Joanne Grzelak, widow of FDNY Battalion Chief Joseph Grzelak, who was killed in the North Tower of the World Trade Center while responding to the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, has for many years given an annual scholarship worth $500.00 to a graduate of St. John Villa Academy, reports Annalise Knudson in the Staten Island Advance.
When she heard that the school was slated to close this year, she and her daughters surprised the students by giving every graduating student – all 76 of them – a $500.00 scholarship.
“They were so excited and a lot of them told me in notes they would use it for their [school] books and that’s exactly what I wanted. As long as it helps in some way. I just really wanted to help them out in any way I could,” Joanne Grzelak said.
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