Luzerne County Head Start, Inc. held its 60th Anniversary Luncheon on May 19 to celebrate its longstanding commitment to enhancing the quality of life for low-income children and their families. Along with recognizing its staff for years of service, the agency granted college scholarships to former Head Start students and presented awards to its community partners.

Geisinger served as the event’s exclusive Diamond-level sponsor.

Special guests included PA Representative Brenda Pugh and staff from the offices of Congressman Rob Bresnahan, PA Senators Marty Flynn and Dave Argall, and PA Representatives Dane Watro and Alec Ryncavage.

Alumni Scholarship Program

Now in its 39th year, the Head Start Alumni Scholarship Program – funded by businesses, organizations and individuals in the community – honors the achievements of former Head Start students set to graduate from high school and continue their education. LCHS awarded $25,500 in scholarships this year to 16 seniors from Northeast Pennsylvania, bringing the total to $380,950 since the program’s inception. This year’s scholarship recipients were:

Kelvin Kocher, Wyoming Valley West High School, $6,000 Fran Williams Memorial Scholarship

Petra Pribula, Wyoming Area Secondary Center, $2,500 Mary & Tom Sewatsky Family Scholarship

Brenda Velasquez, Elk Lake Jr. Sr. High School, $2,000 Benco Family Foundation Scholarship

Maia Costagliola, Pittston Area High School, $2,000 Tomalis-Gatusky Family Scholarship

Mariely Sosa, Wilkes-Barre Area High School, $1,500 Eugene Hogan Memorial Scholarship

Georgia Baskett, Bloomsburg Area High School, $1,500 Jeffrey Rehill Memorial Scholarship

Anya Richet, Wyoming Valley West High School, $1,000 Cross Valley Federal Credit Union Scholarship

Nathanael Obrzut, Wyoming Area Secondary Center, $1,000 Cross Valley Federal Credit Union Scholarship

Emilia Alcantara, Hazleton Area High School, $1,000 PNC Bank Scholarship

James Rasimovich Jr., Lackawanna Trail Jr. Sr. High School, $1,000 Navient Community Fund Scholarship

Amanda Dougert, Wilkes-Barre Area High School, $1,000 George & Ann Evans Memorial Scholarship

Khayyona Jackson, Wilkes-Barre Area High School, $1,000 LCHS Board of Directors Lena Taylor Memorial Scholarship

Ashley Peralta Martinez, Hazleton Area High School, $1,000 Luzerne County Bar Association Charitable Foundation Scholarship

Alexis Shotwell, Lake-Lehman Jr. Sr. High School, $1,000 Church of Christ Uniting Scholarship

Ariel Starrie, Pittston Area High School, $500 LCHS Policy Council Claudia O’Boyle Memorial Scholarship and $500 Pittston Tomato Festival Committee Scholarship

Libby Stevens, Tunkhannock Area High School, $500 Coombs Family Memorial Scholarship and $500 Delaney Family Scholarship

Outstanding Community Partners

LCHS established the Outstanding Community Partner Award over 40 years ago to recognize businesses, organizations and individuals who have made significant contributions to Head Start. This year, the agency honored four Outstanding Community Partners based on nominations from LCHS staff:   

Cathy Connors, Pennsylvania Traffic Injury Prevention Project

Nanticoke City Fire Department

Pennsylvania State Police, Troop P

Pride Mobility Products

Anniversary Awards

LCHS also recognized 39 staff members, Foster Grandparents, bus drivers and board members for their years of service to the agency. This year’s honorees were:

 40 YEARS 

Suzanne Christian: Program Manager, Early Head Start Wilkes-Barre/Tunkhannock

35 YEARS 

Lisa Malarkey: Director of Human Resources, Central Office

30 YEARS

Lynn Meizanis: Teacher, Pittston New Street Center

20 YEARS

Rebecca Eck: Associate Teacher, Church of Christ Uniting Center

Tammy Harvey: Classroom Aide, Lynn Evans Biga Center

Susan Snyder: Administrative Assistant, Central Office

15 YEARS 

Alba Castillo: Family Worker, Hazleton Integration Project Center

Michelle Granahan: Associate Teacher, Plains Center

Charles Josulevicz: Maintenance, Central Office

Kursten Nah: Teacher, LCCC Nanticoke Center

Joann Puterbaugh: Associate Teacher, Lynn Evans Biga Center

Justin Temperine: Early Childhood Education Specialist, Central Office

10 YEARS

Marta Atiles: Center Manager, Carson Street/Hazleton Integration Project/LCCC/Hazleton/Vine West Centers

Heidi Birkel: Family Worker, LCCC Nanticoke Center

Daisy Nunez Mendez: Recruiter, Hazleton

Hiddekel Olivo: Associate Teacher, Hazleton Integration Project Center

Kathleen Pittack: Teacher, Lynn Evans Biga Center

Yajaira Roman: Family Worker, Carson Street Center

Julia Scott: Data Entry Operator, Central Office

Brittany Wojciechowicz: Family Worker, LCCC Nanticoke Center

5 YEARS

Anjelica Camacho: Teacher, Lynn Evans Biga Center

Michael Drazba: Maintenance, Central Office

Kathryn Hrivnak: Center Manager, Plymouth New Street/LCCC Nanticoke Centers

Melinda Kiddish: Center Manager, Dodson/Rice/Fairview Centers

Karina Martinez: Associate Teacher, Carson Street Center

Joann Matusick: Classroom Aide, LCCC Hazleton Center

Kippie Morgan: Associate Teacher, Edwardsville Center

Julianne Pettit: Family Worker, Tunkhannock Center

Anna Marie Silkowski: Teacher, Church of Christ Uniting Center

Inocencia Torres-Reluzco: Early Childhood Education Specialist, Central Office

Jessica Vanchure: Teacher, Edwardsville Center

Katelyn Wolfe: Associate Teacher, LCCC Nanticoke Center

FOSTER GRANDPARENTS

10 YEARS

Arline McClure: Lynn Evans Biga Center

SCHOOL BUS DRIVERS 

20 YEARS

Leah Winslow: Lynn Evans Biga Center

30 YEARS

Dennis Faux: Back Mountain Center

Lori Faux: Mehoopany Center

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

5 YEARS

Teri Ooms

10 YEARS

Phyllis Mundy

George Rable

5 Years

10 Years

15 Years

20 Years

30 Years

35 Years

40 Years

By Brooke Williams, Community Advocate

All photos by Katerina Que Photography