Provided information/photos
The Paulo Busti Cultural Foundation 41st Scholarship Awards Dinner will be held Tuesday June 10, 2025, at 6:30 PM at Batavia Downs. The Foundation is excited to be able to celebrate their heritage together. It promises to be a wonderful evening of friendship, pride and of course, delicious Italian food.
The tickets are $35.00 and may be purchased from Board members and Ben’s Appliances, East Main St. Rd. New members are always welcomed to join.
Scholarship Award winners listed below.
Greyson Irving Fix, a graduating 2025 Batavia High School Senior, will also be graduating from Genesee Valley BOCES for Automotive Technology, where he earned his car lift certification. His parents are Aaron and Kristen Fix, maternal Italian Grandmother Anna Marie Crescuola Wood. Greyson will be attending Alfred State College pursuing the Building Trades program and playing football. Greyson participated in Varsity Football, Indoor Track and Field, Varsity Baseball and Outdoor Track and Field for Batavia High School. He is the 2025 Recipient of the Danny Lullo Scholarship.
Volunteering is a part of who Greyson is. He volunteered at the Ricky Palermo Golf Tournament, working the chicken barbecue and the closest to the pin challenge. He is involved with Ascension Parish, volunteering for the Soup Suppers, Habitat for Humanity, where he measured and cut drywall, as well as Make a Difference Day, cleaning up the Cemetery, raking leaves and picking up trash and sticks.
Greyson stated that having an Italian American upbringing has helped mold the person he is today, along with the hard work and commitment to himself and his family. He believes this is going to continue to insure him a successful life, with his relationship to God, helping others, and being an honest and kind person.
Adam Charles Root, son of Joel and Roxanne Root of Hilton, NY. Grandson of Diane Beradini Martino and Jerry Martino.
Adam will be a 2025 Graduate of Hilton High School and WEMCO Career and Technical School at BOCES.
The Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park is Adam’s school of choice after graduation, he will study Culinary Science with a focus in Culinary Arts as his major.
He participated in Model UN, Student Council, Announcement Club, Track and Field and School Band as a Trombonist.
A member of the National Technical Honor Society, awarded Student of the Month and awarded Academic Merit certificates
Adam has volunteered at Make a Difference Day and cooked and served food at St. Peter’s in Rochester, NY.
Adam’s Culinary expertise has sparked various specialty dishes, with a variety of sauces. Homemade pizza dough has taken a different spin with Adam, he loves to make with unusual toppings. His creative imagination and culinary skills will bring him success.
Kaitlin Kratz, a graduating Senior at Notre Dame High School, daughter of John and Jill Kratz. Her Grandparent are Jean Peca and John Peca. She is member of the National Honor Society from her Sophomore until present. Kaitlin plans to attend Genesee Community College majoring in Nursing.
She has participated in volleyball and tennis as her extracurricular activities. She has volunteered for the Notre Dame Youth Volleyball Camp, All Babies Cherished Fund Raisers Events, St. Joseph’s Regional School’s Halloween Parties, ND Meat Raffle and Golf Tournament and Live, Like, Levi’s Pantry, she has also prepared meals for Free Little Pantry.
Kaitlin stated her great appreciation for her Italian Heritage through the customs, lessons and love that has been passed on through the DeFazio and Peca family’ s tradition and love. Kaitlin stated the way she was brought up was not some coincidence, she believed a portion was due to her Italian Heritage and tradition!!
Matthew Wittmeyer, a 2025 member of the graduating Class of Batavia Senior High School. His parents are Jerry and Lisa Wittmeyer. Grandson of Rocco and Debbie Pellegrino.
Matthew’s goal is to attend the University of Indiana, majoring in Economics, and minoring in sales. He has challenged himself with dual enrollment college classes since his sophomore year.
Matthew is the Senior Class President and Co-Mayor, of Student Government, while participating in Soccer for 4 years, presently as captain. Key Club, Travel Club and My Brother’s Keeper are activities that he has actively demonstrated his interests.
Volunteering at Ascension parish has demonstrated his commitment to service.
Matt was Junior Year Homecoming Prince, Batavia Daily News Glow Region Teen of the Week and Batavia Daily News Glow Region Teen of the Year Finalist. A 2025 Mr. Batavian Contestant and Genesee Youth Lead Graduate.
Matt’s description of the Italian family he grew up in. They have shown him invaluable morals, some of which have resonated with him. He found clarity in the values they lived by, and fierce loyalty to those we love. Scrappy sense of resourcefulness and perhaps most important, the ability to keep going. Life can be wilder than a thunderstorm, but that’s exactly when you learn to dance in the rain”
Rocco Sprague, a member of the 2025 Notre Dame High School Graduating Class, son of Lisa Sprague of LeRoy, NY., Corrine Rapone Sprague is his Maternal Grandmother and Duane Pangrazio Sprague, Paternal Grandfather. Rocco has been named Salutatorian of the 2025 Graduating Class of Notre Dame High School.
A Notre Dame National Honor Society Member, Scholastic Bowl Team participate and Year Book Club member. Rocco plan to attend SUNY Oneonta to major in Communication Studies with a Minor in History or Political Science.
Rocco received the George Eastman Youth Leadership Award, Scholar Athlete Baseball Team member award for the Highest GPA, Genesee Scholastic Team Member Bowl Final awarded 3rd place for the Team. Genesee Park Environment Team, 2nd place, ND Department award for Math and Spanish, ND Faculty and Staff Award, ND Student of the Month and High Honor Roll for NDHS. He was selected by the Glenn S. Loomis American Legion Post #332 to represent Batavia at NY Boys State, Boys State Yearbook Team, appointed Relations Officer for the city. For Extracurricular activities, Rocco participated in JV Baseball, Varsity Tennis, ND Band, playing trumpet and Guitar lessons.
Our Lady of Mercy fulfills his religious services as an Altar server. He taught Summer Bible School, served at Lenten Fish Dinners, assisted at St. Joseph Regional School Halloween and Christmas Parties, Baptist Church Christmas Dinner, ND and St. Joes Meat Raffle, Batavia Italian Festival at the Youth Game Station.
Rocco believes his family’s Italian cultural roots are important to him to maintain because his ancestors brought with them a rich and vibrant language, history and culture that was passed on and proudly celebrated by family.