The Hudson Valley Credit Union (HVCU) has awarded Joseph Ponesse of New Windsor one of its annual scholarships.

 Each year, Hudson Valley Credit Union participates in the Annual Scholarship Program from the New York Credit Union Association. Scholarships are awarded to members of the credit union who are graduating high school and will be attending a two or four year accredited college in the fall. Students submit  an application package to include an essay focused on the “People Helping People” credit union philosophy. Ponesse was one of ten scholarship winners chosen. He was awarded a $1500 scholarship.
 On Monday, July 10, Branch Manager Victoria LaPorte presented Joseph with his check and award letter.

 Ponesse, a member of HVCU’s New Windsor Branch, graduated from Newburgh Free Academy in June 2023 and will be attending SUNY Cortland in the Fall. He plans to major in Physical Education with the goal of working toward a Masters Degree in Personal Training. While a student at Newburgh Free Academy, Ponesse played football, wrestled and played baseball while graduating in the top five percent of his class. He was an active member of the National Honor Society and the Spanish National Honor Society.  He received the 2022/2023 OCIAA male Scholar Athlete Award for Newburgh Free Academy.

Ponesse also earned the rank of Eagle Scout with the Boy Scouts of America Troop 28 in New Windsor. For an Eagle Scout project, he led the renovation of a cross country trail at Heritage Middle School in New Windsor that had become ruinous during COVID 19.  Ponesse and his volunteers cleared the trail of debris such as glass, overgrowth and tree branches. They fixed the uneven running path from ruts left by four wheelers and laid over 40 yards of mulch. 

Volunteers also built a natural bridge for a stream on the trail and built a sign for the trail. He has over 300 community service hours such as participating in numerous highway cleanups, placing flags on Veterans’ graves for Memorial Day or mentoring young wrestlers in the Newburgh Future Stars Wrestling program.