Ti Alumni Association celebrates 20 years of giving

TICONDEROGA | The Ticonderoga Alumni Association (TAA), like every year, has been a busy and ambitious group. With big plans for the future and upcoming events on the horizon, the group of former Ti scholars is continuing to unite Sentinels near and far. This year, TAA is proudly celebrating its 20th anniversary for their Scholarship Award Program. Established in 2006, the program helps ensure whatever dreams and goals students have for their futures are within reach and attainable, filling financial gaps between college tuition and student aid. "We have an application and every March a few TAA representatives go into Mr. Wells' senior class, and we present them with the application and the deadline," explained Karla Vigliotti- TSS Board President. Vigliotti added that every student who qualifies is awarded, but that unfortunately only half of the senior class typically applies. "We want them to know that everybody should apply whether they are going to a trade school or a college or pursuing an apprenticeship- we want to make sure everyone knows that money is out there," she said. Based on a point system that begins accruing in the eighth grade, the scholarship is awarded in amounts of $1,000 or $1,250. TAA will look at all four years of a student's high school career cumulatively, with potential awardees earning points in the areas of attendance, academic achievement, good citizenship, extracurricular activities, and community service. Every Ti High School graduate pursuing post-secondary education—including college, trade school, apprenticeships, or military enlistment—is eligible. "We look at very well-rounded individuals, not necessarily high scholars," Vigliotii noted. In 2025, TAA gifted 30 awardees scholarships, totaling $33,750. This past June, 27 recipients earned academic scholarships. "This is the first year of many on my journey to become a physician," shared Gracie Wells, Class of 2026 graduate and award recipient who will be attending the College of the Holy Cross this fall and studying Pre-Med. "Being awarded the Alumni Scholarship will greatly benefit me as I begin this path. I was so grateful to have received this scholarship because it reminded me of how this community cares and wants to support students on their educational endeavors." Students receive their scholarship award letters at graduation and in December of their first year of college or tech school; TAA sends a second letter as a reminder to send the association transcripts or letters from tech schools as evidence that their first semesters were completed in order to receive their award check. "If a student is awarded a scholarship but wants to take a gap year, we will hold their money for a year," Vigliotti explained. In March of 2024, TAA announced the creation of a second scholarship, the Class of 1974 Alumni Memorial Scholarship, an endowment made possible by a TAA donor who wished to remain anonymous. The scholarship is a $3,000 per year scholarship for up to four years. Students planning to attend two or four-year colleges are eligible to apply. The first recipient was Emily Best, who went on to Siena College to pursue an education in healthcare. The second recipient this year was Eli Dromgool, who will head to the Rochester Institute of Technology to study cybersecurity. "Both of those kids are community-oriented and love the area they grew up in, and this could be a benefit for them to come back here with those careers," Vigliotti said. And because of that specific scholarship, TAA has decided it would like to offer another new scholarship, boosting their total awards program to three. "From the applications we received, it seemed there was a real need from our students trying to further their education," Vigliottii revealed. The new scholarship would pay out $10,000 over four years, and the second runner-up for the Class of 1974 Alumni Memorial Scholarship would be the lucky recipient. "We are in the process of creating this, and it will be available for the Class of 2027," said Vigliotti. In addition to generous donations from alumni (which are invested for long-term sustainability), TAA's scholarship program's success relies on the Annual Alumni Golf Tournament and its generous sponsors. This year's tournament will take place on Saturday, July 25 at the Ticonderoga Golf Course. "It's an 18-hole, four-person scramble, and you do not need to be an alum to participate," Vigliotti said. "Individuals without a full team are also welcome and will be placed on one." The cost is $110 for non-members of the Ticonderoga Country Club and $85 for members, which includes green fees, a cart, lunch, and prizes. To reserve a spot, please contact the Pro Shop at 518-686-2801 ext. 2. "We are thankful for the Ticonderoga Golf Course for continuing to support our golf tournament and being such fantastic hosts," Vigliotti expressed. "They are always accommodating and willing to fulfill our needs" Additionally, Vigliotti said the Alumni Association Extravaganza Committee will be hosting a chicken barbecue fundraiser for the 2030 Extravaganza, of which planning has been underway since the 2025 event. The dinner will be held on Thursday, July 23 at 4:30 p.m. at the Knights of Columbus. Those interested are asked to call 518-585-6520 to reserve meals ($15) in advance. After the success of the 2025 Alumni Extravaganza Weekend a year ago, planning has been underway for 2030, affording TAA five years to raise the ambitious $30,000 needed to pull it off again at the high level they envision, including amped up musical entertainment and fireworks to commemorate the reunion. TAA would love to see even more alumni make the trek back home for the weekend four years from now. "We had great feedback from 2025," Vigliotti said. "People who hadn't been back in 30 or 40 years really loved the tour of the high school, they loved seeing where it is now, and they enjoyed seeing what has happened in the community. The new art, music, and tech facilities really impressed them." For alumni that reside locally, this Friday, July 24 at the Knights of Columbus, TAA will host their annual Alumni Award Ceremony from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. The event begins with a happy hour and hors d'oeuvres, followed by the ceremony at 6 p.m. and live music by The Loose Monkeys from 7 to 9 p.m. Distinguished Alumni, Special Service, and Friends of Ticonderoga will be honored. The event is free and open to the public. "We'd love to see more of our younger alumni at our events like our award ceremony because they are the future of our alumni community," said TAA board member Kristin Frechette. "We don't expect every event to appeal to everyone, which is why we are asking for feedback. Tell us what you'd like to see, what would get you to come, and how we can make these events more valuable for you. We want to build something that keeps everyone connected for years to come." This year's Distinguished Alumni are Frank Fontana Jr. (Class of 1996), and Jamian Rockhill (Class of 1990). Special Service Awards will be presented to the Ticonderoga Area Chamber of Commerce and Elks Lodge #1494. Pat Ida will receive the Friends award. Though TAA does its best to keep its finger on the pulse of where graduates end up, there is no way for them to keep track of everyone and where they end up in life and what accomplishments and successes they achieve. As a result, the nomination process for the Distinguished Alumni award has gotten harder every year, and Vigliotti encourages people to become active in nominating worthy alumni. "Even if it is a son or a daughter, if you think they are worthy, we want to hear from you," she said. "Nominations are accepted year-round." TAA also produces a yearly newsletter released in the spring, and this year will be ramping up the content. "This year, we will do articles on 'Where Are We Now.' We will target some of our alumni and write pieces about them," Vigliotti previewed. "We will also have a student correspondent from the school itself to write a few pages about what is going on within the halls of Ti High." For more details on donating, nominating Distinguished Alumni, or to sign up for the TAA newsletter, please visit www.ticonderogaalumni.org.

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Ti Alumni Association celebrates 20 years of giving

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