Our History

The Southern Cayuga Scholarship Foundation, which was formally organized in April 1992, consisted of its first Board of Trustees; Judith Warren (president), George Peter (vice president), Linda Avery (secretary), Stephen Zabriskie (treasurer), Marian Brown, Gary Finch, Robert Nolan, Gary Bradley, Ed Fessenden, Maria Fragnoli-Ryan (then SCCS high school principal), and Ed DiMiceli (then SCCS school superintendent). The Foundation solicited sufficient funds in order to make its first two $500 awards that spring.

In the years since its founding, the SC Scholarship Foundation Board of Directors has strived to recruit additional representation from all the towns encompassed within the Southern Cayuga Central School District: Genoa, Ledyard, Scipio & Venice. The board has also steadily increased its fundraising efforts, instituting its major fundraiser, the annual Phonathon in late winter. The annual Phonathon goal is to raise at least enough funding to make ten $1,000 scholarship awards. Any Phonathon funding not awarded that same year is added to help grow the Foundation’s endowment, from which we earn sufficient investment interest to make additional scholarship awards. 

In 2009, the Southern Cayuga Scholarship Foundation approved the creation of the George Peter Service Award in loving memory of George Peter, one of the founding members of the Scholarship Foundation and a tireless volunteer who was notable for his extraordinary commitment to serving his community. The George Peter Service Award may be awarded to an SCCS student who has an outstanding record of demonstrated service to their school, church, or community. The award does not convey any additional cash award, but is a prestigious recognition of the student’s service to the district.