OLEAN — Seven area students were recently honored as recipients of the John F. O’Malley Annual Scholarship Fund Award, presented by the Cattaraugus County Division II of the Ancient Order of Hibernians (AOH).

The award, administered by the AOH Division II Scholarship Committee in Olean, reflects the organization’s longstanding commitment to education, community service and Christian charity. The scholarship was established to recognize and assist local students as they begin their college journeys.

The AOH Division II awarded $7,000 in scholarships this year to support these promising graduates as they take the next step in their education. Each graduate received a $1,000 scholarship to support their continued education.

This year’s recipients, all members of the graduating Class of 2025, include:

• Elizabeth Giardini, Allegany-Limestone High School, is pursuing Early Childhood Education at St. Bonaventure University.
• Zander Parsons, Allegany-Limestone High School, is pursuing Sports & Recreation Management at the University of Pittsburgh at Bradford.
• Brennan Kielar, Olean High School, is pursuing Criminal Justice at SUNY Brockport.
• Thomas Kielar, Olean High School, is pursuing Environmental Conservation at SUNY Plattsburgh.
• Christopher Osgood, Portville Central School, is pursuing a research degree in Science at Columbia University.
• Natalie Isaman, Portville Central School, is pursuing Mechanical Engineering at Penn State.
• Roberto Ramirez, Allegany-Limestone High School, is pursuing Forensic Medicine.

The award is named for John F. O’Malley, who, along with the late Don Dougherty of Olean, co-founded the Cattaraugus County Division II of the Ancient Order of Hibernians. Together, they also launched the Gaelic 200 Scholarship Program to benefit local high school students.