BOARDMAN — If all pans out, Jackson Young, a senior at Western Reserve High School, would like to stay in the area and take after his dad, a civil engineer who’s worked for the Ohio Department of Transportation and runs a farm.

Young was one of 10 local seniors who recently received scholarships from The Wolves Club of Youngstown, a nonprofit organization made up of business and professional men with Italian roots.

Young, 18, will graduate May 29 with a 3.97 GPA and said the only time he received “B” grades was when he took college level classes in high school. Young works on his family farm and participated in football, basketball, and track and field the past four years.

It would make him proud to follow in the footprints of his dad, Jason, who is also a Berlin Center township trustee.

He added he would be “the sixth generation ODOT worker in the family.”

Young said his dad works as an engineer in the private sector now and received the same scholarship in 1995. Jason Young was the youngest person ever elected a township trustee.

Of his political aspirations in the future, Young said “I hope to beat him on that.”

The Wolves Club of Youngstown’s annual scholarship banquet took place recently at Michael Alberini’s in Boardman. The nonprofit has bestowed scholarships on the valley’s brightest students for the past 72 years.

The club was founded in 1953 to provide financial assistance for higher education programs in Mahoning County. The scholarships, totaling $105,000, were given to 10 local seniors planning to attend Youngstown State University.

YSU President Bill Johnson said enrollment has increased, semester over semester, for two straight years.

Young people choosing to stay local for their education, and hopefully start careers, is important for the Mahoning Valley, he said.

“They’re trusting YSU with their future and we don’t take that lightly,” he said.

Isabella Sferra, 20, of Struthers, received a Wolves scholarship in 2024 and is a junior at YSU, studying integrated language arts.

She wants to be a teacher when she graduates in 2028 and plans to stay local.

She told recipients their scholarships will be the catalyst “that will help point your life in the best direction.”

South Range High School senior Michael Lucas attended the event with his mom, Robin.

They said the gift of about $1,200 will be matched by YSU, and will alleviate some of the stress involved with paying for college.

“It will allow me to focus on my schoolwork,” he said.

Over the years, the Wolves Club has handed out more than $1.5 million in local scholarships and provides nursing scholarships for the Mercy Health Foundation.

Club member Joe Meranto gave the benediction at the end of the evening, asking for students to be blessed as “they are heading out to change the world.”

Other recipients were: Kylee Allen, Western Reserve; Jonathan Brenner, Cardinal Mooney; Abigail Bueno, Jackson-Milton; Noah Calabrette, Canfield; James Minameyer, Springfield Local; Ian Orlaski, Austintown Fitch; Alayna Thake, Western Reserve; and Adrionna Tufaro, Poland Seminary.