Congratulations to the 2026 Award Recipients
Barton L. Weller Scholarship Recipient ($22,000)
The Barton L. Weller Scholarship honors Bart’s lasting belief in the power of education, creativity, and curiosity. Now in its 48th year, the program continues to inspire students to pursue projects that reflect innovation, scholarship, and community impact.
Krishiv Patel
Shelton High School
Project: “Pre-Fall Prediction: Anomaly Detection Approach Using IMU Data”
Yale University – Applied Mathematics
Other 2026 Scholarship Recipients ($7,000)
Weller Education Scholarship
Dylan Winegar
Joel Barlow High School
Fordham University – History Teacher
Louis J LaCroce Medical Health/Sciences Scholarship
Julia Jankowski
Masuk High School
Quinnipiac University – Physician Assistant
Alexander Fraser Computer Science/Technology Scholarship
Braeden Goyette
Masuk High School
University of New Hampshire – Software Application Developer/Marine Biology
Robert Swart Engineering Scholarship
Nathaniel Hoag
Newtown High School
University of Iowa – Mechanical Engineer
Vincent Voccia Vocational Award ($4,000)
Finn Sullivan
Newtown High School
Lincoln Technical Institute – Electrical Training Program
Noah Tashjian
Newtown High School
Pennsylvania College of Technology – Automotive Technology Management
Mia Mladsi
Shelton High School
University of Oklahoma – Aviation Management/Professional Flight
Dante Neri
Trumbull High School
Lincoln Technical Institute – HVACR
Tula Coppola
Trumbull High School
SoNo Academy – Cosmetology
2026 Weller Excellence in Teaching Award Recipients (WETA)
Catherine Correa
EASTON
Samuel Staples Elementary (Grades K-5 Spanish)
Project : “The SSES Bilingual Book Club Project”
Lauren Hirschbeck
MONROE
Stepney Elementary
(Grade 2)
Project: “Chill Skills Project”
Kate Magness
NEWTOWN
Elementary Gifted Education Newtown (Grades 2-4)
Project: “Forced Fit Creativity Challange – Combination Objects”
Tracey Sedlock
SHELTON
Perry Hill School (Grade 5)
Project: “Community Conversations”
Danielle McGillicuddy
TRUMBULL
Tashua Elementary (Grade 4)
Project: “Reader’s with a Voice: there’s a Book for Everyone”
Past Recipients of the Barton L. Weller Scholarship
2025 | Shane John, Trumbull High School
PROJECT: “Anterior Cruciate Ligament Repair: Biomaterial Approach Using Mussel Byssal Threads”
Springfield College
2024| Samuel DiVasto, Trumbull High School
PROJECT: “Magnetohydrodynamics Salt Water Generator: Using magnetohydrodynamics to extract energy from flowing saltwater”
UMass Lowell
2023| Sofia Nwosu, Masuk High School
PROJECT: “Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) Tear Prevention in Young Athletes”
Cornell University
2022| Samuel Staubly, Newtown High School
PROJECT: “A Program and System for Accurately Aligning an Astrophotography Mount to a Camera”
Rochester Institute of Technology
2021| Taegan Smith, Newtown High School
PROJECT: “Movements: An Exploration of Impactful Women in History Told Through Dance”
Fordham University
2020 | Owen O’Reilly, Joel Barlow High School
PROJECT: “DOUG: An Organizational Solution for the Storage of Robotics Components”
University of the Sciences in Philadelphia
2019| Annika L. Morgan, Joel Barlow High School
PROJECT: “Deuterium Oxide (D2O) on Maintaining Viability in Coliphage Bacteriophages under Low Temperatures to Model Live Attenuated Viral Vaccine Additives”
Dartmouth College
See all of our past recipients