The Paolo Busti Cultural Foundation’s 41st Scholarship Awards Dinner will be held on Tuesday, June 10, at 6:30 p.m. at Batavia Downs. The Foundation is proud to celebrate its rich Italian heritage and invites the community to share in an evening filled with friendship, pride, and, of course, delicious Italian cuisine.
Tickets are $35 and can be purchased from Board members or at Ben’s Appliances on East Main Street Road in Batavia. New members are always welcome to join the Foundation and be part of preserving and promoting our shared cultural legacy.
As part of this special evening, the Paolo Busti Cultural Foundation is proud to recognize the following outstanding achievements of this year’s scholarship candidates.
Adam Charles Root
Adam Charles Root, son of Joel and Roxanne Root of Hilton, and grandson of Diane Beradini Martino and Jerry Martino, will graduate in 2025 from Hilton High School and WEMOCO Career and Technical Education Center at BOCES.
After graduation, Adam plans to attend the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, where he will study Culinary Science with a focus in Culinary Arts.
Throughout high school, Adam has been actively involved in Model UN, Student Council, the Announcement Club, Track and Field, and the School Band, where he plays the trombone. He is a member of the National Technical Honor Society, has been recognized as Student of the Month, and has received Academic Merit certificates.
Adam has also volunteered during Make a Difference Day and has cooked and served meals at St. Peter’s in Rochester.
His passion for the culinary arts has led him to create a variety of specialty dishes, particularly focused on unique sauces. Adam enjoys experimenting with homemade pizza dough, often using unexpected and creative toppings. His imagination and culinary talent are sure to pave the way for his future success.
Greyson Irving Fix
Greyson Irving Fix, a graduating 2025 Batavia High School Senior, will also be graduating from Genesee Valley BOCES for Automotive Technology, where he earned his car lift certification. His parents are Aaron and Kristen Fix, maternal Italian Grandmother AnnaMarie Crescuola Wood.
Greyson will be attending Alfred State College, pursuing the Building Trades program and playing football. Greyson participated in Varsity Football, Indoor Track and Field, Varsity Baseball, and Outdoor Track and Field for Batavia High School. He is the 2025 Recipient of the Danny Lullo Scholarship.
Volunteering is a part of who Greyson is. He volunteered at the Ricky Palermo Golf Tournament, working the chicken barbecue and the closest to the pin challenge. He is involved with Ascension Parish, volunteering for the Soup Suppers, Habitat for Humanity, where he measured and cut drywall, as well as Make a Difference Day, cleaning up the Cemetery, raking leaves, and picking up trash and sticks.
Greyson stated that having an Italian-American upbringing has helped mold the person he is today, along with the hard work and commitment to himself and his family. He believes this is going to continue to ensure him a successful life, with his relationship to God, helping others, and being an honest and kind person.
Kaitlyn Kratz
Kaitlyn Kratz is a graduating senior at Notre Dame High School and the daughter of John and Jill Kratz. Her grandparents are Jean Peca and John Peca.
She has been a member of the National Honor Society from her sophomore year through to graduation. Kaitlyn plans to attend Genesee Community College, where she will major in Nursing.
Kaitlyn has participated in volleyball and tennis as her extracurricular activities. She has also volunteered at the Notre Dame Youth Volleyball Camp, All Babies Cherished Fundraising Events, St. Joseph’s Regional School Halloween Parties, the ND Meat Raffle and Golf Tournament, and the Live Like Levi Pantry. In addition, she has helped prepare meals for the Free Little Pantry.
Kaitlyn expressed great appreciation for her Italian heritage, shown through the customs, lessons, and love passed down by the DeFazio and Peca families. She believes the way she was brought up was not just a coincidence; her Italian heritage and family traditions played an important role in shaping who she is today.
Matthew Wittmeyer
Matthew Wittmeyer is a member of the Class of 2025 at Batavia Senior High School. He is the son of Jerry and Lisa Wittmeyer, and the grandson of Rocco and Debbie Pellegrino.
Matthew plans to attend the University of Indiana, where he will major in Economics and minor in Sales. Since his sophomore year, he has challenged himself academically through dual enrollment college courses.
He currently serves as Senior Class President and Co-Mayor of Student Government, while also leading the Varsity Soccer Team as captain, having played for four years. His involvement extends to the Key Club, Travel Club, and My Brother’s Keeper, where he has demonstrated strong commitment and leadership.
Matthew volunteers at Ascension Parish, reflecting his dedication to community service.
His many honors include being named Junior Year Homecoming Prince, a Batavia Daily News GLOW Region Teen of the Week, and a Finalist for GLOW Region Teen of the Year. He is also a 2025 Mr. Batavian contestant and a Genesee Youth Lead graduate.
Reflecting on his Italian heritage, Matt shared, “They have shown me invaluable morals, some of which have truly resonated with me. I’ve found clarity in the values they lived by: fierce loyalty to those we love, a scrappy sense of resourcefulness, and perhaps most importantly, the ability to keep going. Life can be wilder than a thunderstorm, but that’s exactly when you learn to dance in the rain.”
Rocco Sprague
Rocco Sprague is a proud member of the 2025 graduating class of Notre Dame High School. He is the son of Lisa Sprague of Le Roy, the maternal grandson of Corrine Rapone Sprague, and the paternal grandson of Duane Pangrazio Sprague.
Rocco is a member of the National Honor Society, an active participant in the Scholastic Bowl Team, and a contributor to the Yearbook Club. He plans to attend SUNY Oneonta, where he will major in Communication Studies with a minor in History or Political Science.
Among his many academic and extracurricular achievements, Rocco has received the George Eastman Youth Leadership Award, and was recognized as a Scholar-Athlete on the baseball team for having the highest GPA. As a member of the Genesee Scholastic Bowl Team, he helped lead the team to a 3rd place finish. He also earned 2nd place with the Genesee Park Environment Team, and was honored with the Notre Dame Department Awards in both Math and Spanish, the Faculty and Staff Award, the Student of the Month honor, and consistently achieved placement on the High Honor Roll.
Rocco was selected by the Glenn S. Loomis American Legion Post #332 to represent Batavia at New York Boys State, where he served on the Yearbook Team and was appointed Relations Officer for the city.
His extracurricular involvement includes JV Baseball, Varsity Tennis, playing trumpet in the ND band, and taking guitar lessons.
Rocco also demonstrates a strong commitment to his faith and community. He serves as an altar server at Our Lady of Mercy, has taught Summer Bible School, volunteered at Lenten Fish Dinners, and assisted at St. Joseph Regional School’s Halloween and Christmas Parties, the Baptist Church Christmas Dinner, the ND and St. Joe’s Meat Raffle, and at the Batavia Italian Festival, working at the Youth Game Station.
Rocco values his Italian heritage deeply, sharing that it is important to him to maintain the traditions of his ancestors, who brought with them a rich and vibrant language, history, and culture that has been lovingly passed down and proudly celebrated by his family.
