Utility Contractors Association of Connecticut to Award 11 Scholarships

The Utility Contractors Association of Connecticut (UCAC) will present cash awards to 11 students on Thursday, April 24, 2025, at Saint Clements Marina in Portland, Connecticut. The scholarship recipients include two children of UCAC members and nine students of the Connecticut Technical Education and Career System (CTECS). The scholarships will be presented to the winners at the UCAC Scholarship Awards Dinner, which is a wonderful opportunity for industry professionals to celebrate the next generation of tradespeople.

Avery LaFata and Mackenzie Baretta were selected as recipients of UCAC Member Scholarships. Avery LaFata, a student at Guilford High School, is the daughter of UCAC Members Anthony & Donna LaFata (A & D Equipment). Mackenzie Baretta, daughter of UCAC Member Jay Baretta (Mizzy Construction) currently attends Rockville High School.

UCAC will also award scholarships to nine students graduating from CTECS schools across the state. The students selected include Dakota Bachman (Welding/Bristol Tech); James Bennett (Carpentry/Henry Abbott Tech); Jameson Courtois (Automotive Tech/Windham Tech); Matthew Curley (Automotive Repair/Platt Tech); Daniela de Oliveira (Architecture/Platt Tech); Kay Gamache (Electrical/Windham Tech); Jordan Morataya (Masonry/Bullard-Havens); Benjamin Prince (HVAC/Vinal Tech) and Travis Ryley (Plumbing & Heating/Ellis Tech).

UCAC Executive Director Barb Dimauro explains, “UCAC takes great pride in the scholarship program and has been a leader in providing financial awards to CTECS students who may not be heading to college. These scholarships, made possible by the generosity of UCAC members, can make a big difference in the lives of talented, industrious students who are the next generation of builders, creators and craftspeople.”

UCAC has offered member scholarships to the children of members for decades and expanded their reach in 2022 by partnering with the CTECS system. The UCAC Scholarship Committee solicited teacher recommendations from ten programs across seventeen CTECS schools. Each student supplemented the teacher recommendations with an essay and the Committee selected the nine recipients from a pool of over fifty applicants. Committee members David Duff, Barb Dimauro, Brent McCartney and Dwight Burnham were extremely impressed with the response and the energy, enthusiasm and accomplishments of the applicants.

The expansion of the UCAC Scholarship Program was made possible through the generosity of many UCAC members and friends and is funded through the Annual Scholarship Auction held each November, as well as other initiatives and donations throughout the year. UCAC is deeply committed to giving back to the community and to contributing to workforce development in the trades.

UCAC welcomes guests from the utility construction industry, other trades and the CTECS system to join us at the Scholarship Awards Dinner on April 24 at Saint Clements Marina to celebrate these students. Tickets and sponsorships are available online: https://ucac.org/ucac-industry-scholarship-awards/. Tags: UCAC