New Bedford’s Azorean Maritime Heritage Society awards $5,500 in scholarships to local students

The Azorean Maritime Heritage Society has awarded $5,500 in scholarships to five local students.

The scholarships were presented by our Scholarship Committee on August 16th at Prince Henry the Navigator Park on Pope’s Island in New Bedford.

This year’s scholarship winners:

Christian Gwozdz Silveira, graduate of Dartmouth High School, is the recipient of our $1,500 Dr. Mary T. Vermette Memorial Scholarship. He will be attending Bristol Community College to study Business.

Jack Octavio Matos, graduate of Durfee High School, plans to attend UMass Amherst to major in Business Administration. He received our $1,000 Faial Scholarship.

Emilia Costa, graduate of Dartmouth High School, plans to attend Providence College to major in Marketing. She received our $1,000 Pico Scholarship.

Bianca Almeida, graduate of Dartmouth High School, will be attending Lasell University to study Business/Fashion Merchandising. She received our $1,000 Bela Vista Scholarship.

Kaleigh Sousa, graduate of New Bedford High School, plans to attend University of Connecticut to study Biology. She is the recipient of our $1,000 scholarship in memory of Bernice Mae Dutra Georgadarellis.

Many of the funds for these scholarships come from an Annual Scholarship fundraising dinner dance held every February. As the Society was not able to hold this important fundraising dinner this past winter due to Covid, we welcome donations from the community to support this scholarship program.

The Scholarship Committee, led by Chairperson Barbara Traban, includes Larry Almeida, Lucilia Amaral, Tracy Brett, Susan Curado, Paul Georgadarellis, Dyan Kieltyka, and Celeste LeBoeuf.

The Azorean Maritime Heritage Society promotes Azorean culture and shared whaling heritage by raising awareness and pride within New England’s Portuguese-American community. The Society began the International Azorean Whaleboat Regatta in 2004, which alternates between Portugal and the U.S. every 2 years. The community is invited to come out for a free row or sail on these magnificent boats in Clarks Cove this September, no experience necessary.

To donate to the scholarship fund and for more information about these activities, visit the Society’s website at www.azoreanmaritime.org.

Azorean Maritime Heritage Society photo.