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Three earn Eagle rank in all female troop By ANGElINA ZINGARIEllo azingariello@liherald.com
Juan Alzamora /Herald
Nina Munafo, Alexa Kosinski and Abigail Guiheen were recognized during their Eagle Scout ceremony at Holy Name of Mary School in Valley Stream, celebrating their achievement of Scouting’s highest rank.
Three local young women were recognized for achieving one of the highest honors in Scouting, as Abigail Guiheen, Nina Munafo and Alexa Kosinski were formally awarded the rank of Eagle Scout during a ceremony held at Holy Name of Mary School in Valley Stream. Their accomplishment is especially significant given that only about 4 percent of Scouts nationwide reach the Eagle Scout rank, and fewer than 2 percent of those Eagle Scouts are girls. “The program has not been watered down by anything; it hasn’t been made easier,” Guiheen, a Malverne resident, said. “It’s still an amazing accomplishment. But I just hope this shows girls that you can do it. And if this is something that you would like to do, you should do it. Because every moment that we’ve had in scouting and every memory that I’ve CoNtiNuEd oN pAGE 11
Malverne H.S. seniors earn QuestBridge scholarship By MADISoN GUSlER mgusler@liherald.com
Two Malverne High School seniors, Lorraine Akou and Dayami Guaman, have been chosen to receive the highly competitive 2025 QuestBridge National College Match Scholarship, offering them a chance to attend top-tier institutions through a full financial award. The prestigious national scholarship program connects high-achieving students from across the country with full four-year scholarships to some of the nation’s most selective colleges and universities. Akou and Guaman, both 17,
were chosen from a pool of more than 20,800 applicants nationwide, with only 2,550 students earning finalist status and securing a Match Scholarship. They are the first students from the Malverne School District to have achieved such a distinction. “ T h e s e s t u d e n t s h av e worked tirelessly throughout their high school careers,” Kesha Bascombe, the high school’s principal, said. “Their success reflects not only their hard work but also the commitment of our educators and the support of the Malverne community.” The scholarship, which sup-
ports students with significant financial needs, covers the entire cost of attendance, including tuition, housing, meals, books, supplies and travel expenses, ensuring each student can fully pursue their academic goals without financial barriers. “It’s a great opportunity for low-income, first-generation students like myself,” Akou said. “I applied for QuestBridge because it was a great opportunity for those who are maybe not as fortunate or don’t have as many resources as others, but want the same opportunities.” While the QuestBridge scholarship program has exist-
ed since 2004, Malverne school counselors have been encouraging their students to apply for the past five years. “Recognizing the financial needs that our students have, we as a department became more familiar with QuestBridge,” Rebecca Gottesman, Malverne’s director of school counseling, said. She estimates
both Akou and Guaman will receive $400,000 in financial support from QuestBridge. “As we become more comfortable with the application process, we’re sharing it with the kids as well,” school counselor Donna Bailey added. The scholarship applications were due in late September, so CoNtiNuEd oN pAGE 15