Woodridge VFW Selects Two Scholarship Winners

Woodridge VFW Post #1578 has announced the winners of its 2011 Jim Stewart Memorial Scholarship. 

The post chose two seniors from District 99: Caroline Marie Ritter Sterr, of Downers Grove, from Downers Grove North and Bryan Robert Mulcrone, of Woodridge, from Downers Grove South. 

The following information about the two students was provided by a VFW press release. 

Downers Grove South – Bryan Robert Mulcrone

Bryan is the son of Robert and Donna Mulcrone and resides in Woodridge.

Bryan has a 4.25 GPA and served as the President of the Student Council. He was also on the school’s basketball team, served on the class board his junior and senior years and was a Spanish tutor.

He was a volunteer for the Special Olympic basketball team, the Downers Grove Township Republican Organization, the West Suburban Community Pantry and the Downers Grove Park District.

His grandfather, Edward J. Mulcrone, is a veteran of foreign wars.

Bryan plans on attending Northeastern University in Boston.

Downers Grove North – Caroline Marie Ritter Sterr

Caroline is the daughter of Martin and Chris Sterr and resides in Downers Grove.

Caroline has a 3.93 GPA and plans on attending Hope College. She was on the tennis, track & field team, and was in four years of choir.

She initiated and led a Haiti Relief Fund in District 99, was a primary election judge and volunteered for the Salute to Service program. Caroline was a Snowball team leader, as well.

Her great grandfather, Paul Mario, is a veteran of foreign wars.

Woodridge VFW established this scholarship with the intention of assisting one or more high school students in their pursuit of continuing education. This scholarship was named after former Post Commander Jim Stewart, an Iraq war veteran, who was very active with many of the VFW causes.

Jim died in 1999 after a battle with pancreatic cancer. The applicant must demonstrate the spirit of what Comrade Stewart believed in – namely his patriotic- and community-based principles.

The applicant must be a descendant of a VFW-eligible veteran. That is, he or she
must be a son or daughter, granddaughter or grandson, great-granddaughter or great-grandson, or brother or sister of a veteran who is/was eligible for membership into the VFW. That veteran need not be a current member, however.

The applicant must be graduating from either Downers Grove North or Downers Grove South High School in the current year with plans to pursue a higher education. This refers to schooling beyond the high school level, whether academic, vocational, or technical, taken at any state accredited institution of learning or training. A maximum of two $1,000 scholarships are awarded, one to a student from each high school.