WOODSTOCK — Two Woodstock Academy students, Brooklyn residents Gabrielle Cavagnet and Vivek Cherian, received scholarships from the Italian American Committee on Education (IACE) to study abroad in Italy.

Each student created a multimedia project in Italian featuring a cultural aspect of Umbria, the Italian region where they will be studying. “Working on my project was one of the most challenging things I’ve had to do in my high school career, but also the most rewarding,” said sophomore Gabrielle Cavagnet. “The most invaluable help came from my teacher, Signora Monahan, who offered endless input and advice.”

IACE only awards 20 scholarships to students from Connecticut, New York, and New Jersey each year. “I’m so proud of Vivek and Gabbie, they were up against some tough competition including students who speak Italian at home with their parents and others who have been studying Italian since early middle school,” Italian teacher Melita Monahan remarked. “Knowing the competition only pushed these two to work even harder to produce award winning presentations.”

The scholarship, which covers all expenses except for airline tickets, entails a two and a half week trip to the city of Narni, a beautiful medieval hill town right in the heart of Umbria. The students will take Italian lessons in the morning that focus on particular cultural sites that they will then visit in the afternoons. “I’m really excited and thankful for this great opportunity to not only learn more about Italy and its culture, but to see it firsthand,” junior Vivek Cherian said.

The Academy’s Italian Honor Society came together to host gelato fund-raisers throughout the year to raise money for the students’ plane tickets. Woodstock’s Fairvue Farm generously donated fresh milk, eggs, and cream to support the society’s fund-raisers. “We are always excited to be able to support activities at The Woodstock Academy,” Diane Miller, owner of Fairvue, said. “We are especially pleased that the Italian Honor Society students have taken it upon themselves to produce a delicious gelato to sell as a fund-raiser using The Farmer’s Cow milk, cream, and eggs.”