New Jersey's Hale selected as Zeb Scholarship award winner
April 25, 2022
ARLINGTON, Texas - Hanna Hale of Hazlet, New Jersey, has been chosen by the International Bowling Campus Youth Committee as the Annual Zeb Scholarship recipient for 2022.
The Annual Zeb Scholarship recognizes a United States Bowling Congress Youth member who has achieved academic success and gives back to his or her community through service. The recipient, who must be a junior or senior in high school, receives a $2,500 scholarship.
Hale is a senior at Mater Dei Prep and holds a 4.6 GPA on a 5.0 scale, which includes Advanced Placement courses in Computer Science and Honors classes in Literature and Composition, Western Civilization, British Literature, Spanish 3 and World Literature. Hale also is taking some college-level classes in preparation for her next academic steps.
Her superior academic record helped gain induction into the National Honor Society, RHO KAPPA (the only national organization for high school juniors and seniors that recognizes excellence in the field of Social Studies) and Spanish Honor Society.
The 17-year-old will be attending Saint Vincent College in Latrobe, Pennsylvania, this fall, where she will double major in Spanish and Education. She also will bowl at Saint Vincent College and share her love for the sport and competition with her new teammates.
"I am honored to receive the Zeb Scholarship," Hale said. "To be recognized for academic success and community service inspires me to continue to strive to live the way of Saint Teresa of Calcutta, who taught us, 'Not all of us can do great things, but we can do small things with great love.' It is my hope that everyone who walks in and out of my life knows that someone cares and is thinking about them."
Hale chose to double major in Spanish and Education, because she wants to be influential in the lives of students, just like many of her teachers and coaches have been for her. It is her aspiration to shape the lives of future generations.
One way she continues to shape lives is through volunteering.
She collects can tabs for the Ronald McDonald House, crochets blankets for sick babies and passes out food to the homeless at the Ashbury Park Food Bank. She also combined bowling and volunteering by participating in Bowl for a Cause, where she bowled to raise money for Big Brothers Big Sisters of America.
Through this fundraiser, Hale learned how her bowling could make a positive impact on other lives in her community.
Hale also has an eye on the small things that may change someone's day, such as helping a friend with homework or even making a new member of the bowling team feel included and welcomed. She constantly strives to "make the world a better place through hope, love and faith."
"My favorite part of volunteering is knowing that the little things I do show others that I see them and that they are loved," Hale said. "It is not what I get out of it, but rather what I can accomplish in the way of helping others that makes it all worthwhile."
As a four-year captain of the Mater Dei Prep girls bowling team, Hale has earned a varsity letter in the sport and received an award for team spirit and leadership in each of her four seasons. The award also acknowledges Hale for demonstrating commitment to self and others.
She was a four-year competitor in the Shore Conference Tournament, bowled in the 2022 NJSIAA Individual Tournament of Champions, earned Shore Conference Honor Roll status for tossing a 258 game and received team MVP honors.
Along with bowling in college, Hale would like to eventually test her skills on the Professional Women's Bowling Association Tour and become a coach to continue to help shape the future of the sport. Bowling has played a major role in molding Hale into the person she has become.
"Bowling has shaped me in so many ways," Hale said. "By being the team captain of my high school bowling team, I have learned how to lead with confidence and positivity. Bowling has taught me perseverance and to never give up, regardless if it's on the lanes, in the classroom or just in everyday life.
"The most important way that bowling has shaped my life, however, is through the connections and relationships I have built in the bowling community. I have made so many friends and met so many mentors that I never would've opened myself up to had it not been for bowling, and for that, I am forever grateful."
Hale will be recognized as the Annual Zeb Scholarship recipient this week during the 2022 USBC Convention at The Orleans in Las Vegas.
This year's award ceremony, which includes a variety of awards for youth and adult bowlers, will take place during the morning session of the USBC Annual Meeting on April 28 at noon Eastern. The award presentations will be live to watch at BowlTV.com.
The scholarship is named for Jim Zebehazy, who served as executive director of the Young American Bowling Alliance (YABA) from 1996-2004 and later as a regional manager for USBC. Zebehazy is a member of the 2020 USBC Hall of Fame class.
