Every year, Cabrini holds a contest in conjunction with the Phillies for extraordinary scholars who have provided a strong influence on others through their work in the community while maintaining a minimum 3.0 grade point average or a B average.
Cabrini has run the contest as long as they have hosted the Cabrini Night event, seven years to this point.
Two past recipients of the award have decided to continue their education at Cabrini, showing the influence the contest has had on some students.
Kaitlyn Donnelly, a sophomore accounting major, and Melissa Grisafi, a freshman social work and human resources management major, were both previous recipients of the Extraordinary Scholar Award present at Cabrini Night at the Phillies while in high school. Both are now Cabrini students.
“It’s such an honor,” Donnelly said. “Just being picked means what I’ve done has been recognized.”
“You feel like you made a difference,” Grisafi said. “You feel like you’re important.”
Donnelly and Grisafi each returned as guests of the Phillies at Cabrini Night at the Phillies on Friday, Sept. 7, to be recognized as current students of the sponsoring school of the contest. Both were featured on the most recent airing of the Phillies TV magazine show “Behind the Pinstripes,” which aired on Sunday, Sept. 9.
They were also joined on the field by the most recent winners of the award, Kendall Brodie of Central Bucks High School and LeShawn Johnson-Snydor of Delaware County Christian School.
Both agreed that the contest seemed like a good idea for participation. But neither expected to be honored as winners of the contest.
“I didn’t really think anything of it,” Grisafi said. “There were so many applicants. When I got the phone call I was really excited.”
The monthly award is presented at various Phillies games throughout the season. The September winners receive the awards on Cabrini Night.
The contest is eligible only for high school sophomores and juniors in the Delaware Valley. Any winner who attends Cabrini will receive a $2,500 scholarship renewable for their four years at Cabrini.
For more information on the contest rules and regulations, check out the community section of the Phillies website.
