Nineteen eighth graders from local Catholic elementary schools will receive $1,000 scholarships each from the Diocese of Allentown to attend Marian Catholic High School, Hometown and Nativity

B.V.M. High School, Pottsville, in September.They are among 133 eighth grade students from elementary schools around the diocese, and one student each of the three Special Learning Centers in the diocese, who will receive the scholarships on Saturday during the annual Bishop's Scholar Society Awards Ceremony at Berks Catholic High School, Reading.The diocese's administrator, Monsignor Alfred A. Schlert, will present the awards, which are based on academic achievement, school, parish and community activities, leadership roles and recommendations from their principal and their pastor.At the same ceremony, 12 seniors, one boy and one girl from each of the six diocesan high schools, will be presented with $500 scholarships for post-secondary education and plaques declaring them Bishop's Catholic Scholars. The students were chosen based on their academics, school involvement, Catholic faith and community service.The Marian recipients are Frank J. Blozusky Jr. and Kathleen G. Blozusky.Dr. Richard J. O'Donnell, Marian Catholic High School class of 1981, will receive the Distinguished Catholic Alumni Award, presented to recognize alumni, chosen by the schools, who have achieved outstanding success in their fields, are practicing Catholics, and role models for today's student scholars.Schlert said these scholarships are available because of the generosity of the people of the Diocese of Allentown, who, through the Bishop's Annual Appeal, provide funding for these scholarships.Eighteen of the local recipients will attend Marian while the 19th student will attend Nativity.Local scholarship recipients are:MarianDante Agosti, Rebecca Dzuranin, Emily Rebecca Haas, Charizma J. Hiles, Stephen Puza, Corey Rehnert and Christina Walko, all students at St. Jerome Regional School, Tamaqua.Benjamin Alec Artz of Assumption

B.V.M. School.Karina Barcenas, Haley Curnow, Kaitlyn Doyle, Emily Anne Kayes, Mackenzie McAndrew, Jacalyn Possessky, students at Trinity Academy, Shenandoah.John Patrick Malarkey III and Owen Brady, both of St. Joseph Regional Academy, Jim Thorpe.Jamison Wheeler of St. John Neumann Regional School, Palmerton.Tatianna Zeleniak, a student at St. Joseph the Worker School, Orefield.NativitySamuel J. Sterns, a student at St. Jerome Regional School, Tamaqua.