The Weatherly Area High School Alumni Association recently announced the 2022 WAHSAA Scholarship recipient. Richard Ray, son of Rick and Staci Ray of Weatherly has been awarded the $15,000 scholarship from his graduating class.

Ray serves as president for the Class of 2022 as well as 2019 and 2021. He also held the office of president of the National Honor Society in 2021 and 2022.

Ray has been a member of the Envirothon from 2016 though 2022, attaining the goal of League Champions. He is also a member of the track team, serving as co-captain in 2021 and 2022 and placing second at district competition, member of the Cross Country Team attaining Schuylkill League and District Champions.

Volunteering comes as a second nature to Ray while helping at the Salem United Church of Christ, Weatherly Hillclimb, Weatherly Festival, cleanup at Eurana Park, and Weatherwood Nursing & Rehabilitation Center.

Graduating second in his class, he has achieved honors every marking period through high school.

Ray will be attending Penn State University in the fall, where he will be study Mechanical Engineering. His long range goal is to achieve a master’s degree in aerospace engineering and to be employed by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration.

The Scholarship Fund has been established in the name of the Weatherly Area High School Alumni Association. The Scholarship Committee of that association devised the guidelines and plan of operation contained herein. The wealth of the fund has been built over the years by contributions and donations made by people and organizations interested in education. This money has been invested in various instruments which make up the principal of the fund.

The association desires that the investment interest from the fund be used only to provide scholarships to Weatherly Area School District students and who graduate from Weatherly Area High School or the Carbon County vocational technical school. The scholarship is to be used for extended education at an institution of higher education or a more specialized institution of learning, which shall be approved by the Scholarship Program Committee. Members are: Chairman Sue Ann Gerhard, Brian O’Donnell, Carol Hill, Barbara Sandt, Angela Gregory, Margaret Jeffries, Chris Henritzy, Barbara Sipler and guidance counselor Sarah Minnick.

The scholarship was established in 1998, and the following have received this award: 1998, Sarah Hamm; 1999, Raymond Marcero; 2000, Erin Lesko; 2001, Angela Petrone; 2002, Courtney Hadzick; 2003, Lindsey Hinkle; 2004, Kerri Romig; 2005, Jeremy Leach; 2006, James Somers; 2007, Joshua Titus; 2008, Jennifer Miller; 2009, Amanda Bartosevich; 2010, Melanie Clabia; 2011, Mia Cavello; 2012, Matthew Caccese; 2013, Heather Cichowic; 2014, Rachel Moon; 2015, Catherine Strizak; 2016, Muskan Khatiwala; 2017, Breena Coxe; 2018, Samantha Knepper; 2019, Nikki Polivka; 2020, Alianna Hernandez; 2021, Lilli Kunkle; 2022, Richard Ray.

Other scholarships given by the association and alumni are: $4,000 Wilbur (Tim) Frable Memorial Scholarship - Jessica Moster; $2,500 Harry & Loretta Allison Award - Angelina Davis; $1,000 Hugo Paul Family Memorial Award - Timothy Maguschak; $1,000 Anna Raynock Memorial Scholarship - Kayla Jones; $750 - Frank Willis $750 - Rhianne Markovchick; $500 - Abigail Hinkle; $500 - Zachary Bresnak; $500 - Mason Stewart.