For the fourth consecutive year, Eastern Region PSEA have honored a handful of graduating high school seniors by awarding each of them with a $1,000 scholarship to further their education.

This year’s winners were chosen from more than 70 applicants whose parents, guardians or stepparents are members who work in a public school in one of the five counties - Berks, Carbon, Lehigh, Northampton and Schuylkill - the Eastern Region PSEA represents.

Allison Costa, a student at Northwestern Lehigh High School, is the daughter of Carbon Lehigh Intermediate Unit 21 EA member Amy Costa.

Allison will attend DeSales University in the fall and has been accepted in the accelerated five-year physician assistant program.

Her interests include all things health related, as well as volunteering with the Christ’s Church at Lowhill Food Pantry.

She has served as captain of the cross-country and track and field teams.

In lieu of the traditional scholarship banquet and award ceremony, which was canceled this year due to the COVID-19 crisis, the 2020 recipients were featured on social media.

Between April 20 and 24, a different recipient was featured each day on facebook.com/EasternPSEA, reading her or his winning essay, accompanied by Edward Elgar’s “Pomp and Circumstance” playing in the background.

Their profiles were shared on instagram.com/EasternPSEA.

“We are beyond proud to recognize these amazing students,” Eastern PSEA President Bryan Sanguinito said. “Our union is deeply committed to promoting the promise of public education, and we can imagine no better way to do that than by championing the many accomplishments of this diverse group of wonderful public high school seniors!”