James Tang ’18: Step Cannuscio ’16 has been recently named the recipient of the Ben Read Scholarship for his proproposal to build and furnish an Armenia school. As this year is the 100th anniversary of the Armenian genocide, people around the world are doing projects to mark this date that affected more than one million people. Cannuscio will be commemorating the anniversary through the Ben Read Scholarship.
Each year, members of the junior class have the opportunity to propose a plan in hopes of receiving a cash grant to assist their project. The scholarship was created in honor of Benjamin H. Read, who devoted his professional career to public service in domestic and foreign affairs. The intent of the donors is, “To honor the memory of their distinguished friend, Benjamin H. Read, and to create at Episcopal a program to reflect the things that mattered most to him in his professional life: public service in both foreign and domestic affairs.” Recipients are students who show excellence in history and an interest in national and international service. As this year’s recipient, Cannuscio has shown all of these qualities. Charles Bryant, Chair of the History Department, is an integral member of the selection process. He revealed that a great proposal includes, “Imagination, passion, and a sense of discovery, whether through a service or investigative project. Like several others we’ve had over the years, Step’s proposal had elements of both.” Cannuscio’s plan involves traveling to Armenia while also acquiring and sending laptops to schools and orphanages there. “As an Armenian, I decided to do something to honor the memories of the 1.5 million Armenians who lost their lives a century ago,” he said. This summer, Cannuscio will spend a month in Armenia building and furnishing a school. “I will also tour Armenia and learn about my heritage.”
Photo Courtesy of Mark Tassoni
Cannuscio first came up with the idea of providing laptops to the Armenian children when he talked to his former principal at Armenian Sisters Academy. “She has an orphanage in Armenia, and when I asked her what the kids truly need, she said laptops,” he said. Cannuscio went on to describe the lack of technology provided to the children and how, “Laptops are the perfect blend of entertainment and education to foster the childrens’ learning environment.”
The application process for Cannuscio started with two essays describing the background of his motive and his plan. A few weeks later, he was contacted for an interview, which included about seven teachers asking him about his project. Bryant listed the faculty members involved with the process, which included, “The US History teachers, Mrs. Swanson as Director of Community Outreach, and Mr. Trumbull as a…US History teacher, and past Director of Community Service.” As Chair of the History Department, Bryant had the responsibility of selecting this committee. “To me, it was a natural for a history and service prize intended for junior scholars to have the teachers of juniors and community service represented on the committee,” he commented.
Bryant gave advice to future applicants, saying, “Propose a project that you really want to do, not just one which you think will help you win. Follow a sincere passion, which both helps you learn, and helps others where possible.” Canuscio’s passion for his project is evident as he stressed, “This summer I hope to benefit many children’s lives and I cannot wait to see the faces of these children when they receive these laptops.” He further expressed his excitement for the impending trip adding, “I am also very excited to tour Armenia and learn about the culture and I know that this will be a life changing experience and I cannot wait for it to begin.”