Bay State Games Announces 2019 Future Leaders Scholarship Recipients

June 24, 2019

Scholarships awarded to six outstanding student-athletes

WOBURN (June 24, 2019) – Bay State Games has selected six statewide scholarship recipients for the 2019 Future Leaders Scholarship Program. These winners were selected from a large applicant pool after a process that included committee reviews of all applications and live interviews with selected applicants.

Each of these future leaders were selected based on their achievements and involvement in academics, community service, athletics, and leadership roles. The Bay State Games Future Leaders Scholarship was established in 1989 and has since distributed nearly $400,000 in financial aid. Each of the rising high school seniors will receive a $2,000 scholarship.

"We are proud to announce our 2019 Future Leader scholarship winners, and to acknowledge six outstanding student-athletes whose contributions to their respective schools, teams and communities is extraordinary," said Phil Gloudemans, board chair of the Massachusetts Amateur Sports Foundation, the organizer of the Summer and Winter Bay State Games. "We are very confident that these young men and women will excel during their college careers, and emerge as the new leaders, managers, and executives in whatever field they choose to pursue."

This year’s six winners are:

Emily Dobrindt attends Milton High School where she is a swimmer for the Swim Team, as well as the South Shore YMCA Strypers for the past 11 years. She is very involved with the Friends of the Blue Hills organization, responsible for the upkeep of a local state park. Emily has done over 300 hours of community service, all while earning straight As in school. She has participated in the Bay State Games swimming competition for the past six years.

Alondra Msallem attends Dedham High School. She has run track and field since 6th grade, competes in cross country, and has participated in the Bay State Games for two years. Alondra is heavily involved in LeadersNow International, which is a worldwide organization that promotes leadership in young women. Through this, she gave back to the community and created her own leadership club at school, Leaders Achieving Service and Experience, to help younger students develop leadership skills.

Nishka Pant attends Westborough High School. She has been swimming for USA club teams over the past five years as well for her varsity swim team for the past three years, qualifying for the State Championship in each year. After winning the Global Harvard Vision Leadership Conference case study competition, she started a vision club at her high school, raising money for an eye hospital in India. Nishka interns at the Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory of MIT, working on different research projects.

Keleyia Lamarra Rochelle is from Mattapan and attends Wellesley High School, where she swims on the varsity swim team and sings for her school’s a cappella group and jazz choir. She also is a member of the Young Ethnic Scholars club, which represents the school’s minority students and promotes diversity. Keleyia uses both swimming and music to help her community, by participating in the Swim for Life, raising money for Provincetown Social Services, and performing in assisted living communities. She participated in both the 2015 and 2016 Bay State Games swimming competition where she ranked as a finalist.

Jacqueline Smith is from Stow and attends Nashoba Regional High School in Bolton. She is a member of the Riverside Archers Road Team where she has been competing in archery competitions for the past two years. Jacqueline also has a passion for art and won a silver key in painting in the Scholastic Art and Writing Awards in 2018. She wants to help teach and motivate younger students as well, and on her own became a volunteer teacher at a local elementary school. Jaqueline has participated in the Bay State Games for the past two years and will also be competing in the State Games of America this August.

Ella Stanwood is from Wenham and attends Hamilton-Wenham Regional High School. Ella has been figure skating since she was six years old and in 2018 achieved senior level for U.S. Figure Skating. She has recently competed in the New England Regional Competition and has been competing in the Bay State Games for the past seven years. Ella frequently volunteers her time to help her community, earning the Chester Twiss Memorial Award at the North Shore Skating Club, which is given to the member who dedicates the most time and effort to the community. Ella has also participated in community service trips to Nicaragua in 2018 and Panama in 2019.

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Bay State Games Announces 2025 Future Leaders Scholarship Recipients

