Pleasant Valley High School announced the names of the three recipients of the Singer Family C & E Foundation Scholarship from the Class of 2026.

The recipients are Natalie Hayes, Chelsea Henry and Rylan Kresge. The scholarship amounts to a total of $30,000 per student and is distributed in increments of $7,500 each year for four years.

“I’m definitely appreciative of it; $30,000 is crazy,” Henry said, and added that her mom said a scholarship of that much could be life changing.

Kresge agreed.

“No college is cheap. This just really allows me to pursue my dreams,” Kresge said. “I’ve always wanted a Ph.D. and hopefully now I can get it.” She would be the first in her family to get a doctorate.

Kresge plans to attend Bloomsburg University and major in exercise science with a specialization in prosthetics and orthopedics.

Both Hayes and Henry haven’t selected a college yet, but said the scholarship will help them in making that decision.

“You’re less concerned about the cost of college,” Hayes said.

Henry is considering East Stroudsburg University, Penn State University and Moravian College. Like Kresge, she wants to major in exercise science.

Hayes is looking at Delaware Valley College and Penn State University, and wants to major in large animal sciences.

After working on farms and being around large animals like horses and cows, Hayes said she sees how important these animals are to their owners and would like to be a veterinarian.

All three girls are good students, ranking in the top 10% of their class, but they say their ability to be compassionate is what helped them win the scholarships.

“It’s definitely more of a character-based scholarship, than academics,” Kresge said.

“The Singer family looks at your heart,” Hayes added.

The scholarship also is not based on financial need. Instead, it focuses on finding students who embody the four pillars, which are four core values: compassion, integrity, community and perseverance.

In addition to being a caring person and hard worker, Hayes said, “I think my compassion stood out.”

Kresge said she’s a good listener and cares about people’s mental health. “I’m a person that you can talk to,.” said.

Henry said she strives “to look out for and make sure that everyone gets represented accurately and effectively, and then also make sure everybody is included in any project.”

Henry is president of student government and Future Business Leaders of America, and a member of National Honor Society, National Art Honor Society, National Business Honor Society, National English Honor Society, Aevidum, Leo Club and yearbook.

Kresge is president of Health Occupations Students of America, secretary of the National Honor Society and National Art Honor Society, and a member of Aevidum.

Hayes said she didn’t have time for clubs at school, because she attends classes at Monroe Career & Technical Institute. She is studying carpentry and works in a co-op with WS Design & Build in Stroudsburg.

“I just wanted to learn a trade,” Hayes said. “I thought building houses was really interesting.”

Building houses is in her blood. Hayes said that her mother and her maternal grandmother ran a company called Sunrise Homes with her maternal aunt. She said her mother is her greatest inspiration.

Henry, too, is inspired by her parents. She appreciates their hard work to provide for her and her siblings.

For the Class of 2027, the girls encourage members to apply for the scholarship, even if they don’t think they have a chance of winning it.

“You’re not losing anything by trying,” Kresge said.

“You never know unless you try,” Henry added.