A New Award for an UES High School Senior
The first annual Barbara J. Chocky Memorial Award for Public Service will go to a student committed to social justice
| 24 Apr 2022 | 04:01
John Bartos (left) with Analog 5 at Connolly’s in The Klub 45 Room. Photo courtesy of John Bartos
WANTED: UES high school students to apply for Award for Public Service – To honor the memory of Barbara Chocky, a trailblazer and a role model for many young people throughout her decades of public service, the first annual Barbara J. Chocky Memorial Award for Public Service will go to a high school senior committed to social justice. In recognition of Barbara Chocky’s decades of exemplary public service – Community Board 8, Hunter College, Lenox Hill Neighborhood Association – and leadership, the first annual Barbara J. Chocky Award for Public Service will go to a high school senior who lives on the Upper East Side and is involved in social justice issues, civic or political life. The first $1,000 Annual Award will be presented in June 2022.
The Award was started by Barbara’s close friends Pete Grannis, former Assemblyman and currently First Deputy Comptroller for the New York State Office of the State Comptroller, and Amy Baxter, former aide to Grannis, with a GoFundMe Campaign following Barbara’s death in October 2021. City Council Member Gale Brewer, a longtime friend of Barbara’s, said, ”It is very fitting to honor Barbara’s deep commitment to social justice by awarding an annual scholarship to a high school senior who demonstrates an ongoing dedication to continue her legacy.“
Students eligible for the award must reside on the UES – from East 59th St. to East 96th St., from Fifth Ave to the East River, and Roosevelt Island. All applicants should be in good academic standing at their high school and must submit a one-page essay on their involvement in community service, electoral politics and/or government, as well as volunteerism.
Applications and an official transcript should be sent to: BarbaraChockyMemorialAward@gmail.com by May 13, 2022. Finalists will be contacted for interview in May. The Barbara J. Chocky Memorial Award committee will consider diversity, equity and inclusion when reviewing applications.
Follow @chockyaward on Twitter and on Instagram at @chockyaward.
Donations to the fund may be made to the Barbara J. Chocky Memorial Award on GoFundMe.
The UES’s guitar man – Everybody loves the UES’s John Bartos and will want to see – really hear – him and his newly formed band, Analog 5. I was at their gig earlier this month at Connolly’s on West 45th St. There’s Steve Ioannou on vocals, Cynthia Taylor on bass, Alvin Lopez on drums, with John on guitar. The five-some met through the New York City Guitar School where they performed last fall, and then went out on their own, and had their first performance at Connolly’s in The Klub 45 Room on West 45th St. They were good. You’ll want to go to their next performance at Connolly’s which is on July 29. Check out the time.
French fry reunion – Covid’s been tough. Goes without saying. After two long years ... so much to miss ... so much gone. So it was pure joy, and instant justification, to once again indulge with a French fry at McDonald’s. Make that fries. Big Mac’s French fries are cheap, crisp, salty, fresh ... omg. And then I learned that Taco Bell’s gotten into the game with spicy, salted fries. A contender, maybe, but “first fry” goes to McDonald’s.