Four scholarships were awarded last weekend at the firefighting training school. Receiving scholarships were: Elizabeth Ruth Tedesco, left, Ginger Andrews, center, Brittany Angert, second from right, and Amber Leah Ripper. Bob Randig, second from left, owner of Fire Dex of Butler, was on hand for the presentations. Fire Dex and the Butler County Fire Chief's Association funded the scholarships.

Four local women were awarded $1,500 scholarships last weekend during the firefighting training school that was held at Butler County Community College and Slippery Rock University.

Fire department and emergency medical service members and their families were eligible for the scholarship. This is the first year the scholarships have been awarded.

Scholarship award winners are Ginger Andrews, Elizabeth Ruth Tedesco, Brittany Angert and Amber Leah Ripper.

Andrews is a first reponder, firefighter and secretary for the Connoquenessing Volunteer Fire Company. She is a senior at Robert Morris University studying information systems management with a concentration in health systems.

Tedesco of Cranberry Township is a member of the Cranberry Township Volunteer Fire Company and Emergency Medical Service. She is pursuing her master's degree in nursing at the University of Pittsburgh. She currently works at UPMC Passavant as an acute care nurse practitioner in trauma and emergency preparedness.

Angert of Petrolia just graduated from Karns City High School. She will be attending the University of Pittsburgh in the fall where she will be majoring in nursing. Angert's father was a member of the Petrolia Volunteer Fire Department, where he died serving as a fire policeman.

Ripper of Butler is in her first year at Butler County Community College in pursuit of her bachelor's degree in nursing. She works at the Butler EMS.