Jack Daniels Memorial Scholarship

Jack Daniels Memorial Scholarship

The Jack Daniels Memorial Scholarship is awarded annually to a college, trade school or military bound senior from Tunkhannock Area that participates in two out of the three sports of cross country, swimming or track and field. The winner is determined by a formula that adds the best two of a student/athletes places in an individual event at the district meets in cross country, swimming and/or track and field plus the student/athletes class rank. Additional points are also awarded for other interests and activities that are in line with Jack’s interests and activities, as listed on the applicants resume.

The person for whom this scholarship is named, placed sixth at varsity cross country districts, qualified for districts in swimming (500 yard freestyle), fourth at varsity track and field districts (3,200 meter run) and was tied for second in his class academically, just prior to his death following his freshman year at Tunkhannock Area. He was also a member of the band, varsity swim team, was active in his church, was a member of the steering committee and was involved with SADD.

History of Jack Daniels Memorial Scholarship

For the first few years following Jack’s death in 1993, camp scholarships to the Bison Track and Field Camp at Bucknell University were awarded to promising underclass athletes in cross country and track and field. Starting in 1996, the year Jack would have graduated, Jack’s track coaches Norm Sisle and Joe Moffit gave a plaque to a senior cross country and track and field athlete that displayed heart, desire, teamwork, academic achievement and attitude, which were all attributes of Jack, in addition to the camp scholarships. Then beginning in 2002, the camp scholarships were combined into one $1,000 scholarship. Starting in 2006 the scholarship was able to be increased due to the prudent management by The Community Foundation of the Endless Mountains formerly known as The Community Foundation of Susquehanna and Wyoming Counties.

Any college, trade school or military bound senior from Tunkhannock Area School District who participates in two out of the three sports of cross country, swimming and/or track and field and qualifies for an individual event at the districts meet is eligible for the scholarship. A formula is used to determine the winner of the scholarship. The recipient is established by adding the athletes place in varsity cross country districts, their class rank along with their place in an individual track or field event at varsity districts and/or an individual event in swimming at varsity districts. Additional credit is also given for athletes that are members of the band and belonged to other causes that Jack felt strongly about such as S.A.D.D. and his church. The scholarship is funded by current donations and donations that were made at the time of Jack’s death plus revenue through the prudent management by The Community Foundation of the Endless Mountains. This has allowed all of the revenue now generated by the Triton Hose Company Jack Daniels Mile, that is held in conjunction with the annual Triton Hose Company carnival, to go to the Triton Hose Company minus race expenses for timing, etc. Currently the race held in Jack’s memory is generously supported by Peoples Community Bank and Trust. B&R Distributors generously supported the race from 1986 through 2009 while the P&G Employees Federal Credit Union generously supported the race from 2010 through 2014.

Previous recipients of the Jack Daniels Memorial Award are: 1996 Tim Kraynack (Bloomsburg University), 1997 John Kacuba (Lafayette College), 1998 Ben Gaines (University of Southern California), 1999 Ben Prusko (Indiana University of Pennsylvania), 2000 Jonathon Evans (Boston College), 2001 Angela Franko (East Stroudsburg University), 2002 Kim Murley (Dennison University), 2003 Tenleigh Ayers (Lewis University), 2004 Basil Khalife (Northeastern University), 2005 Andy Hildebrand (Penn State University), 2006 Austin Thomas (Bucknell University), 2007 Thomas Daniels (Gettysburg College), 2008 Katie Rosengrant (Shippensburg University), 2009 Mike Wintermute (Wilkes College), 2010 Jeremy Stonier (Keystone College), 2011 Chelsea Wootten (East Stroudsburg University), 2012 Ben Robinson (Lock Haven University), 2013 Alex Nole (Lock Haven University), 2014 Ben Siegel (King’s College), 2015 Erin Rome (Lafayette College), 2016 Morgan Manglaviti (Clarion University), 2017 Mitchell Fowler (Air Force Academy), 2018 Benjamin Tidball (Liberty University), 2019 A.J. Hodge (United States Coast Guard), 2020 Kailyn Smith (The Citadel ~ Military College) and 2021 Camryn Rogers (Michigan State University).