Education & Leadership Through Sports

Above, (L-R) are Brody Havelka, Avery Molek and teacher Suzanne Ashmore presenting one of the scholarship checks to Lily Coppolo

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BSI hosted a Student Leadership Forum this spring. It was hosted at Trinity High School on Thursday April 13, with NATO and the UN to be high-lighted.  Students from six area high schools will have  the opportunity to take part. Four student volunteers will be assisting with the project and they are Alexia Caldwell and Owen Baker from Trinity HS along with Cody Havelka and Avery Molek from CHHS. Special thank you to the Trinity HS - and teachers Steve Polansky of THS and Suzanne Achmore of CHHS who assisted with the project.

Presenters included Lt. Col. Erik Schillo of the 171st USAF base near Pittsburgh and Robert Baines. President and CEO of the NATO Association of Canada. 

(additional photos from the event are shown on the right)
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BSI  SCHOLARSHIPS  for 2022  
The 2021/2022 school year produced a large number of scholarship winners for BSI.  The recent winner from fall '22 projects included Emily Brooks and Nick Coffield both of CHHS and Isaiah Trumbull of the Obama Academy (Pgh.) They join earlier scholarship winners Anna Durbin- West Greene HS, John Sacco - Monessen HS, Elliott Wentzel, Chartiers-Houston HS, and Eben McIntyre- Charleroi HS. CONGRATULATIONS to all award winners.
 
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 During the summer of 2022 BSI assisted a German graduate student - Dominik Wrobel during his 10-week independent study program in Western PA. (photo below - Dominik Wrobel (L) with Washington County Chamber of Commerce President Jeff Kotula)   While in the area, Dominik, an Economics Major, visited various businesses and also assisted BSI with two high school Student Leadership Forums - one at Upper St. Clair HS and the other at Chartiers-Houston. They we deemed a great success. "Having someone like Dominik here meeting with area students and exchanging ideas and answering questions, was helpful in developing a better understanding between students here and in Germany," commented Leo Trich of BSI.


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Corey Blommel of Chartiers Houston High School was selected to receive a 2021 special Student Forum  BSI Scholarships announced last November. He was selected, in part based on academic accomplishments, his school and community involvement and sports leadership abilities. Corey also recently took part in a student forum, regarding international affairs sponsored by BSI in cooperation with the CHSD.

Additional scholarships will be awarded in May and again in the fall of 2022, as part of BSI's expanding scholarship program.

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FROM THE RECENT PAST .........

SUCCESS. Our project in co-operation with the World Affairs Council of Pgh was a success. We hosted a Student Leadership Forum at Robert Morris Univ. Nearly 150 high school seniors and faculty members from 14 area school districts took part. We arranged for 3 great presenters- US Congressman Conor Lamb; Jessica Friedrichs (Carlow University) and a former French Consul Jean-Pierre Collet and they covered the importance of US alliances, diplomacy and volunteerism -at home and abroad.

Leo Trich was very impressed by the students and how interested they were in world engagement. That was our goal. THANK YOU TO ALL WHO ATTENDED and to all who helped make it possible. Five $1000 scholarships, $1000 each, will be awarded. Selections will be made from among those who attended.  
Those selected : Madeline Ganoe (Rotary Club of Pgh Award); Atharv Bhave (Washington Co. Chamber of Commerce Award); Michael Koroly (North Franklin Twp. Business and Recreation Authority Award); Olivia Estright (BSI Larry Kushner Award) and Rhea Karim (BSI Leaders Award) 



The selection committee followed this format - selection based (1) on school/community leadership involvement, (2) Volunteerism, (3) financial need and (4) scholastic achievements (grades)      

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Ballpark Scholarship Inc, (BSI) was founded in 2001 and is a non-profit volunteer organization. We are devoted to supporting the further education of young athletes from Western Pennsylvania and to promote their leadership in the community. Although the original mission included the building of profession sports venue (Home of the Washington Wild Things), as a way to promote economic development and enhance the quality of life through sports entertainment, that mission also includes providing college scholarships. In doing so, we assist area high school seniors further their education. In addition, BSI wants to reward and promote area athletes who show leadership traits and a desire to help their schools and community, by volunteering their time to help others.

Please look over our website and see how you might help us in our mission.  We encourage you to part in our efforts. Join us our mission -   EDUCATION & LEADRESHIP Through SPORTS.