Nominating Chair, Beth Chagrasulis, announced 24 scholarship awards, so voted at the May meeting of the Betty and Sumner Hancock Scholarship Fund, totaling $49,500 — the group’s largest award distribution in its history.

The organization, established in 1964, via gift by Burt Cook, Sumner Hancock’s bedside, hospital room roommate, in Sumner’s final days, awards scholarships to deserving resident graduates of Casco High School, or such Secondary Public School as may thereafter serve the Inhabitants of the Town of Casco, thereby encouraging education beyond the secondary school level in some institution of collegiate grade, including, but not limited to vocational, business, liberal arts, technical schools and colleges, provided, however, that such institutions of higher learning require a high school diploma or its equivalent as a prerequisite of admission.

In addition to continuing the support of 11 in-college applicants — Grady Bragdon-Clements, Noah Duprey, Elle Hall, Shauna Hancock, Bella Kalinyak, Matt Langadas, Madison Martin, Mercedes Martin, Leah Plummer, Liz Smith, and Evan Willey — the Fund made awards to 13 graduating seniors: Evan Duprey, Calvin Kestner, John Kimball, Hunter Martin, Alexandra Parmelee, Brady Emery, Ava Smith, Owen Young, and with special distinction to Nadia Hall, the Richard Frank Award; Kolbie Kaeser, the Casco Day Award; Kaley Noyes, the Lois Varney Award; Sadie Plummer, the Dave Hancock Award; and Abigail Roberts, the Katie Simpson/Keep my Spirit Award.

Inquiry and information for all future awards can be found in the Lake Region High School Guidance Offices.