Huntington Senior Lands $10K College Scholarship

Emal Wafajow has captured a $10,000 college scholarship. The Huntington High School senior won the first place prize in the annual contest sponsored by the Bricklayers & Allied Craftworkers labor union based in Long Island City.

Mr. Wafajow’s 11-page PowerPoint presentation was insightful and well-received. “The task was to address the problems that modern labor unions face today and how they may solve those challenges,” the teenager said. “Methods to present the material included a poster, PowerPoint, a research paper and a marketing campaign with originality and creativity emphasized for all of the options.”

In addition to Mr. Wafajow’s first place award, the Bricklayers & Allied Craftworkers presented a $5,000 second place prize and three third place awards worth $2,500 each.

Mr. Wafajow was among 30 metropolitan area seniors vying in the contest. “We each submitted an application to the union with our transcripts and letters of recommendation included and had five minutes allotted to present our research,” the Huntington Class of 2013 member said.

The panel of judges included a Columbia University Law School graduate, an individual work previously worked closely with Governor Andrew Cuomo and a labor and management expert who had been a lead administrator for several large unions.