2021 Matt Congdon Scholarship Recipients
We are so excited to share more about our three Matt Congdon Scholarship recipients: Connor Sweenor, Hayden McCane and Holden LaMountain. When a senior class graduates it is truly a bittersweet feeling for us at the Youth Center; we are so proud of their accomplishments and excited for what their futures hold, but, at the same time, we are also sad that our time with them is coming to a close. Even though after graduation kids can’t frequent the center each day as they once did, the beautiful part is that we are still a family, connected by countless generations like an elaborate quilt.
Without further ado, here are our Matt Congdon Scholarship Recipients for the Class of 2021:
Connor Sweenor
In a few days Connor will be heading off to boot camp to train as a weapon’s specialist. He’s known since age five that he wanted to join the military. “I want to make people feel safe and protect and serve our country,” he explains. Ten years from now he sees himself still in the military(specifically the army) and married with four kids(two boys and two girls.)
He first started coming to the Youth Center when he was in seventh grade and feels that this place helped him grow up. “I will always remember Matt and all of the life advice that he was able to give me,” he says. “I’ll remember that forever.”
Connor has a strong work ethic and we know that his determination will help him achieve his goals.
Hayden McCane
At the beginning of high school Hayden heard about BOCES and couldn’t wait to enroll. He always preferred hands-on learning. “I could never sit still in an office at a desk,” he says. “Even as a kids I was always tinkering.” Now Hayden is starting a career as an AutoGlass Repair Technician for Safelite AutoGlass. One day he hopes to run his own collision repair shop.
He feels his time at the Youth Center will help him with all of his future endeavors. “Over the course of nine years the Youth Center taught me that it’s not a matter of who you’re around, it’s how you treat them,” he says. “I will always treat people with kindness and to be willing to lend a helping hand.”
Hayden never fails to think outside the box(we found this out right away with his storytelling techniques when he first started out here as a rising fifth grader in our Summer Reading Program!) and we have no doubt that he will be successful in his chosen field.
Holden LaMountain
On August 19th Holden will head off to Paul Smiths College to not only secure a degree in Sports Management but also have the chance to play college hockey. His goal is to one day work for a professional sports team.
He’s incredibly excited to start this next chapter in his life and feels like his time at the Youth Center will help him in many ways. “My time at the Youth Center taught me how to socialize and meet new people and also be able to work well with those people,” he says. “This place also taught me the importance of community.”
We are so proud of Holden and we know that he is going to do a wonderful job at college!
We have one final message for all of our scholarship winners…
Gentlemen,
It has been our pleasure to watch all three of you grow up into such incredible young men. Thank you for years of stories, sarcastic jokes, smiles, laughs and a slew of amazing memories. We can’t wait to see what your futures hold. Best of luck!
-Molly, Executive Director
