By: Sharon Aron Baron

The senseless death of their daughter Gina not only robbed the Montalto family of a beloved daughter and sister, it robbed the world of a talented, promising young student and artist destined for great things.

After Gina was killed in the mass shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland last year, her parents Tony and Jennifer Montalto founded the Gina Rose Montalto Memorial Foundation to help students not only with the cost of post secondary education, but to help make charitable donations to causes Gina supported. 

Two scholarships will be for $5,000 each.  One for pursuing studies in the Arts and one working toward a degree in a STEM – science, technology, engineering or math field. The scholarships are for any students with a least a cumulative 3.8 GPA attending a Broward County public school, Hialeah-Miami Lakes Senior High School or Pelham Memorial High School in New York. Since Tony is a United Airlines Captain, the scholarship programs are also open for children of employees. Applications are due May 1, 2019.

Another scholarship called the Girl Scout Gold Award Scholarship will award $1,500 towards their post-secondary education. As a cadette Girl Scout, Gina earned the Girl Scout Silver Award with her Troop. and was enormously proud of this accomplishment.  As she began the ninth grade, she was actively exploring ideas for her future Girl Scout Gold Award. The Foundation will be awarding one high school senior, who has achieved a Gold Award through the Girl Scouts of Southeast Florida, a one-time $1,500 scholarship to help with the cost of post-secondary education.  This is open to a Broward County Public Schools student, child of a United Airlines employee, or ALPA Union Member. Applications due April 10, 2019.

Gina excelled in both Arts and STEM studies and through these scholarships, Tony and Jennifer hope their daughter’s legacy will live on through the accomplishments of other deserving young men and women.

For more information go to www.ginaroseMMF.ORG