Press Release
Citizens United to Protect the Maurice River and Its Tributaries, Inc.
June 19, 2008
For more information call Jane Morton Galetto at 609-774-5853
Subject: Connie Jost Memorial Art Scholarship Winner; Vladimir Kiyanchenko
Contact Persons: Jane Morton Galetto, President of Citizens United to Protect the Maurice River and Its Tributaries, Inc., at 856-327-1161 or Tricia Dufford, Chairperson of the Connie Jost Memorial Art Scholarship Committee, at 856-447-5264.
Citizens United to Protect the Maurice River and its Tributaries, Inc. is proud to announce that the 2009 Annual Connie Jost Memorial Art Scholarship award winner is Corey Petit, graduate of Vineland HS class of 2009. Corey was selected by a panel of professional artists to receive this honor. Vineland High School art teacher, Jennie Perez-Marorano is glowing in her description of Corey Petit’s growth as an artist and his contributions to the school community. She describes him as volunteering time and creative skills selflessly to school activities. Corey continually demonstrates his concern for a high standard of work, puts forth considerable effort in all of his endeavors, and goes beyond assignment expectations. He has a love of nature and the great out-of-doors. Corey writes of his passion for art and nature, “I look around and notice all of the beautiful things the world has created that is art. Everything is art in my mind or can be created into art. Nature has a way of changing and opening new ideas for artist to finish off on paper or a canvas. This is why I enjoy the outdoors just as much as art.”
Citizens United to Protect the Maurice River and Its Tributaries, Inc. President Jane Morton Galetto asserts that she is pleased that the Scholarship continues to be awarded to young aspiring artists with so many talents, “Corey exemplifies the attributes that we seek in a recipient.”
Citizens United, with over 450 memberships, is involved in a wide variety of projects and activities that cover all aspects of watershed protection. Committed to the mission of preservation and protection, CU focuses its activities on achieving these goals. The Connie Jost scholarship was instituted because the officers and trustees of Citizens United recognize the powerful advocacy role that art plays in preserving our natural heritage. The appreciation of the aesthetic values of our surroundings has always contributed to their stewardship.
Connie Jost, in whose honor the scholarship was established, was a well-known South Jersey artist whose pieces incorporated fish and other marine creatures. Her work was intended to raise an awareness of the fragility of our marine environs. Connie taught in several schools throughout the New Jersey Bayshore area, and was always enthusiastic, humorous, imaginative, and an inspiration to her students.
Corey Petit is the son of Rochelle and George Petit. He has been accepted at Cumberland County College, which he plans to attend this fall, pursuing a degree in art education. The Connie Jost Memorial Art Scholarship was established in 1998 by the Citizens United Board of Trustees in memory of Citizens United member, artist, and art educator, Connie Jost. The thousand-dollar scholarship is applied toward expenses related to the freshmen year at a college or school of art. Scholarship winners’ works are featured on our website at www.cumauriceriver.org. For application guidelines, write Tricia Dufford, 325 Methodist Rd., Newport, NJ 08345.
Previous Scholarship Recipients:Jamie Cook, 1998 Bridgeton H.S. Megan Piontkowski, 1999 Cumberland Regional H.S.Lauren Marie Frieze, 2000 Cumberland Regional High SchoolH.S. Jonathan Sindall, 2001 Bridgeton H.S. Alexis Kelokates, 2002 Bridgeton H.S. Mathew Pustizzi, 2003 Vineland H.S. Jacquelyn Hair, 2004 Millville H.S. Sarina DiMento, 2005 Vineland HS Kate Waltman, 2006 Millville HS Max Diehl, 2007 Cumberland Regional HS, Vladimir Kiyanchenko, 2008 Vineland HS
Jane Morton Galetto
President
Citizens United to Protect the Maurice River and Its Tributaries, Inc.
PO Box 474, Millville, NJ 08332
