Beaver Valley Scholarship Recipients

$1,000 Scholarship

Payton Cornetti is a 2021 graduate of Butler Area Senior High School. At this time, she has not yet decided on a university, but has been accepted into Case Western Reserve University, Penn State University, and The University of Pittsburgh. She plans to study Finance as an undergraduate student and pursue an MBA. Payton looks forward to joining various academic and recreational clubs while in college and participating in study abroad opportunities. During high school, she was a member of the Butler Sequinette Dance Team for four years, National Junior Honor Society, National Honor Society, and Best Buddies. She has been a dance student at the Butler Center for the Performing Arts for 13 years and graduated from the Butler County Youth Leadership Program. Payton also volunteered as a Junior Auxiliary Candystriper at Butler Memorial Hospital and worked part time in addition to volunteering for various additional organizations.

$500 Scholarship

Alison “Ali” Cammisa will enter her junior year at Waynesburg University this fall. She is majoring in Early Childhood and Special Education and will graduate in the spring of 2023. Ali is involved in the campus community at Waynesburg University. She is a Waynesburg University Student Ambassador (WUSA) and gives tours to prospective students and is also a Resident Assistant in her hall. Ali also sings on the Waynesburg University Chapel team. In the fall 2020, Ali and three of her fellow peers began a virtual story time called The Book Buzz for children preschool through second grade. The program currently serves around 20 children per week. They read a story, dance, sing, color, and play games with the children each week!

Ali has several different future goals. She would like to become a Resident Director when she graduates because she loves resident life. She would also like to teach for a few years and potentially become a principal at an elementary school. Ultimately, she would like to become a Special Education Director in a school district.

$500 Scholarship

Allison Thomas is an incoming sophomore at Grove City College. She is double majoring in Elementary Education and Special Education. Allison made the Dean’s List with High Distinction at Grove City College. She attended Butler Senior High School and was involved in various activities such as National Honor Society, Future Business Leaders of America, and Best Buddies. She helped teach Sunday School to sixth graders in her church and tries to grow more and more in her faith every day. Dogs are one of her very favorite things in the world, along with her family, friends, and of course, coffee! She hopes to be a light in her students’ lives and to show them genuine love and care. Whether it be an elementary school classroom or a special education classroom she ends up in, she wants to make a positive impact on the lives of her students.