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The Knott Scholarship Funds recently announced recipients of the 2025 Knott Scholarship Competition winners. These scholarships, funded by the Marion Burk Knott Scholarship Fund and the Marion I. and Henry J. Knott Scholarship Fund, cover four-year, full tuition in the Catholic school of the scholar’s choosing. Three of the 29 scholarships have been awarded to students from the St. John the Evangelist parish and school community.
The Knott Scholarship scholars are:
“As principal, I am very proud of this year’s recipients of the Knott Scholarship. The Knott Foundation has recognized the outstanding academic skills, spiritual values, and leadership qualities of these students and the accomplishments they have achieved while attending our school,” said Glenna Blessing, principal of St. John the Evangelist School. “We look forward to each of our students having a very successful career at their respective Catholic high schools in which they will continue to contribute to their school community. We are grateful to the Knott Foundation for their commitment to providing this opportunity for our students to continue to study at Catholic institutes through their high school years.”
Elizabeth Locher called it an honor to be a part of a group of “such high-achieving individuals.”
“The scholarship represents all of my hard work up until now; it’s rewarding to have that work pay off,” she said.
Locher will explore engineering through Spalding’s Project Lead the Way STEM curriculum.
Her father, Chris, added that the scholarship was merit based and solely dependent on his daughter’s test scores, academic record and in-person interview.
“We are grateful to the Knott family for the financial component, but we are happier Elizabeth was recognized and rewarded for her hard work and dedication to her academic performance,” he said.
Amaya Ward, a student at St. John since third grade, is grateful for the Knott recognition and is excited to attend The Catholic High School because of the school’s Franciscan values, biomedical program and Asian Student Union. Her father, William, said he has seen his daughter grow academically and spiritually while at St. John the Evangelist School.
“The St. John teachers are just relentless in challenging the children to fully understand the core subjects,” he said. “The Knott Scholarship means an investment for Amaya’s college future. The financial strains that a Catholic education places on many families, including ours, has now given way for the opportunity to look toward ensuring that her life after high school will have those opportunities of success while in college and beyond.”
Colin Zaleski is the youngest of nine children, all of whom have attended Catholic schools. He was homeschooled by his mother, Amy Zaleski, so he’s excited to start high school where he will participate in clubs, play sports, and meet new people. He will be the seventh Zaleski brother to attend Mount Saint Joseph. Financial support in recognition of his hard work in academics is appreciated by his family.
“Catholic education is indeed a sacrifice of time and treasure, but it is one that we gladly and gratefully make. A Catholic liberal arts education gives all students a fantastic foundation in faith, compassion, wisdom and virtue that one just cannot get in a secular environment,” Amy said. “The Knott Scholarship is a great blessing and honor for our family as it will give Colin the opportunity to flourish and become the person God created him to be. We are grateful for our wonderful parish community and the encouragement and spiritual support we receive from our pastor, Father Erik Arnold.”
The Knott Scholarship Funds have provided support for more than 2,000 academically talented Catholic students who reside in parts of the Archdiocese of Baltimore to attend Catholic schools for the last 25 years. The newly designated scholars attended the Knott Scholarship Funds pinning ceremony on April 6, which included Mass at Cathedral of Mary Our Queen in Baltimore.
“We are so proud of our students who have been chosen as Knott Scholars and for all their hard work and achievement,” Arnold said. “I share in the joy of their parents, families and teachers who have encouraged them, and I am grateful to the Knott Scholarship Fund for all they do to encourage our Catholic students to grow in their faith and develop the gifts God has given them. Congratulations to our newest class of Knott Scholars.”
To learn more about the Knott Scholarship Fund, go to www.knottscholar.org.
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