The hard work and organization of the Sloatsburg Scholarship Fund and village officials paid dividends this past Monday when Sloatsburg made a strong showing at the Evening of Excellence awards dinner, held at the William L. Ransom auditorium at Suffern High School. Led by Mayor Carl Wright, Sloatsburg awarded five scholarships to Sloatsburg students during the evening’s ceremonies.

The Sloatsburg Scholarship Fund was created this past year to take over organizational and fundraising responsibility from the Village of Sloatsburg for a diverse group of student scholarships that awarded nearly $1500 in scholarships to Sloatsburg students, including the Joseph S. Vega, Trooper Robert V. Conklin, Chief Joseph Miele, and two Constitutional Scholar awards.

Chief Joseph Miele Scholarship / $400, won by SHS Senior Tamiris Askarova

Thomas Donnelly, Joseph Miele’s son-in-law, a former Ramapo police officer and currently school resource officer at SHS, presented the scholarship to Sloatsburg senior Tamiris Askarova. The Joseph Miele Scholarship is awarded to a graduating village senior who has demonstrated leadership, concern for others, integrity and commitment to excellence, and who plans to enter either police or fire service, or another type of public service.

Named in honor of former Ramapo Police Chief Joseph Miele, the scholarship is funded in part by the Miele family. Miele, born and raised in Sloatsburg, died this past November at Good Samaritan Hospital in Suffern and lived an epic life of sorts. Miele’s titles and activities sound remarkable when reeled off — Ramapo Police Chief for 33 years, one-time fire chief and 68-year member of the Sloatsburg fire department, member of the Sloatsburg Ambulance Corp., member of the U.S. Coast Guard who saw action in WWII, graduate of the FBI National Academy in Quantico, VA., college graduate, founder of the American Legion Post 1643 in Sloatsburg.

Joseph S. Vega Sr / $300, won by Chistopher Beraja

Awarded to a graduating senior from the village who demonstrates a love for learning, concern for the welfare of other, a desire to protect the environment, and who plans to enter some type of public service, such as the fire or police department, the scholarship was presented by Vega’s grandson Mark Heftler.

The Vega scholarship is also funded in part by the Vega family in memory of Sloatsburg resident Joseph Vega Sr., who passed away in July of 2010. Vega was an active member of the Sloatsburg Volunteer Fire Department since 1966 and served as a fire fighter, fire policeman, captain of the Sloatsburg fire police, director of the Ramapo Fire police, as well as former Sloatsburg building inspector.

New York State Trooper Robert V. Conklin / $300, won by Douglas Volpicella

Awarded in honor of Robert Conklin, the scholarship is given to a Sloatsburg senior who has demonstrated exemplary citizenship, leadership, athleticism, community service, and who is planning a career in law enforcement or a related service. The scholarship is given in recognition of Trooper Robert Conklin, who died at the end of his watch on July 4, 1948 at just 24 years of age, and is sponsored by the NY State Police Benevolent Association.

NY State Trooper Joseph Dawson, a 1994 graduate of SHS, made the presentation.

Conklin was was born in Hillburn and raised in Sloatsburg. He served in the U.S. Navy reserve and the U.S. Maritime Service during World War II, played semi-pro baseball and tried out for New York Giants, before becoming a trooper in 1946. In 2008, nearly 60 years after his death, Sloatsburg honored Conklin by naming the road to the Community Fields after him. The ceremony included  dedicating a tree, stone marker, and bronze plaque in his memory. A picture of Trooper Conklin on his state police motorcycle, along with a memorial flag, hangs in the Sloatsburg Municipal Building.

Conklin died while pursuing a speeding vehicle on Rt. 9W in Ulster County. When he attempted to pass a vehicle so he could catch up with the speeding car, he apparently was forced into the center divide and thrown from his motorcycle.

Constitutional Scholar / $100 per student, won by Stephanie Chen And Rahul Gorgia

Suffern High School Debate Club advisor and AP English/Constitutional Law teacher Dr. Robert Wilson presented the Constitutional scholarships. Two Suffern High School debate teams scored trophies at the 2012 Rockland County high school championships.

The Sloatsburg Scholarship Fund is composed of committee members Adriana Armstrong, Jeanine Cahoon, Anne Down, Marino Fontana Karen Hansen, Patricia Hartnett, Annmarie McAnany, Mike McKenna, and Joe Napo.