Lisa DaBrescia Scholarship Fund

In 2000 the DaBrescia family started a Scholarship fund in Memory of their daughter Lisa. Many of Lisa's classmates and friends have received scholarships from the Lisa DaBrescia Scholarship Fund. Each year at graduation Lisa still touches our lives by the amount of scholarships given in her memory from her friends, relatives, teachers and classmates who loved her so very much.

Robert W. Nichol Scholarship Fund

Mary Ann Nichol, wife of Robert W. Nichol, has donated the proceeds from the Nichol Family Trust to our Education Foundation. The interest from the grant will guarantee that our children will always have Bob Nichol Scholarships. “I wanted to do something to commemorate Bob’s love for Hancock,” said Mary Ann. “Hancock was his home, his life, where he wanted to be.”

Bob Nichol’s untimely death cut short his desire to personally serve the children of Hancock, but Bob’s devotion inspired the creation of the Hancock Community Education Foundation. “Look around you, don’t you see it,” he said, repeatedly, there’s great need.” Bob lived it, shared it with his neighbors, went to school in Hancock. “Bob wasn’t a dumbbell in school and he wasn’t a dumbbell in life,” said John Rheinbeck, a fellow Hancock student. “Bob associated with everybody, there was no bully in him, he would rather make a friend than lose one. He could get along with the devil.” “He treasured his friendships, even had a special attachment to Salina, his cow,” Mary Ann remembered. Bob graduated from Hancock High School, worked hard, raised two sons, John and Bob, and went to night school: the Syracuse University Business School. And he stayed in Syracuse to create a successful land development company.

The Robert Nichol Fund has been established for scholarships as part of the Foundation’s Endowment Fund because that was Bob’s personal vision for how to help the children of Hancock. A fund can be designated for any of the foundation’s programs: Scholarship Grants, The Children’s Center, The After School Program, the future Community Center, the Youth Center, or the foundation’s Endowment Fund dedicated to perpetuating all the foundation’s programs.

Vera E. Fisher Memorial Scholarship Fund

This scholarship established in 2008 by her son Douglas Fisher is known as the Vera E. Fisher Memorial Scholarship Fund. The purpose of the scholarship is to provide support and encouragement to graduating seniors who wish to obtain a college degree in elementary or middle school education and pursue a career as an elementary or middle school teacher.

Vera Fisher, a long-time resident of Hancock, passed away two years ago at the age of 97. She and her husband Philip Fisher began summering at Peas Eddy in the 1940s and became full-time Hancock residents in the 1970s.

Vera retired from a long teaching career in the Elmont, NY school system where she taught 5th and 6th graders. Known as a tough, but fair, teacher, she set high standards for her students and encouraged them to accept her challenges as their own. She believed that a vital component to a child’s future success in school and in life is a strong elementary school grounding in the three R’s.

Gerald E. Stones Memorial Scholarship Fund

In 2010 Mary Rose Stones Tobin established a scholarship fund in memory of her brother Gerald E. Stones. Jerry lived on Scott Center Road, PA and attended Hancock High School. Jerry was always very generous with what little he had and would be honored and pleased that this scholarship might help a young person with an opportunity that he did not have."

Lt. Cameron N. Hall, USN Scholarship Fund

This scholarship was established in 2007 by Cameron’s parents Evan and Margaret (Crosby) Hall, formerly from Hancock, and members of the HCS Class of 1971.

Lieutenant Cameron Hall grew up in Natchitoches, Louisiana and graduated from Natchitoches Central High School in 1995, Northwestern State University in 2000. He then entered the Navy completing Officer Candidate School in November of 2000. After completing Naval Flight Officer training he was awarded his gold wings in September of 2002.

He served two tours in the Persian Gulf. At the time of his death he was an instructor at Norfolk Naval Air Station in Virginia. Lieutenant Hall was an avid outdoorsman who loved to kayak and mountain bike and enjoyed fishing and hunting most of all. He spent a considerable amount of time in the Hancock area following those pursuits as a member of the Tompkins Hunting Club in Tar Hollow.

Article by Ltjg. Cameron Hall on "Flight Deck Safety"

Michael Robinson Scholarship Fund.

Friends and family of Michael Robinson Sr. have established a scholarship in his memory that is awarded to an HCS graduate each year. His family and friends gather each spring to ride in the “Mike Robinson Run”. Proceeds from this event are donated to the Michael Robinson Scholarship Fund.

The Barbara Wilkinson Peters Gisoldi Scholarship Fund

In 2009 Ellen Peters Allaire established a scholarship in memory of her mother Barbara Wilkinson Peters Gisoldi a teacher at HCS for 30 years. The scholarship is to be awarded to a student who excels in Science or Mathematics and intends to teach in public or private elementary/secondary schools.

The Wendell and Jean Woodmansee Memorial Scholarship Fund

In December 2009, W. Lee Woodmansee established the Wendell and Jean Woodmansee Memorial Scholarship Fund. This scholarship was established to honor his parents, Wendell and Jean. Lee will increase the fund over the next few years until it is large enough to award scholarships each year to a graduating HCS senior(s).

John N. Mason II Memorial Scholarship Fund

In May 2009 John Mason established the John N. Mason II Memorial Scholarship Fund in memory of his beloved son. The scholarship is awarded to a HCS Graduate who will pursue studies in college majoring in special education, a curriculum to teach and assist the handicapped and or disabled children, or the professional pediatric in the medical field.

Christine A. (Grot) Fritz Memorial Scholarship Fund

 This scholarship was established in 2010 by her husband, of 29 years, Donald Fritz. Both formerly of Hancock, Chris a member of the class of 1967 and Don a member of the class of 64.

Although born in Elizabeth New Jersey, Christine grew up in the Hancock area and always considered Hancock her home. A sweet and gentle soul her main interest was her love for family and friends. "I couldn’t think of a better way to honor her memory than to help others realize their dreams.”

At the time of her passing Christine had recently retired after 26 years of working for LNP Plastics, a division of GE.