Wallkill Valley students earn scholarships

FRANKLIN — Two Wallkill Valley High School students were selected to share the Franklin High School Memorial Achievement Award for 2013.

Kodie HIlbert and Kelly Brown, both of Franklin, were selected for the award, which was made possible by the late Col. Albert Fischgrund, a former Franklin resident and a 1938 graduate of Franklin High School.

Kodie Hilbert, a graduating senior, will continue his education at Sussex County Community College, majoring in history, with his ultimate goal to teach history.

As a student council member and peer leader, his extra curricular community service activities have included participating in food collection for the local food pantries, a ski-athon fundraiser for a local cancer patient, and a March of Dimes fund raising dinner. He also has taken part in the handicap baseball challengers' game at Franklin Pond, assisting handicapped children to enjoy the game of baseball.

Brown, also a 2013 Wallkill Valley High School graduate, will attend New Jersey Institute of Technology, with a goal of obtaining a degree in biomedical engineering. Her training in this field will enable her to help create and design prosthetics, to benefit injured military, or the elderly who might require joint replacement.

During her years at Wallkill, Brown was an active sports participant, organizing fundraisers for Wounded Warriors, Pass It Along, Muscular Dystrophy research, and as a United Way volunteer for food drives. She also has been selected as a member of the National Honor Society, in addition to holding a part-time job.

After graduation, Fischgrund joined the US military and was commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant.