Scholar Stories

Danielle Drogi has wanted to be a teacher for as long as she can remember. She spent all 12 years of schooling in the small, close-knit community of Alden, New York, and had a tremendous educational experience.

“People in Alden are friendly and willing to help their neighbors, and the school is the same way,” said Danielle. “Alden is pretty rural and does not have a very big economy; everyone in the community is very involved.”

In high school, Danielle played in soccer, was in both school band and choir, and piano and competition. She also participated in the school musicals, and was a member, and later president, of the National Honor Society. As a member of the Leadership Club, she was involved with the Big Brothers/Big Sisters program for local elementary students.

Though Danielle is the first person on her father’s side of the family to go to college, she said her parents were always supportive of her dream of going to college.

“My parents always encouraged me to go to college, and I always expected myself to go to college. I knew I wanted to be a teacher for quite some time, and I knew that in order to do that I needed to do well in school.”

During her senior year of high school, Danielle spent a lot of time applying for scholarships. At the end of the year, her hard work paid off. She graduated in the top ten of her class of 160 students, and also received a $500 alumni award from Alden Community Dollars for Scholars.

“It was very helpful and nice to be honored and to be recognized for my academic achievements and community involvement,” Danielle said.

Danielle was invited to speak at Alden’s 10-year anniversary banquet and was excited to personally thank the donors that provided her with the scholarship.

“It was so nice to see the people who have donated and meet them and be recognized for my work and recognize them for their contributions. Being recognized was the more significant part for me,” Danielle said.

Danielle is currently attending State University of New York (SUNY) Geneseo, and plans on eventually earning her master’s degree in Reading and Literacy.

“I think you’re able to meet different goals that you set through achieving higher education. It’s important to develop more as a person and as a student through college. College is a way to explore your horizons and grow as an individual while meeting your career goals and dreams for your feature.”

Help a Student Like Danielle Succeed | Return to Scholar Stories