North Allegheny Unified Boosters Organization Wright Nissan

Scholarship Opportunities – UBO Scholarships

2022-2023 UBO Scholarship Recipients

Don Vandergrift Scholarship Brayden Kushner (Football). Georgiana Thomas Scholarship, Ethan Byrne (Golf) and Varun Kaveti (Basketball and Volleyball).


UBO Scholarship Opportunities

Georgiana Thomas Scholarship – (Georgiana Thomas Biography)
(Two $1,000 scholarships will be awarded, one each to the first and second place winners)

The Georgiana Thomas Scholarship was created to recognize a North Allegheny senior rostered-athlete marching band member, who achieves academic excellence, displays leadership qualities, and makes a commitment to others through volunteer service to school and/or community. This is a one-time scholarship of $1000.00.

Eligibility Requirements:

  • Be a senior rostered-athlete/marching band member at North Allegheny High School
  • Achieve a cumulative QPA of 3.7 or higher by the end of the first semester of your senior year
  • Have not accepted a full tuition scholarship to a college or technical school

Instructions:

  • Fill out the Scholarship Application (don’t forget paragraph requirement listed at the bottom of the application).
  • Please complete application and return to the UBO Mailbox in the Athletic Director’s office no later than MARCH 22, 2024 BY 12 NOON.  
  • Applicants will be interviewed on April 5, 2024.
  • On April 27, 2024, the recipient of the Georgiana Thomas Scholarship will be recognized at the UBO Meeting.

No late applications will be accepted. Click here for the Georgiana Thomas Scholarship Application. Please note that seniors can only apply for one scholarship, either the Georgiana Thomas Scholarship or the Don Vandergrift Memorial Scholarship.

Georgiana Thomas first came involved with North Allegheny’s Unified Boosters Organization during the 1994-1995 school year. She became President of the U.B.O. in 2008 and a position she still holds today. Georgiana has dedicated much of her audit life to North Allegheny Athletics. During her tenure, she has overseen numerous projects and events including Toys for Tigers, and Kennywood Community Day.

This dedication has led to a scholarship being named in her honor that recognizes Georgiana’s achievements, community service and school pride.


Don Vandergrift Memorial Scholarship – (Don Vandergrift Biography)
The Don Vandergrift Memorial Scholarship was created to recognize a North Allegheny senior rostered-athlete/marching band member who displays leadership qualities, and makes a commitment to others through volunteer service to school and/or community. This is a one-time scholarship of $700.00.

Eligibility Requirements:

  • Be a senior rostered-athlete/marching band member at North Allegheny High School
  • A coach’s letter of recommendation must be submitted with application
  • Have not accepted a full tuition scholarship to a college or technical school

Instructions:

  • Fill out the Scholarship Application (don’t forget the paragraph requirement listed at the bottom of the application).
  • Please complete application and return to the UBO Mailbox in the Athletic Director’s office no later than Friday, MARCH 22, 2024 BY 12 NOON.  
  • Applicants will be interviewed on April 5, 2024.
  • On April 27, 2024, the recipient of the Don Vandergrift Memorial Scholarship will be recognized at the UBO Meeting.

No late applications will be accepted. Click here for the Don Vandergrift Memorial Scholarship Application. Please note that seniors can only apply for one scholarship, either the Georgiana Thomas Scholarship or the Don Vandergrift Memorial Scholarship.


Purpose of Scholarship

In accordance with National Interscholastic Athletic Administrators Association’s (NIAAA) purpose to promote, facilitate and increase the knowledge and understanding of the vital role of interscholastic athletics in the educational system, this scholarship program will foster and recognize the partnership between the NIAAA and secondary education. The scholarships will recognize the distinguished scholastic, leadership and sportsmanship attributes of high school student-athletes, and the importance of high school athletics in each student’s life. Download the NIAAA Student Athlete Scholarship Application (Fillable PDF). States are encouraged to recognize each student who applies by presenting them with a certificate of recognition. Download Certificate of Recognition.

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Don Vandergrift Biography (1939-2010)

Don Vandergrift (May 22, 1939 – Oct. 11, 2010) was a part of the North Allegheny School District since his graduation from the University of Pittsburgh in 1960. He taught social studies at the senior high school for 37 years, was the Student Council Advisor for 31 years, directed the Talent Show for 30 years and coached junior high basketball for six years.

Vandergrift was a North Allegheny sports announcer beginning in 1963 by serving as the public address announcer for football, basketball and some wrestling. This continued until 1982, at which time he became the play-by-play announcer for NATV, the student-operated television production station. Vandergrift’s voice enhanced the action on the video until 2001. In 1999, he became the North Allegheny Sports Network’s play-by-play announcer for a variety of varsity sports. NA sports fans unable to get to a sporting event had the pleasure of Vandy’s upbeat and enthusiastic sports reporting anywhere the internet could be accessed.

Vandergrift contributed greatly to the community, starting with coaching of baseball in Brighton Heights and Bellevue-Avalon in the 1960s; a seven-year stint as basketball coach of St. Francis Xavier on the North Side, where he also coached football for one year; President of the NARA (the predecessor of today’s NABA) for three years and Vice-President of the Ingomar Athletic Association for three years. He coached NARA basketball for five years, youth soccer for three years, as well as baseball in the Ingomar Athletic Association for five years and in the McCandless Athletic Association for two years.

In 2002, Vandergrift was inducted into the North Allegheny Athletic Hall of Fame. Following his induction, he worked to develop and maintain the North Allegheny Athletics website. Vandergrift’s tireless efforts without question made the high school athletics website the finest in Pennsylvania, a site which has been compared favorably with many college athletic websites by coaches and fans alike. As a broadcaster, he continued to blend his distinctive style and athletic expertise to bring to his listeners the spirit of North Allegheny until his passing on Oct. 11, 2010.

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Georgiana Thomas Biography

Georgiana Thomas is a parent and grandparent who has served on the Unified Booster Organization (UBO) Board since 1994.  Her passion to help and support the students at North Allegheny is her driving spirit.

Georgiana always wants to make a difference at NA.  Countless hours have been spent assuring that the UBO meets its goals of spreading school spirit and having its membership come together as a WE group that supports each other.  Mrs. Thomas works tirelessly to ensure that information relating to North Allegheny Athletics is communicated to UBO representatives, which is then made available to parents.

Georgiana has held several positions in the UBO. She first became involved as a UBO rep for Ingomar Middle School, then moved on to several other positions over the years.  Mrs. Thomas has served on the Kennywood Committee, was Kennywood Chairperson, Treasurer, and Scholar Athlete Chairperson, Vice- President, and President since 2005.  She also trains new UBO chairpersons.

In 2010, Georgiana was inducted into the Hall of Fame and received the Bob Miller Award.

Most recently, Georgiana, in conjunction with Athletic Director Bob Bozzuto, started the Toys for Tigers program, which assists District families with children in need during the holiday season.  The success of this program grows with each year.

Georgiana has one daughter, two step-children, and four grandchildren that have attended North Allegheny

As one principal stated, “She IS black and gold”.