Ford City PA – Indiana University of PA (Biology)

The Armstrong Center for Community Learning started the ACCL Post-Secondary Scholarship in 2023, which directs funds to students pursuing post-secondary studies at any accredited institution.  The third annual ACCL Post-Secondary Scholarships were awarded based on financial need, with priority given to first generation college students.  Ten (10) scholarships were awarded for a total of $9,000.  This year’s ACCL Post-Secondary Scholarship recipients included:

  • Taylor Dailey, East Brady, PA – PennWest Edinboro (Nursing)
  • Megan Hayes, Rural Valley, PA – University of Pittsburgh at Johnstown (Nursing)
  • Alona Livengood, Kittanning, PA – Indiana University of PA (Medical Imaging/Sonography)
  • Addison Mechling, Worthington, PA – La Roche University (Radiology Technician)
  • Catharina Monroe – Leechburg, PA – University of Pittsburgh (Bioengineering)
  • Nicholas Raleigh, Kittanning, PA – University of Pittsburgh (Mechanical Engineering)
  • Taylor Ripple, Templeton, PA – Grove City College (Biology/Health)
  • Morgan Rupert, Dayton, PA – Duquesne University (Nursing)
  • Ava Schrecengost, Kittanning, PA – Duquesne University (Biochemistry)
  • Everett Walker, Kittanning, PA – University of Pittsburgh at Johnstown (Computer Science)

In 2024, the Armstrong Center for Community Learning created a scholarship in memory of the late William R. Schall, who was instrumental in preserving the Outdoor Discovery Center at Crooked Creek (ODC) and identifying the ACCL as its operational steward.  Mr. Schall’s family initially established the fund to support the programming and operations of the ODC.  Last year, with the family’s approval, the ACCL named a scholarship in memory of Mr. Schall utilizing the fund the family previously established.  The purpose of the annual William R. Schall Memorial Scholarship is to assist students pursuing a post-secondary education leading to a degree in the environmental and agricultural industries.  This year, one William R. Schall Memorial Scholarship was awarded to:

  • Jesse Knell, Vandergrift, PA – Pennsylvania College of Technology (Forestry)

New for 2025 is the Future Nurses of Armstrong County Scholarship, created through the heartfelt generosity of a donor who has chosen to remain anonymous.  Guided by a deep commitment to the nursing profession and a desire to support the next generation of compassionate caregivers, the donor created this fund to help remove financial barriers for aspiring nurses.  Their gift reflects a quiet yet powerful belief in the critical roles nurses play in the health and well-being of society.  Through this scholarship, future nurses are empowered to pursue their calling and make a lasting impact in the lives of others.  The ACCL awarded one (1) Future Nurses of Armstrong Scholarship to:

  • Danica Sopcak, Leechburg, PA – Indiana University of PA (Nursing)

Of the nineteen students awarded scholarships, six students are returning to college, and thirteen students are 2025 high school graduates entering college this fall.

Applications for the above-mentioned scholarships open in February of each year and are available at www.armstrongcenter.org.  Next year, the ACCL will offer an additional scholarship for Future Teachers of Armstrong County.  Designed to support and encourage students who are passionate about becoming teachers and making a positive impact in the field of education, the Future Teachers of Armstrong County Scholarship will be open to high school seniors and undergraduate students who are pursuing a degree in education or a related field that leads to teacher certification.  The new scholarship was established by a dedicated group of Armstrong County high school guidance counselors, who recognize the critical need for passionate, skilled educators, for students who show exceptional promise as future educators.

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