Seinfeld Scholarships grant tuition refunds

This year, the Seinfeld Scholarships recognized 15 students from New York City public schools in Queens, giving each one full reimbursement of their college tuition.
The Seinfeld Scholarships were established in 2000 by comedian Jerry Seinfeld and his family. He was motivated to do so following being principal for a day at the LaGuardia High School for the Performing Arts.
A different borough is selected each year to be the beneficiaries of the scholarships. The student recipients received full-tuition scholarships for all four years to attend their chosen college. Students are selected based on their academics, financial need and “outstanding traits such as school and community service, creative expression and leadership.”
The organization PENCIL, which was founded in 1995, works with The Seinfeld Family Foundation to coordinate the scholarship program. PENCIL is “New York City’s leading nonprofit facilitator of private sector engagement in public schools.”
“We’re just inspired every year when it comes around,” PENCIL President Michael Haberman said. “It’s really incredible and such an example for the rest of New York City. One person really can change a life.”
The 2006 Seinfeld Scholarship winners are:
-Falilat Akinleye of Benjamin Cardozo High School;
-Nazish Beig of Grover Cleveland High School;
-Sara Butt of William Cullen Bryant High School;
-Alan Cheng of Francis Lewis High School;
-John Fardoss of the Law, Government, and Community
Service Magnet High School;
-Jerry Hsieh of the Queens High School of Teaching;
-James Huerta of Long Island City High School;
-Martin Kim of William Cullen Bryant High School;
-Philips Loh of the Academy of American Studies;
-Ilir Qirko of Grover Cleveland High School;
-Samuel Reid of Grover Cleveland High School;
-Michelle Reyes of Grover Cleveland High School;
-Jennifer Rico of Newcomers High School;
-Tanjila Sultana of Hillcrest High School; and
-Taryn Zubrizarreta of Long Island City High School.
“They’re just amazing. They’re so accomplished,” PENCIL president Michael Haberman said of this year’s winners. He added that, seeing these students, gives one hope for society’s future.
Next year, Bronx high school students will be eligible for the Seinfeld Scholarships. To find out more about PENCIL, the Seinfeld Scholarship program and its other programs, visit www.pencil.org.