Cheshire’s Lights of Hope Announces Scholarship Recipients
Cheshire’s Lights of Hope has selected Cheshire High School graduates Meghan McDonough and Shea Cronin as the organization’s 2021 scholarship recipients, awarding each $2,000 in recognition of extraordinary community service and volunteerism. Recipients were announced during an awards ceremony at Cheshire High School on June 15.
This is the 13th year Cheshire’s Lights of Hope has awarded scholarships to graduating seniors who best exemplify the organization’s mission and vision. The Scholarship Committee considers the amount of and type of volunteer work performed, focusing on community service within the town of Cheshire; the number of years of service; and the impact of applicant’s service in the Cheshire community and beyond. It is not necessary to have participated in the Cheshire’s Lights of Hope Annual Luminary Event to apply.
“The dedication and leadership shown by these high school students who are active members of our community is inspiring and impressive,” said Don Walsh, president of Cheshire’s Lights of Hope. “Meghan and Shea exemplify our mission to help each other through random acts of kindness and have overcome the challenges of the pandemic and made a noticeable difference in our community. We celebrate their achievements and look forward to their future success.”
Meghan McDonough is a highly engaged volunteer and active participant in several organizations. During her time with Cheshire’s Lights of Hope, she has taken on significant responsibility, serving on the Executive Board as a Youth Ambassador and as a member of the Cheshire High School Lights of Hope Club, where she encouraged more students to participate and also assisted as the Fundraising Coordinator and Co-President. Meghan volunteered at the Cheshire YMCA Sea Dog and Cheshire High School Boys Swim team meets as a timer and assistant as well as a Teen Mentor for Cheshire Youth Services where she helped assist children in grades two through five with reading. She was a Buddy for the Cheshire High School Best Buddies and volunteered with the Kids for Kids Club. In her application Meghan credits her volunteer work with learning how actions might make a difference larger than you imagined. Meghan will attend the University of New Hampshire where she plans to major in accounting.
Shea Cronin is an exemplary volunteer and leader who created the first-ever Cheshire High School Food Pantry Club and helped organize food drives and volunteers for the Cheshire Food Pantry. This program launched in February 2020 and was especially significant during the COVID-19 pandemic when many of the Food Pantry’s volunteers were unable to participate. Shea also organized community service opportunities for Kids for Kids Club members at children’s hospitals, and also served as an Associate Buddy for Cheshire High School Best Buddies and as a Buddy for the Cheshire Challengers. He was also a Street Captain for Cheshire’s Lights of Hope. Shea credits his mother for instilling volunteerism and as a leader was driven to spark a passion among his peers. Shea will attend Northeastern University and plans to major in Business Analytics.