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For Immediate Release
July 30, 2009
Air Force Association announces the 2009 Ferretti Scholarship
Arlington, VA – The Air Force Association (AFA) today announced the 2009 recipient of the Lt. Col. (Ret.) Romeo and Josephine Bass Ferretti Scholarship for $2,500 is Amelia Tracy of Enosburg Falls, Vermont.
This remarkable endowment was established through a bequest of the late Lt. Col. Ferretti of Bourne, Massachusetts, and a personal gift from the late Mrs. Ferretti. The $250,000 endowment from the Ferretti estate, managed by Amy Mowbray and Col. Lew Ferretti, USMCR (Ret.), makes possible a yearly scholarship of $2,500 to minor dependents of enlisted Air Force active duty, reserve or guard personnel selected with consideration of both merit and need. The first scholarships were distributed two years ago.
"Amelia is an excellent selection for the 2009 Ferretti Scholarship," said Lew Ferretti. "This program honors the memory of Romeo and Josephine Ferretti and their desire to provide opportunities for deserving young people from Air Force families."
"Through this opportunity, she will get off to a great start at a fine university," said Amy Mowbray. "That’s exactly the purpose of this investment."
 Amelia will begin working on her degree in nursing at the SUNY-Canton campus. She is the oldest of two daughters and her father has been with the Air Force and Vermont Air National Guard for 27 years as a Crew Chief on the F-16’s. Her mother is an accountant. In high school, Amelia participated in the Snowboard Club, Yearbook Club, Jazz Band, Odyssey of the Mind Team, Varsity Volleyball and the school newspaper. In her spare time, she enjoys being a part of her church youth group and helping out those in need. Amelia wrote to AFA, “I am completely honored to have been chosen the recipient and am humbled that your organization believes in me and my future goals enough to have invested in my higher education.”
"AFA is so pleased to participate in this educational opportunity generously made possible by Lt. Col. Romeo and Josephine Ferretti,” said S. Sanford Schlitt, Vice Chairman of the Board, Aerospace Education.
The late Lt. Col. Ferretti and his late wife were long time supporters of AFA and advocates of education. Lt. Col. Ferretti served in the Air Force for more than 23 years, beginning in World War II with the Army Air Corps where he volunteered for flight training. He went on to fly in the P-61 Black Widow night-fighter. On Easter Sunday in 1945, he was shot down over enemy territory, but was able to parachute to safety and evade capture. After retirement in 1966, he became a stockbroker and financial planner.
Mrs. Ferretti was a secondary and high school teacher and retired after 30 years of teaching. While she and her husband were stationed at Macdill AFB, Fla., she taught Airmen from the base their General Education Degree program requirements as well as other courses. She said the reason for the scholarship fund is for children of Airmen, noting her husband Romeo did not have the money available to attend college and wanted to see more children have that opportunity. Originally from Opelika, Ala., Mrs. Ferretti and her late husband had called Tampa, Fla., their home.
AFA advocates education, particularly in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM), to develop the skills that are crucial to air power, national security and economic vitality. For more information on how to support these programs and other AFA educational initiatives, go to http://www.afa.org/aef/cntrbtns/.
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