Our Mission
The Litchfield High School Scholarship Association, now known as the Litchfield Scholarship Association, came to be as the result of the generous spirit and inspiration of Rose Brennan, alumna and teacher at Litchfield High School. In 1938 she saw her students turning down a chance to go to college because they couldn’t afford it. She collected whatever money she and her colleagues could afford and made the first scholarship awards in the school’s history. Ever since, thousands of scholarships have been given to several hundred deserving students.
Apply for Scholarships
Students who are residents of Litchfield and attending Lakeview High School, or Alumni of Litchfield High School, are eligible to apply to the Litchfield Scholarship Association.
Academic performance, financial need and extracurricular activities of applicants are considered by the scholarship committee. The application is due in early April (exact deadline date will be posted at the start of the school year).
Click the Apply Now button to access the online portal, create your account and complete the application. Please answer all questions on the application to the best of your ability. You will find more detailed information on the portal site.
By the end of April, Litchfield Scholarship Association members will contact graduating senior applicants to go over any questions pertaining to your application, to learn more about your college aspirations and to gain an understanding about any extenuating circumstances or additional information you were not able to include in your application. Alumni applications will be reviewed by mid-June and notification will be sent to recipients.
Our goal is to inform you of our decision prior to your declaration day for college choice and/or to meet college expense deadlines.
In 2026...
Photo By Jane M. Bailey: BZ Correspondent
LIKIN’ LITCHFIELD: SCHOLARSHIPS FOR SENIORS
Posted by John McKenna | Jun 19, 2026 | Litchfield.bz
While I knew about the Litchfield Scholarship Association, I had never attended the LSA awards celebration until this year. Lucky me! This inspiring event at the Litchfield Community Center on Monday gave me a special reason to love Litchfield. It was an evening of joy as 23 deserving Lakeview seniors received a scholarship to support their college education.
The students were guests of honor at the celebration, but it is the generous donors who over the past 79 years enabled the LSA to give away this year’s total of $189,100 in awards. In addition, 53 alumni received $360,000.
The LSA’s board of directors oversees 36 endowed funds and their distribution. The board has the difficult job of reviewing student applications and choosing the award recipients. This means reading applicant essays and learning of their academic and extra-curricular accomplishments, along with their financial need.
Board President Robert Petricone opened the celebration by sharing the association’s history dating to 1938. Litchfield High School teacher Rose Brennan noticed students who couldn’t afford to go to college and began collecting money from colleagues and gave Litchfield’s first scholarships. In 1947 the organization gained non-profit status and officially became the Litchfield High School Scholarship Association, now known as the Litchfield Scholarship Association.
Berta Andrulis Mette, board vice president, called each of the recipients forward to receive their scholarship award. They were congratulated by each board member.
Julie Foss, mother of scholarship recipient Addison Foss, said “The Litchfield Scholarship Association is a wonderful organization. They are so generous in making it possible for Addie to attend college.” Addie will attend the University of Pittsburgh and her sister, Avery, a recipient last year, attends Northeastern University on an LSA scholarship.
Scholarship recipient Addie Foss and her mom, Julie.
In addition to the high school senior scholarships, special awards were presented, including the Merit & Rare Book Awards that went to the Class of 2026 Valedictorian Jack Reynolds and Salutatorian Dorothy Olmstead. Reynolds will attend Dartmouth College and Olmstead is headed to UCONN. The selection of rare books they received were chosen by retired Litchfield High School teacher Jerry Geci and his wife Bette.
Valedictorian Jack Reynolds and his bag of prize books.
Dorothy Olmstead also won the Sandra Tyrell Music Award for outstanding musicianship throughout her high school years. The award honors a former student who died in a fire that destroyed her family’s home where Toast & Co. is now. Her family established the award to keep her memory and love of music alive. Olmstead is a gifted trombone player and has demonstrated music and performance success in multiple honors bands, ensembles and pit orchestras.
The Betty Locke Award honors Locke’s 50 years as a Litchfield educator and her service as an active citizen and lover of Litchfield. The award went to Margaret Titus, who is planning to attend Central Connecticut State University to study art education.
Berta Andrulis Mette honors scholarship recipient Quinn Stickney, an activities assistant at the community center.
Region 20 Superintendent of Schools Jeffrey Villar and Lakeview Principal Michael Valerio watched proudly as the awards were presented. The entire celebration reflected on a school district we all can be proud of.
The Litchfield Scholarship Association honors the legacy of donors who ‘pay it forward’ with endowed funds and special gifts. Thanks to LSA’s good stewardship, Rose Brennan’s long-ago dream to help college-bound students is still going strong.
To donate or set up an endowed scholarship, go to www.litchfieldscholarshipassociation.org
Scholarship recipients and the colleges they will be attending:
Addison Foss: University of Pittsburgh
Ava Fischthal: Salve Regina University
Ayla Amicone Marquez: University of New Hampshire
Benjamin Schildgen: University of Massachusetts Lowell
Callie Saulnier: Endicott College
Caroline Donnelly: UCONN
Scholarship recipient Caroline Donnelly and her parents, John and Gretchen.
Carson Shaughnessy: University of Hartford
Clarissa Tranquillo: Southern Connecticut State University
Connor Aldrich: University of Hartford
Dorothy Olmstead: UCONN
Edward Allen: University of Hartford
Evelyn Falino: UCONN
Jack Reynolds: Dartmouth College
Jackson Bates: Endicott College
Jayden Blasi: Southern Connecticut State University
James Shaughnessy: St. Michael’s College
Margaret Titus: Central Connecticut State University
Quinn Stickney: Vassar College
Reide Augustyn: Yale University
Thomas Stockno: Keene State College
Truett Spelman: Connecticut College
Willow Mary Schulde: Marietta College
Additional Brickley Scholarships went to
Dennis Michelle Guaman at Southern Connecticut State University
Lydia Brown at University of Vermont
A final word to the scholarship recipients, know that the community of Litchfield supports you as you head into a future you will create! All the best ahead.
The Litchfield Scholarship Association board of directors: Seated from left are Sue Kennedy, Phil Samponaro, Robert Petricone and Gary Waugh, and standing from left are Kate Zullo, Camille Barnett, Al Macchioni, Berta Andrulis Mette and Lou Donne.