Franklin First FCU Awards $5,000 in Scholarships

June 16, 2016 Greenfield Franklin First Federal Credit Union has announced the winners of their 2016 Scholarships. The $5,000 in scholarship awards were made to six local students. This year"s $1000 Ari Brown-Weeks Scholarship was given to this year"s top scholarship candidate, Mark Pribyshchuk, who attends the University of Massachusetts, Amherst. The scholarship is named in honor of Specialist Ari Brown-Weeks, a paratrooper in the United States Army, who died in Iraq in 2007. Brown-Weeks was from Franklin County and the scholarship was established in 2007. Other scholarship winners: Dylan DePalma - $1,000.00 (Pioneer Valley Regional School) Eugenia Cojocaru - $1,000.00 (Greenfield High School) Hannah Kieffer - $1,000.00 (Greenfield High School) Joshua Miller - $500.00 (Greenfield Community College) Hannah White - $500.00 (Greenfield Community College) Franklin First CEO/President, Martha Richardson said, "Franklin First is delighted to reward the hard work of these young people and help them pursue their academic goals in higher education with the scholarship awards. Additionally, we are proud to continue to honor the memory of Specialist Ari Brown-Weeks with the scholarship bearing his name. Franklin First offers congratulations to all the recipients." The $1,000 scholarships are given to students attending 4-year college programs, and the $500 awards are given to those going to 2-year colleges. Scholarships are awarded based on grades, extracurricular activities, community service, and a written essay. About Franklin First Federal Credit Union Franklin First Federal Credit Union began in 1958 at Franklin County Public Hospital. In the 1980's there were mergers of four Franklin County credit unions: Franklin County Public Hospital FCU, Franklin County Employees FCU, Lunt Silversmiths CU, and Greenfield Tap & Die Credit Union. Today, anyone who lives, works, attends school or worships in Franklin County can join Franklin First. They currently serve over 6,600 members and over 250 Business Group Partners at their branch at 57 Newton Street in Greenfield, Massachusetts.