Twenty employees of People Inc., Western New York's leading human services agency, were recently honored with the Western New York AmeriCorps 2011 ABLE Scholarship Award. The scholarship is a partnership between People Inc. and WNY AmeriCorps through AmeriCorps's America Builds Lives through Education (ABLE) Program. This is the second year that People Inc. was chosen to participate and offer employees financial assistance toward their education.

Employees must be employed in a program providing direct service to individuals with disabilities and meet specific income requirements. The award can be used to pay educational expenses such as tuition, related fees and student loans.

"This is such a great program for employees, who, by their work everyday, further the mission of People Inc.," said People Inc. Retention Director Kimberly Kadziolka. "This scholarship program assists with the employees' educational advancement, which may further their careers with People Inc." The following employees earned the scholarship:

• Deborah Brown, IRA Specialist, resides in Buffalo
• Tia Carter, IRA Specialist, resides in Amherst
• Ariel Collins, ICF Specialist, resides in Buffalo
• Laura Conti, IRA Specialist, resides in Lockport 
• Ronald Cummings, IRA Specialist, resides in Buffalo 
• Mary Kate Duff, Primary Instructor, resides in Grand Island
• Victoire Dushime, IRA Specialist, resides in Buffalo
• Christopher Etterle, IRA Specialist, resides in Lackawanna 
• Megan Gorski, Behavior Technician, resides in Akron
• Beth Huffnagle, IRA Specialist, resided in Grand Island 
• Tashana Johnson, IRA Specialist, resides in Buffalo 
• Kristin Kemnitzer, ICF Specialist, resides in Hamburg
• Valeria Keys, IRA Specialist, resides in Buffalo
• Gwendoline Lander, IRA Specialist, resides in Buffalo 
• Kelly Matthews, Community Based Instructor, resides in West Seneca
• Nicholas Mekus, IRA Specialist, resides in Dunkirk
• Katherine Needham, PCA, resides in Depew
• Sierrha O' Neal, IRA specialist, resides in North Tonawanda
• Jessica Sparks, PCA, resides in Lancaster
• Veronica Ubiles-Ginty, IRA Specialist, resides in Alden