Five students received the annual Sonny Kovatch scholarship recently.

The scholarship is presented by the Sonny Kovatch Scholarship Foundation to honor the legacy of the late John “Sonny” Kovatch Jr.

Over the past eight years, the foundation has awarded more than $178,000 in scholarships.

This year, the foundation members, consisting of George Mermon, president; and members Judy Kovatch, Kathy Kovatch-Reaman, Dr. Joseph Mussoline, Michael Radocha and Terry Baughn, chose five students to receive $17,000 in scholarship funds. Recipients include Christina Dacey, who received $5,000; and Cordell Brettle, Matthew Petit-Clair, Kaleyia Polanco and Alex Groller, who each received $3,000.

Dacey, a senior at Panther Valley High School, excelled in volleyball and basketball. She is also vice president of student council and the prom committee, and a member of the Envirothon team, school newspaper, student leadership and National Honor Society.

In addition to receiving the scholarship, she also received the future physicians honor recipient by St. Luke’s Health Network.

Dacey has been accepted to Moravian College and will be studying neuroscience.

Brettle, a senior Panther Valley High School, is the president of both the National Honor Society and Future Business Leaders of America and a member of the student forums, student leadership and Envirothon. Brettle also placed first in the regional computer fair.

He will be attending Capital Technology University in the fall.

Petit-Clair, a senior at Lehighton Area School District, is a member of the National Honor Society, student council, principal advisory council and Red Cross.

He also played four years of soccer for Lehighton Area High School, which earned him MVP honors and a position on the Schuylkill All-Star soccer team all while maintaining perfect attendance for his entire high school career.

Petit-Clair also received the Eunice Kennedy Shiver Award for Special Olympics.

He has been accepted to Temple University and the University of Scranton to pursue a degree in business.

Polanco is a senior at Panther Valley High School and was a member of the volleyball and softball teams. She is a member of the National Honor Society, prom committee, and was the coordinator for the blood drives held at Panther Valley. She also served as the senior class president.

Polanco will be entering the early childhood education program at Lebanon Valley College this fall.

Groller, who is attending Northampton Community College, is continuing his automotive education as well as working on a degree in applied science in global automotive. He took second in the skills contest held by the greater Lehigh Valley Auto Dealers Association.

Groller also took third in the Skills USA competition, as well as first in the Carbon County oratory contest.