New scholarship for Butler Catholic memorializes pillar of school
A new scholarship is being awarded to students of Butler Catholic School that honors a longtime supporter of the school community.
The school announced Monday, April 20, that Raylan Senft and Olivia Yeager have been named the inaugural recipients of the Bruno Zuccala Memorial Scholarship. The scholarship is awarded to students entering seventh and eighth grades who have demonstrated meaningful service to Butler Catholic School through their time, leadership and willingness to help others. In addition to their service, recipients must also maintain strong academic performance. Each year, one rising seventh-grade student and one rising eighth-grade student will be selected to receive a $500 scholarship, according to a news release from Butler Catholic.
The namesake of the scholarship is Bruno Zuccala, a Butler resident and educator of several Butler County institutions, including Butler Catholic, as well as a color guard and drum corps instructor. He died on Thursday, Aug. 21, 2025.
John Hazur, principal of Butler Catholic School, said Zuccala showed genuine care for the school, its leadership, and its students, as demonstrated by his steady involvement with the school community. Zuccala served on the school’s advisory committee prior to his death.
“On a personal level, as I stepped into the role of incoming principal, Bruno’s support meant more than I can adequately express,” Hazur said. “He offered encouragement, confidence and reassurance during a time of transition, demonstrating his belief not only in the school’s future but in my ability to help lead it forward. His kindness and trust were a true gift to me.”
Other members of the Butler Catholic School community also said the scholarship is a fitting testament to Zuccala and his contributions to education. He was once a principal of Butler Catholic, and even returned to substitute teach at the school after moving on to districts like Moniteau and Seneca Valley.
Hank Leyland and Zuccala were friends when they attended St. Michael’s, which would merge to become Butler Catholic School. Leyland said he rekindled his friendship with Zuccala within the last 10 years, which was a boon to him and others they met for lunch in recent years.
“I was fortunate that he was able to teach some of my grandchildren at Butler Catholic,” Leyland said. “I think this overall love of not only his faith but his Butler community really showed in everything he did.”
Leyland said Zuccala’s generosity impacted others.
“He's a generous person with a big heart, and to anybody who knew him that was the first thing you noticed,” Leyland said.
Barbara Walls reignited a friendship with Zuccala years after she met him as a child, also through Butler Catholic School. She was a teacher there when Zuccala returned to substitute, and found that he was just as dedicated to the school as he was when he worked there full time.
“He was just such a giving man and loved kids,” Walls said. “St. Michael's was packed at his funeral because there were so many people who loved him. He didn't have a family of his own but he said that he had so many kids.”
Walls also said Zuccala had a good relationship with the school’s former principal, the late Sister John Ann Mulhern. She often called him when a teacher called off — especially in the morning right before school.
“She always needed help with something and he was always there for her,” Walls said. “Bruno could not say no to her, Sister John Ann … she would call him and say she needed a sub in 30 minutes and he would say, ‘I need time to shave and shower.’”
One of Leyland’s defining memories of Zuccala also happened shortly before his death. Leyland said his daughter, Emily Leyland, died in 2013. Zuccala went out of his way to support a scholarship that memorializes her and fellow Butler Catholic alumna Sarah Kasunic: the Sarah Kasunic/Emily Leyland Memorial Scholarship.
“My wife and I lost our daughter who passed away, so we have a scholarship in her name at Butler Catholic also,” Leyland said. “As a fundraiser every year, Father Kevin instituted a 5K walk and run and the proceeds went to the scholarship fund.
“Bruno was always there to help out. In 2025 he made a point of being there after traveling to Ohio to make it back and be there with us that night.”
Kathy Dudley, director of fundraising at Butler Catholic School, said the Zuccala scholarship was established by an anonymous donor, and the school has opened it to receive additional donations to strengthen the fund as years pass.
