(Submitted Photo)

NEW BERLIN - Since 1992, The Preferred Mutual Foundation, the corporate-giving arm of Preferred Mutual Insurance Company ("Preferred Mutual"), has awarded academic scholarships to local high school seniors.

According to company representatives, the Preferred Mutual Foundation Scholarship is awarded to college-bound high school seniors that reside in Otsego, Delaware, or Chenango, New York counties and is evaluated on academic merit and responsibility to their communities.

Representatives said they are pleased to announce the first-place winner of the 2020 Preferred Mutual Foundation Scholarship is Michael Squires, III of Norwich High School. They congratulated Squires on his dedication to his community and to the pursuit of knowledge.

Squires will receive $3,000 each year for four years. Squires will be attending Princeton University in the fall, where he will major in Astrophysics.

Amy Bentley of Greene High School is the second-place winner of the 2020 Preferred Mutual Foundation Scholarship and will receive $1,500 each year for four years. She will be attending the State University of New York at Buffalo in the fall.

The Irad and Jan Ingraham / James W. Honeywell Memorial Scholarship is awarded to Unadilla Valley Central School seniors that have demonstrated a commitment to community service while upholding a strong academic standing.

Representatives said each scholarship winner may use their award toward tuition, room and board, or other college-related expenses.

Megan Harris is the first-place winner of the 2020 Irad and Jan Ingraham / James W. Honeywell Memorial Scholarship.

Harris, a senior at Unadilla Valley Central School, will be awarded $1,500 each year for four years, and will be attending SUNY Brockport in the fall. Senior Kyleigh George has been named as the second-place winner and will be awarded $1,000 each year for four years.

George is planning on attending Hartwick College in the fall. Both winners have exemplified the true purpose of the scholarship's mission.