Meriden High School Student Wins Scholarship

MERIDEN, CT — A Meriden student is among the winners of a scholarship program through Connex Credit Union. Jonathan Gonzalez, a senior at Xavier High School senior, won the $2,000 John R. Edwards Community Involvement Scholarship, which honors students demonstrating a commitment to community service.

An aspiring biomedical engineer, Gonzalez has done a variety of amazing things for his hometown of Meriden, and the surrounding communities, such as volunteering at local soup kitchens, participating in commemoration ceremonies for veterans, supporting local Hispanic cultural events and teaching elementary school students the skills needed to build and program robots, according to a statement from Connex.

Connex Credit Union selected three local students as the 2021 winners of its annual scholarship program. Offered as part of its ConnexCares philanthropic initiative, the credit union awards $6,000 each year to help offset the high cost of tuition, books and living expenses.

To qualify, students were required to meet a strict set of educational standards and submit an essay responding to the following prompt: “The COVID-19 Pandemic has had a devastating effect on the financial well-being of many who have lost jobs or experienced reduced work hours. With this in mind, what strategies would be helpful for individuals and families to help avoid financial emergencies in the future? How can credit unions help members be prepared for financial difficulties?”