Bay State Games Announces 2023 Future Leaders Scholarship Recipients

November 20, 2023

WOBURN (November 20, 2023) – The Bay State Games has selected six statewide scholarship recipients for the 2023 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.

“Since its inception in 1989, the Future Leaders Scholarship Program recognizes outstanding high school students that excel in the classroom, in the community and on the field of play,” said Kevin Cummings, Executive Director of the Bay State Games. “We are proud that this program has provided nearly $400,000 in aid to support the continuing education of these well deserving student-athletes that represent all regions of Massachusetts and over 25 different sports.”

This year’s six scholarship recipients are:

Avery Avila is a senior at Westport High School, where she plays field hockey and softball. Avery serves as captain for the field hockey team and played on the Coastal team in the 2022 and 2023 Field Hockey Showcase, winning the gold medal both years. Avery also competes in golf outside of school and has competed in Junior PGA tournaments. Avery is ranked #3 in her class, sporting a 4.71 GPA. She is very involved in her school community, serving as secretary of the Student Council, stage manager for her school's drama productions, a Project 351 ambassador, and a member of the medical club. Avery also volunteers at a food pantry and referees youth field hockey. Avery hopes to study biology and go into the medical field.

Ian Born is a senior at Somerville High School. He is ranked #2 in his class with a 4.87 GPA. Ian is a captain on the Highlanders baseball and basketball teams and also plays on the golf team. Ian played on the Metro team in the 2023 Baseball Showcase. He is also a black belt in Kung Fu and now works as an instructor for younger athletes. Ian also spends time as a tee-ball assistant coach and a Little League umpire. Outside of sports, Ian is the viola section leader in the orchestra and an Alpha Scholars researcher. Ian has been published in the Harvard International Review for a paper, "Success Factors for Desalination: Qualitative Case Studies of Desalination Around the World.” Ian is highly involved with the Special Olympics. He plans to study engineering and play baseball at Swarthmore College.

Hannah Bryson is a senior at Wilmington High School, where she competes in cross country, track & field, and wrestling. Hannah competed in the 2023 Bay State Games Wrestling tournament, winning silver in her weight class. Hannah also runs cross country and track and served as a team captain this past season for cross country. She is a black belt in Krav Maga martial arts and now teaches younger athletes. At school, Hannah is an MIAA ambassador and president of the book club. She is also a skilled artist and an accomplished writer, having written five full-length novels. Hannah hopes to study English literature and creative writing in college.

Morgan Fillion is a native of Westfield and attends the Groton School, where she plays soccer and basketball, serving as team captain. She played in the Bay State Games Girls Soccer Showcase on the West team for 4 years, winning two silver medals and two bronze medals. Morgan is a club head of many clubs on campus including Morgan's Message, OneLove, Super Secret Queer Club, Bell Ringing, Acolyte, and Active Minds. Morgan is also an Admissions Prefect, Counseling Center Prefect, and Peer Counselor. She also gained campus recognition for her "Chapel Talk" on financial aid in life. Morgan is also an excellent student, holding a 99 GPA. Morgan plans to study forensic psychology or criminal justice while playing on the women's soccer team at the College of St. Rose next fall.

Savannah Gao is a senior at Hudson High School sporting a 4.57 GPA. Savannah is a two-time state champion and school record holder in javelin after not starting to compete until she entered high school. She competed in the 2023 Bay State Games Track & Field meet, winning gold in the scholastic javelin throw. Savannah also plays soccer, where she is the senior captain of the Hawks varsity girls soccer team. Outside of sports, Savannah is the vice president of her school's chapter of National Honors Society, vice president of the Relay for Life club, secretary and liaison for the Environmental Club, and a member of Jr. Boosters. She also volunteers at her local library and at Newton Wellesley Hospital. Savannah is committed to go to Boston University in the fall of 2024 to compete on the track & field team. She hopes to study health sciences and pursue the premed track.

Mattia McIntyre is a native of Norton and attends Norton High School. Mattia is a three-sport athlete, competing in swimming, cross country, and track & field. She has been a captain on the swim team since sophomore year. Mattia competed in Bay State Games Swimming in 2022 and 2023, winning two silver medals in 2023 and a bronze in 2022. Mattia is the secretary of the Student Council, vice president of the Spanish Honors Society and is a member of the National, English, and History Honors Societies. Outside of school, Mattia is a barista at Honey Dew and interns at an elementary school. After graduating in May, Mattia plans to study elementary education and psychology and compete on the swim team at Roger Williams University.

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 .

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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.