November 18, 2025

The Bay State Games has selected six statewide scholarship recipients for the 2025 Future Leaders Scholarship Program. These student-athletes were selected from a large applicant pool after a process that included committee reviews of all applications and virtual interviews with selected applicants. These future leaders were selected based on their achievements and involvement in academics, community service, athletics, and leadership roles. The Bay State Games Future Leaders Scholarship program was established in 1989 and has since distributed nearly $400,000 in financial aid. Each of these high school seniors will receive a $1,000 scholarship for their first year of college. “Bay State Games is proud to continue the Future Leaders Scholarship program which since 1989 has provided over $400,000 in aid to support the continuing education of outstanding young leaders." said Kevin Cummings, Executive Director of the Bay State Games. “These well deserving student-athletes have excelled in the classroom, on the field and in the community, representing a variety of schools, sports and regions across Massachusetts” This year’s six scholarship recipients are Elyse Bissada, Brooke Blahut, Abigail Howie, Olivia Laaper, Sabina Mackechnie, Molly McIntyre. Elyse Bissada is a senior at Dover-Sherborn High School, where she is a four-year varsity field hockey and track & field athlete, as well as the team captain for both sports. In 2025, Elyse was a member of the Bay State Games Southeast field hockey team where she won a gold medal. Elyse is the founder of the Veterinary Medicine Club at her school and in her free time volunteers at local farms and Animal Rescue Leagues across the state. Elyse has committed to play field hockey and study biology at Hamilton College, where she plans to pursue veterinary medicine and ultimately establish an affordable low-cost clinic that serves her community. Brooke Blahut is a senior at North Quincy High School where she is a 4-year varsity member of the soccer team, and captain of the varsity ice hockey team. Brooke is also a well accomplished figure skater. She began skating at age 2 at Winterland Skating School and is now a U.S. Figure Skating Gold Medalist. Brooke has participated in Bay State Games annually since 2016, medaled 6 times, and is a 4-year Bay State Games High School Ambassador. Brooke is also the Massachusetts Interscholastic Athletic Association (MIAA) Ambassador for NQHS. Brooke is Vice President of her class, a member of the National Honor Society and Science National Honor Society and academically ranks in the top 5% of her class with a 4.6 GPA. Brooke is a two-time team leader and participant in the FBI Teen Leadership Academy and plans to pursue her master’s in forensic science and criminology and become an FBI Special Agent. Abigail Howie is a senior at Wilmington High School, where she is on the varsity soccer team and is captain of the Winter and Spring Track teams. Abigail serves as President of Student Council and the Wildcat Service Council, where she founded the “Bridging Generations” community initiative. She is a member of the National Honor Society, DECA, and Best Buddies. Abigail coaches a Wilmington fourth-grade team and is a USSF-certified soccer referee. She has most recently created an Alzheimer's Awareness community service project for her senior year. She hopes to continue her athletic career in college while studying sports management and marketing. Olivia Laaper resides in Stow and is a senior at Fusion Academy in Burlington. Laaper has been a captain of multiple high school sports teams including Track & Field and Swimming. Olivia is captain of her archery team at Riverside Archers and has won multiple medals in archery at Bay State Games and state competitions. Beyond athletics, Olivia has gained hands-on experience in emergency medicine as a high school intern with Pro EMS and plans to take her EMT certification this fall. She gives back to her community by lifeguarding and coaching youth swimming at Goldfish Swim School, volunteering with Big Brothers Big Sisters and at local food banks. In college, Olivia plans to pursue a degree in nursing with a minor in emergency medicine and psychology. Sabina Mackechnie is a senior at East Longmeadow High School where she is a three sport athlete and captain in Soccer, Basketball and Lacrosse. She has earned all-league and second-team All-Western Mass honors in soccer and lacrosse. Sabina has been a By State Games Ambassador for two years and is a member of her school's Athletic Leadership Council and Pink Ribbon Club. Sabina participates in canned food drives and fundraisers for her school sports teams. Sabina will continue her lacrosse career at Springfield College while pursuing a degree in Education. Molly McIntyre is a senior at Norton High School where she is a three-sport captain in cross country, basketball, and outdoor track, earning multiple TVL All-Star honors, and MVP awards. Molly serves in key leadership roles on Student Council, DECA, Best Buddies, and five National Honor Societies. She volunteers at local youth sports programs, community events, and the MSG Gregory Trent Foundation. Molly works part-time at a donut shop and local ice cream store. She plans on attending Stonehill College where she will compete in track and study Finance and Marketing. For more information on the Future Leaders Scholarship Program, click here. For a list of past recipients and the colleges and universities they've attended, click here . About the Massachusetts Amateur Sports Foundation/Bay State Games The Massachusetts Amateur Sports Foundation is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that was established in 1982 to host the first sanctioned state games of the Commonwealth. It operates with the mission of promoting personal development, education, physical fitness, teamwork, and sportsmanship to Massachusetts citizens of all ages and abilities. The Foundation is recognized for hosting high quality, Olympic-style events through the Bay State Summer and Winter Games, as well as educational programs, including the Future Leaders Scholarship Program, and the High School Ambassador Program.