The John Sonny Kovatch Jr. Scholarship Foundation honored seven local high school students with scholarships at a dinner program Wednesday at Macaluso's Restaurant in Nesquehoning.

Each student received $3,000 each.Recipients are:• Alex Groller, a student at the Carbon Career and Technical Institute with his supporting school being Palmerton High School. He will be attending the Pennsylvania College of Technology to further his education in the automotive field.• Danielle Hudicka, Panther Valley High School, who will be attending Elizabethtown College.• Chloe Markovich, Panther Valley High School, who will be attending Penn State University with pre med as her course of study.• Anthony Collevechio, Marian High School, who will be attending LaSalle University where he will pursue a degree in business and accounting.• Christopher Santore, Panther Valley High School, who will be attending Penn State Hazleton and pursue a degree in civil engineering.• Michaela Susko, Marian High School, who will be attending Penn State Hazleton. She will be studying in the accounting and business fields.• Abigail Brickler, Tamaqua Area High School, who will be attending Dickenson College. He will be studying chemistry and environmental science.Foundation President George Mermon said this is the seventh year scholarships are being awarded."Since its inception, the foundation has awarded more than $157,000 in scholarships to individuals wishing to pursue higher education," he said.The Kovatch Foundation was started in memory of the late John "Sonny" Kovatch, who was the founder of the Kovatch firm. He expanded it from a neighborhood garage to a corporation that had employed over 900 people and supplies fire apparatus to concerns around the globe.He died at the age of 85 on Jan. 29, 2011, while still actively involved in running the company.The KME segment of the Kovatch Corporation, which was the fire apparatus branch, was sold to the Rev Group last year.Still, the foundation remains intact and foundation members said scholarships will continue to be awarded.Other foundation members besides Mermon are Judy Kovatch, Kathy Kovatch Reaman, Dr. Joseph Mussoline, Michael Radocha and terry Braughn.John Kovatch III told the scholarship recipients, "Sonny would be very proud of all of you."Mermon said, "This foundation was started by the Kovatch family to honor the legacy of John Sonny Kovatch Jr. The foundation has a simple goal which is to help provide a better life and better community through education."He said the foundation received 36 applicants from eight different schools, including Northampton High School and Southern Columbia High School.