Sayville High School Junior Karishma Patel Receives Summer-Program Scholarship to Notre Dame

Through the tremendous generosity of Sayville residents Jamie and Brenda Atkinson, memorial scholarships have been made available annually to Sayville High School Juniors. The Susan and Harold Atkinson Scholarship was created by Jamie Atkinson to honor his community-minded parents, Susan and Harold Atkinson who were “pioneers in law enforcement and very active in the Sayville Community.” 

“After reviewing all of the applications that were sent to us, Jamie and I have decided on Karishma Patel as the winner this year,” so stated the awards letter to Sayville High School that was signed by Dr. James Bertsch, Jr. and Ms. Jamie Bilek, Co-Chairs of The Susan and Harold Atkinson Scholarship Committee. Karishma Patel won a “golden-dome” opportunity to attend the University of Notre Dame's esteemed Early Scholars Program in South Bend, Indiana this summer.

And the award is well deserved. “A brilliant student and better human being, Karishma Patel,” Guidance Counselor Tim Dillon wrote in his recommendation, nominating her for this scholarship, “enriches our campus and community with her presence alone.  The combination of her brilliant scholastic achievement and her understated comportment, contribute to making her a young person of distinct depth and substance.  She is an accomplished science researcher who, with her partner, has designed a 3-D printed, affordable, hybrid, myoelectric and body-powered prosthetic hand.  She does all of this while being a vital member of our Varsity Golf and Tennis teams, respectively.  I am in awe of Karishma Patel and know that she will represent Sayville High School well this summer.”

The all-inclusive Susan and Harold Atkinson Scholarship awards Karishma Patel the opportunity to participate in a highly competitive program at Notre Dame through which she will earn one college credit. The summer program, held from June 25, 2022 through July 9, 2022, will also strengthen her candidacy when applying to competitive colleges in her Senior year. As a result of this award, Karishma also qualifies for The Humberto Orejuela Scholarship, named after Brenda Atkinson’s late father. This is an additional scholarship valued at $1,000 toward the college of Karishma’s choice and will be awarded upon her successful completion of both the Notre Dame program this summer and her graduation from Sayville High School with the Class of 2023.

Congratulations, Karishma!

About: Retired MTA police detective Jamie Atkinson and his wife Brenda, who serves in the U.S. Navy:

• “Jamie Atkinson graduated from Sayville High School in 2000. He has emulated his exceptional parents, who both served for the New York Police Departments. A remarkable Sayville community member, Jamie is a retired New York State MTA Police Detective and a lifelong volunteer for the Community Ambulance Company in Sayville. He began as an EMT with the Community Ambulance Company at 19 and became its youngest and longest serving officer. Jamie is the President of the Board of the Community Ambulance Company in Sayville. His service as the "youngest first-responder in the rescue and recovery operations at the World Trade Center" resulted in a diagnosis of an extremely rare stage-four cancer. His is America's youngest 911 cancer survivor. Jamie Atkinson is winning his fight against cancer.”
• “Brenda Atkinson serves in the U.S. Navy and is a Deputy Sheriff Investigator for the Suffolk County Sheriff's Department. Brenda is a proud graduate of Patchogue-Medford High School.