Valley Stream Lions help pair with college costs

A pair of first-year college students will have a little extra money to pay for school, as the Valley Stream Lions Club presented two scholarships last week.

At its Aug. 18 dinner at Goldie’s Restaurant in Gibson, the Lions Club gave $1,000 awards to Regine Jean and William Milne. Jean recently graduated from Elmont Memorial High School and Milne from Valley Stream South.

In past years, the Lions Club had made the scholarships available to graduates of North, Central and South high schools. But this year, the group opened it up to all seniors in the Valley Stream area, allowing Jean to qualify.

Jean will be attending Queensborough Community College and plans to major in early childhood education. The 19-year-old from North Valley Stream said she would like to teach kindergarten, first or second grade. “I love kids,” she said.

Milne will attend Cornell University in Ithaca and major in biology. He said he is possibly considering a pre-medicine program. “I have to see where the next couple of years take me,” he said.

He said he was surprised that he was accepted to Cornell, and once he was, Milne said he couldn’t turn down the opportunity to attend a prestigious university. “There’s so many opportunities,” he said, “and lots to do around there.”

Milne was very involved in extra-curricular activities at South High School. He was president of the Falcon Report, the school’s student news show, and also participated in the jazz band, wind ensemble, track team, drama club and quiz bowl team which appeared on News 12’s “The Challenge.”

It was his Falcon Report advisor and calculus teacher, Ross Lipsky, that told Milne about the Lions Club scholarship. Milne said the money will help pay for his tuition. “I was so surprised,” he said, recalling the phone call he received about a month ago that was one of the recipients.

Milne attended the dinner with his father, Bill, and younger brother, James. Jean came with her parents Yvan and Marie, brother Berthony, and sister Sabine. She said she found out about the scholarship from her guidance counselor. She has lived in North Valley Stream for six years and attended Elmont Memorial High School since seventh grade.

Jean said she chose Queensborough Community College because of its affordable price. Still, she said, every bit helps and the $1,000 from the Lions Club will help pay her tuition for this year. She also received a scholarship from the Special Education Parent Teacher Association.

She remembers the joy she felt when she got the phone call she won the scholarship. “I felt very proud of myself,” she said. “I’m very grateful for this.”

Jean said she did not know much about the Lions Club before this, but has come to understand that it is a community service organization. The Lions Clubs raises its money for the scholarships, as well as other service activities, through its annual flea market, fruit sale and pancake breakfast.

Chapter President Michael LoCascio said the Lions Club members enjoy helping local students. He said he hopes to hear back from them some day about how they’re doing in life and how higher education made a difference for them.

Scholarship Committee Chairman Jim Zabatta said Jean and Milne were chosen from 15 candidates, the highest number of applicants in years. “It was a tough one,” he said of the decision. “It always is.”

Zabatta noted that Jean was highly touted by her teachers and guidance counselors. It was those overwhelming recommendations why she “stood out” to the scholarship committee. Milne was selected because of his community service, involvement in school and clear direction for his future.

Milne spoke for the two recipients in thanking the scholarship committee. “We’re both very appreciative,” he said.