North New Hyde Park’s civic association is offering a scholarship to a high school senior with a proven commitment to community service.
The $1,000 award, open to children or grandchildren of Lakeville Estates Civic Association members, will go to the student with the strongest record of giving back to the Nassau County community, said Bill Cutrone, the civic group’s president.
“We don’t want the best athletes and we don’t want the smartest student, because they give out those awards already,” Cutrone said.
The scholarship is funded by dues from the civic association’s 320 members, Cutrone said. The group will likely continue the effort next year if it is successful, he said.
The group may give out two $500 awards if there are two outstanding applicants, Cutrone said, or give no award if there are no qualified applicants.
The civic association’s first-ever scholarship is part of its effort to raise its profile in the New Hyde Park community since it absorbed the North Lakeville Civic Association last year, Cutrone said.
Civic associations in Hicksville, Kings Park, Coram and Hampton Bays have also offered scholarships in recent years.
“It made a lot of sense to try to do something to give back,” Cutrone said.
The civic association’s membership has grown by about 100 since this time last year, and it has recently attracted some members from outside the North New Hyde Park area, Cutrone said.
The scholarship could help further the growth, Cutrone said, which he thinks is a recognition of the group’s work to repair and beautify local streets. Merging the two civic groups into one also helped it become more visible, he said.
“The more people that become involved in the civic, then our voices will be heard louder by the politicians and we can get more done for the New Hyde Park area,” Cutrone said.
Applicants for the Lakeville Estates Civic Association scholarship must submit a paper outlining their community service work and personal accomplishments in fewer than 500 words.
Applications must be postmarked by May 3 and mailed to the civic association at P.O. Box 46, New Hyde Park, N.Y. 11040.
