Maine high school student-athletes Alicia Gaiero of Belfast, Jessicca Girsa of Millinocket and Hannah Morley of East Boothbay were honored for their integrity and sportsmanship and each received a $5,000 Hood Milk Sportsman Scholarship during a ceremony at TD Garden in Boston this week.
Three high school seniors from each of the six New England states — Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island and Vermont — were honored on May 16.
Now in its seventh year, the Hood Milk Sportsmanship Scholarship is one of the largest scholarship programs in New England and continues to receive thousands of applications from New England high school seniors. Ten finalists were determined from each state by a general public vote, which was followed by in-person interviews by a panel of independent judges who selected the winners from each state.
Gord Kluzak, a former Boston Bruins defenseman and current investment adviser at Goldman Sachs, was in attendance to deliver an address on the importance of good sportsmanship.
“I have been involved with the Hood Milk Sportsmanship Scholarship Program for the past three years and always look forward to discussing how sportsmanship, respect and integrity have played integral roles in both my professional and personal life,” Kluzak said in a news release. “During my time with the Bruins, I learned that sportsmanship defines an athlete and has a far greater impact than a short term win. I’m proud to be part of this program.”
Gaiero will be attending the University of Maine this fall while Girsa is heading to UMaine-Fort Kent and Morley to the University of Rhode Island.
Each applicant was required to meet the following in order to participate in the program: minimum of 3.0 GPA, participated in a varsity sport in high school, volunteered in his/her community, and displayed a high degree of sportsmanship while participating in high school sports.
The students then completed an application that included an essay explaining how they display sportsmanship and integrity on and off the field.