Legion honors four Fredonia students in ceremony

In July, the Fredonia American Legion Post 59 Women's Auxiliary recognized 3 applicants for the Legion's Department of Education Scholarships. The Auxiliary also recognized its 2026 Girls State participant. A reception was hosted by the auxiliary and included members, the students and their parents.

The 2026 Auxiliary Scholarship Department of Education recipient was graduating Fredonia senior Katherine Fortna. Katherine and her parents, Matthew and Lisa Powell Fortna, were in attendance for a certificate and gift card presentation from the Auxiliary. She will be attending Cornell University in the fall in the field of Human Ecology. The audience captively listened to Fortna give a brief review of her resume. This included being a Fredonia Board of Education student member. She has been a Rotary Youth Exchange student to Brazil, involved in the Model United Nations, a Quest Student Leader, a Student Council Representative as well as a performer in musicals and choirs. Her work experience included working through the Rural Health Care Education in Warsaw, via the Health Careers Opportunities Program. Fortna, upon completion of her studies, desires to give back to the community where she was raised and feels she can be part of the solution for those who struggle accessing quality healthcare.

The other two scholarship applicants unable to join us were Allison Hellwig and Olivia Balch. Equally as focused on their education and careers, these young ladies acquired lengthy resumes including school, community and church activities

Helwig believes that volunteerism plays a "pivotal role" in a community. Her resume is filled with examples of this attitude. She has participated in several bands, plays many instruments and has participated in her school musicals from grades 8 to 12. She has volunteered in Quest and participated in the FHS Model Union. She noted how military service has played a significant role in shaping family values and opportunities. Both her parents, Andrew and Erin Hellwig, and grandparents served in the armed forces. Helwig recognizes her parents'role in teaching her loyalty, respect, honor and integrity. She will continue her education at Alfred State University for Architectural Design.

Balch will continue her education at SUNY Geneseo in the field of Osteopathic Medicine. Her resume is reflective of her focus on education and volunteerism. She is a National Honor Society recipient, participated in tennis, trap and ski club, and Quest. She also has volunteered at camps, works in food services, and lifeguards. She aspires to become a dentist. She stated two interesting things in her resume while taking advanced health and safety classes. She found the study of the human body fascinating, and then she was influenced in dentistry by working under Dr. Pender, who focused on the creativity of dentistry. She is very excited to begin the next chapter of her education in the fall. Balch recognized her grandfather as the significant veteran in her life.

Rosemary Gugino was introduced by Commander Stacie Erik as being the 2026 Girls State recipient. Rosemary is the daughter of Joe and Jessica Gugino and will be a senior at FHS in the fall. She shared the wonderful experience of participating in Girls State in Brockport. She was explicit, explaining the roles each girl played in passing bills and participating in governmental duties. She had just returned from Girls State and was traveling to Washington, D.C., to intern under a congressman. Gugino was truly a wonderful ambassador from Fredonia to Girls State this year. We wish her well in D.C. and invited her to return to the Legion to share this experience.

"Congratulations to each of these young ladies! We are very proud they represented our Legion Auxiliary this year. We sincerely wish them success in the 2026-27 academic year. Special thanks go to their parents for shaping their morals, values, priorities and of course their pleasurable and dynamic personalities, their educators for recognizing their potential and encouraging higher education. Lastly, we commend the girls for recognizing the influential roles the veterans played in their lives, serving to open opportunities for them," the Auxiliary stated.