This past June, Londonderry High School standout senior athletes Nalen Iarrobino and Olivia Palumbo participated in the 2016 Granite State Games, went off and enjoyed a great summer, and then moved on to making serious contributions to the considerable successes of the LHS boys’ varsity soccer and varsity field hockey contingents respectively.
Then just recently, the Londonderry High stalwarts were notified by the directors of the Granite State Games that they had both been chosen to receive Future Leader Awards and Scholarships as athletic representatives from the coastal region of New Hampshire.
“It was a Londonderry sweep as one boy and one girl were chosen from each region,” said Lorna Palumbo, president of the
Lancer Field Hockey Booster Club and understandably proud mom of Olivia.
The Granite State Games Future Leaders Scholarship, which awards eight, $1,000 college scholarships to Granite State Games participants each year – with two per region – aims to identify young men and women who will be among tomorrow’s leaders.
“GSG is proud to award these scholarships to eight student-athletes who demonstrate leadership through community service, academic excellence, and athletic achievement,” said GSG chief executive director Patrick Mulcahy. “The Granite State Games celebrate our eight scholarship winners that each received a check for $1,000. These eight outstanding young men and women were hand-selected by the GSG board that reviewed dozens of applications from extremely talented, smart, and qualified applicants from all over the state.”
Winners were chosen based upon their grade point averages, extracurricular activities, course selections, letters of recommendation, athletic and academic achievements, community service, and leadership. The GSG recognizes athletes in basketball, field hockey, golf, soccer, softball, track and field, and volleyball.
Iarrobino and Palumbo were both major contributors to the noteworthy successes of their 2016 Londonderry High teams this fall, with Iarrobino being a consistent offensive force for coach Todd Ellis’ LHS boys’ soccer team and Palumbo excelling as a leader and standout forward on coach Laura Federico’s Lady Lancer field hockey squad which enjoyed a strong 2016 season.