NY CHECK CASHERS ANNOUNCE 6TH ANNUAL SCHOLARSHIP
PROGRAM WINNERS

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NEW YORK, NY, May 15, 2001 -- The Check Cashers Association of New York, Inc. (CCANY), in partnership with Minneapolis-based Travelers Express Company-Money Gram, today announced its sixth annual scholarship competition winners.

In all, 16 winners were chosen and $35,000 awarded to deserving college-bound high school seniors attending the New York City public school system.

The scholarship program, "Rewarding Young Leaders in Our Community," gives cash grants to outstanding high school seniors using as criteria, leadership skills in the school, community service, financial need and academic achievement.

For the first time, a $7,500 scholarship grant was awarded to the most outstanding candidate, while first place winners in each of the five boroughs were awarded a $3,000 grant. This compares to $1,500 in the competition’s inaugural year. The scholarships were bestowed for the 2001/2002 academic year at the association’s ninth annual conference and vendors show, at the Marriott Brooklyn Hotel.

Cash stipends for the two runners-up in each borough -- $1,500 and $1,000, respectively – were also awarded.

The $7,500 grant was given to Saha Khan, Staten Island High School. A staff member of the school newspaper, the Asian-American Club, Junior Statesman of America and a volunteer at Staten Island University Hospital, she plans to study biology at the seven-year medical program at Montclair (NJ) State University, which it runs with the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey.

First place scholarships were given to:

Daiana Mielnik, Abraham Lincoln High School, Brooklyn. A member of the National Honor Society, Institute for Professional Science, Key Club, and captain of the girls varsity basketball team, she will attend the State University of New York at Stony Brook.

(Sara) Chung Shan Ching, Stuyvesant High School, Manhattan. A member of the Mentoring USA Program, National Spanish Honor Society and Key Club, she will study international business and marketing at New York University in the fall.

Riquelmi Gomez, Dewitt Clinton High School, The Bronx. A member of Aspira, she received the Hispanic Youth Leaders Institute award for 2000-2001. She will study psychology at the State University of New York College at Purchase in the fall.

Diana M. Cappiello, Tottenville High School, Staten Island. A member of the National Honor Society, the Newman Club and editor of the school newspaper, she plans to study political science and international relations at Amherst College.

Sung-Sin Lee, Flushing High School, Queens. A member of the Tri-M National Music Society and Arista, she received a certificate of merit from the Queens County District Attorney. She plans to study education at Barnard College.

"Each year I am amazed at the capacity of the students who enter our competition. As difficult as it may appear, they only get better in terms of academic performance, voluntary work in the communities they live and their overall attitude," said Sanford (Sandy) Herman, CCANY scholarship chairman and the architect of the program. "This is a real living testament to the education these youngsters are getting in a first-rate school system. We have every reason to be proud."

CCANY/Travelers Express-Money Gram second place winners were:

Third place winners were:

CCANY represents over 600 check cashing stores in the Empire State. New York’s check cashers employ ever 4,000 residents statewide and cash checks with a face value nearing $14 billion. The maximum check cashing fee, regulated by the New York Department of Banking, is 1.4% of the face value -- the lowest rate in the nation.

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Note:  Prior to May 2004, the Financial Service Centers of New York (FSCNY) was named the Check Cashers Association of New York (CCANY). Consequently, press releases and articles during that time period reflect the organization's CCANY name. 

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