Visit BOWL.com/ScholarshipsAwards to learn more about scholarship opportunities for youth bowlers.
The Annual Zeb Scholarship recognizes a United States Bowling Congress Youth member who has achieved academic success and gives back to his or her community through service. The recipient, who must be a junior or senior in high school, receives a $2,500 scholarship.
Hale is a senior at Mater Dei Prep and holds a 4.6 GPA on a 5.0 scale, which includes Advanced Placement courses in Computer Science and Honors classes in Literature and Composition, Western Civilization, British Literature, Spanish 3 and World Literature. Hale also is taking some college-level classes in preparation for her next academic steps.
Her superior academic record helped gain induction into the National Honor Society, RHO KAPPA (the only national organization for high school juniors and seniors that recognizes excellence in the field of Social Studies) and Spanish Honor Society.
The 17-year-old will be attending Saint Vincent College in Latrobe, Pennsylvania, this fall, where she will double major in Spanish and Education. She also will bowl at Saint Vincent College and share her love for the sport and competition with her new teammates.
"I am honored to receive the Zeb Scholarship," Hale said. "To be recognized for academic success and community service inspires me to continue to strive to live the way of Saint Teresa of Calcutta, who taught us, 'Not all of us can do great things, but we can do small things with great love.' It is my hope that everyone who walks in and out of my life knows that someone cares and is thinking about them."
Hale chose to double major in Spanish and Education, because she wants to be influential in the lives of students, just like many of her teachers and coaches have been for her. It is her aspiration to shape the lives of future generations.
One way she continues to shape lives is through volunteering.
She collects can tabs for the Ronald McDonald House, crochets blankets for sick babies and passes out food to the homeless at the Ashbury Park Food Bank. She also combined bowling and volunteering by participating in Bowl for a Cause, where she bowled to raise money for Big Brothers Big Sisters of America.
Through this fundraiser, Hale learned how her bowling could make a positive impact on other lives in her community.
Hale also has an eye on the small things that may change someone's day, such as helping a friend with homework or even making a new member of the bowling team feel included and welcomed. She constantly strives to "make the world a better place through hope, love and faith."
"My favorite part of volunteering is knowing that the little things I do show others that I see them and that they are loved," Hale said. "It is not what I get out of it, but rather what I can accomplish in the way of helping others that makes it all worthwhile."
As a four-year captain of the Mater Dei Prep girls bowling team, Hale has earned a varsity letter in the sport and received an award for team spirit and leadership in each of her four seasons. The award also acknowledges Hale for demonstrating commitment to self and others.
She was a four-year competitor in the Shore Conference Tournament, bowled in the 2022 NJSIAA Individual Tournament of Champions, earned Shore Conference Honor Roll status for tossing a 258 game and received team MVP honors.
Along with bowling in college, Hale would like to eventually test her skills on the Professional Women's Bowling Association Tour and become a coach to continue to help shape the future of the sport. Bowling has played a major role in molding Hale into the person she has become.
"Bowling has shaped me in so many ways," Hale said. "By being the team captain of my high school bowling team, I have learned how to lead with confidence and positivity. Bowling has taught me perseverance and to never give up, regardless if it's on the lanes, in the classroom or just in everyday life.
"The most important way that bowling has shaped my life, however, is through the connections and relationships I have built in the bowling community. I have made so many friends and met so many mentors that I never would've opened myself up to had it not been for bowling, and for that, I am forever grateful."
Hale will be recognized as the Annual Zeb Scholarship recipient this week during the 2022 USBC Convention at The Orleans in Las Vegas.
This year's award ceremony, which includes a variety of awards for youth and adult bowlers, will take place during the morning session of the USBC Annual Meeting on April 28 at noon Eastern. The award presentations will be live to watch at BowlTV.com.
The scholarship is named for Jim Zebehazy, who served as executive director of the Young American Bowling Alliance (YABA) from 1996-2004 and later as a regional manager for USBC. Zebehazy is a member of the 2020 USBC Hall of Fame class.
Visit BOWL.com/ScholarshipsAwards to learn more about scholarship opportunities for youth bowlers.