LEWISTON — The Franco-American Education Foundation awarded $42,000 in scholarship funds to recent high school graduates from the greater Lewiston-Auburn area at the Franco Heritage Center.

This sum is in addition to the approximately $120,000 being awarded this year to students presently attending college and in their sophomore, junior and senior years.

Recipients are Sarah Barbay, Mason Bosse, Cameron Boucher, Morgan Bowen, Casey Brochu, Elizabeth Callahan, Paige Clabby, Samantha Cote, Brady Dion, Emily Fournier, Meghan Girouard, Courtney Jacques, Maegan Mathon, Christopher Paine, Taylor Roy, Emily Shaw, Tyler Sirois, Matthew Thibodeau, Paige Weber, Brianna Wilson. Absent at reception: Brianna Degone, Mackenzie Labadie, Raelane Labbe, Camden Martin, Alex Mills, Taylor Ouellette and Mikaela St. Laurent.

The foundation was created to provide scholarship assistance for high school graduates of Franco-American ancestry pursuing future studies at vocational schools, colleges and universities. Scholarships are available to students from the Greater Lewiston-Auburn area

The foundation is an Internal Revenue Service tax-exempt organization under the Internal Revenue Code, organized exclusively for educational purposes within the meaning of Section 501(c)(3) of the code. The foundation is qualified to award scholarships and to receive tax deductible bequests, devises, transfers, gifts and contributions.

It is a successor to an earlier scholarship trust that was initially funded by a gift from Lucien and Georgiana Martin, former owners of Lewiston Crushed Stone. It was their dream to establish a scholarship fund to benefit Franco-American students from the Lewiston-Auburn area.

The foundation is led by a board of directors: Jeannine Tardif, president; Monique Couturier, treasurer; Susan Lagueux, secretary; Roger Couturier, director; Rachel Maier, director; and, Paul Dionne, clerk.

Other benefactors who have donated include Rose Couturier, Albert Cote, Maurice Hemond, and Roland and Theresa Rodrigue.

The foundation will continue to award scholarships in the future to qualifying students based on achievement and need.