College Aid: Two Eastie Students Receive Scholarships from Paul Pingnaro Scholarship/Salvatore and Maria Pizzi Foundation Scholarship Committee

Last week, the Paul Pingaro Scholarship Committee announced that two East Boston high School graduates that are heading off to college in the fall were the recipients of two local scholarships.

Stephanie Faiella was awarded the Paul Pingaro Scholarship, a one-time award of $1,000 given annually to an Eastie graduate while Justin Capo was awarded the Salvatore and Maria Pizzi Foundation Scholarship of $2,500 per year for the four years Crapo will be in college.

Faiella graduated from East Boston High and will attend Franklin Pierce University in the fall while Capo also graduated from East Boston High and will attend Fitchburg State University in the fall.

“Congratulations to Justin and Stephanie,” said Scholarship Committee member Joseph Weddleton. “The Committee would like to also express their gratitude to the Salvatore and Maria Pizzi Foundation for their generosity.”

The Paul Pingaro Scholarship was established after Mr. Pingnaro’s passing in January of 1997.

A committee of Pingaro’s friends organized the scholarship committee and began fundraising.

In the spring of 1998, the Paul Pingaro Scholarship Committee selected two East Boston High School grads for a $1,000 scholarships.

Every year thereafter, two $500 scholarships were awarded to Eastie students until the Paul Pingaro Scholarship Committee began collaborating with the Salvatore and Maria Pizzi Family Foundation in 2014.

“The Salvatore and Maria Pizzi Family Foundation generously matched the Paul Pingaro Scholarship and now the amount awarded annually is $1,000,” said Weddleton. “The Salvatore and Maria Pizzi Family Foundation also gives one of the Paul Pingaro Scholarship recipients a $2,500 per year scholarship while they are in college if they maintain a 3.0 or better grade point average.”

Mr. Pingaro was a lifetime resident of Eastie who worked with East Boston youth through Boston Parks and Recreation at the Paris Street Community Center for more than 20 years. His gregarious personality made everyone who walked through the Paris Street Community Center’s doors feel welcome.

Mr. Pingaro was a talented athlete whose favorite sport was basketball and shared his skills and love for basketball with the young people he coached.

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