Kurt Schaefer Scholarship Awarded to Granados-Lopez

Wendy Granados-Lopez has high hopes. The Huntington High School Class of 2013 member is studying at Suffolk County Community College with the ultimate dream of becoming an elementary school teacher.

Ms. Granados-Lopez is the 2013 recipient of the Kurt Schaefer Memorial Scholarship Award and the $1,200 stipend it carries. She said that her success can be traced to “the encouragement of others to work hard and my complete devotion to school.”

The teenager was recognized as a Distinguished Senior this past year after earning stellar grades. Over the course of the past four years, Ms. Granados-Lopez earned Pride Awards for her outstanding efforts in English, Spanish, math, science, social studies and health. She has welcome every academic challenge that came her way and persevered without batting an eye.

Kurt Schaefer had recently turned 17 years old and was preparing to enter his junior year at Huntington High School when he was struck by a car in a hit-and-run accident on Saturday, August 18, 1990 at 12:30 a.m. He died four days later at Huntington Hospital.

The teenager was riding a moped when he was struck at the intersection of Spring Road and Main Street in Huntington near Heckscher Park, according to a report published in Newsday. A Huntington man, who Suffolk Police said was driving a red Honda on his way home from a party in Huntington Bay, was later arrested.

Detectives said the Honda went over the double line, passed a pair of cars and went through the intersection on the wrong side of the road and through a red light, according to Newsday. The car struck Mr. Schaefer as he was crossing on Spring Street and it then fled the scene.

Mr. Schaefer enjoyed playing tennis, fishing and both water skiing and snow skiing. He was known as a very friendly person and was called “a wonderful kid” by Peter Schaefer, his father.

As Mr. Schaefer lay critically injured in Huntington Hospital following the accident, countless friends tried to visit his bedside. “The Rock” at Huntington High School was quickly painted and inscribed with the words: “We Love You Kurt. Get Well Kurt.”

Visiting was held at M.A. Connell Funeral Home on Friday and Saturday, August 24-25, 1990. Interment was at St. Patrick’s Cemetery in Huntington.

 In addition to his father, survivors included Mr. Schaefer’s mother, Anne and his sister, Keera, who went on to graduate with Huntington High School’s Class of 1994.