ESA Announces its 2024 Youth Scholarship Award Winners
Our police, firefighters, paramedics, and EMTs put their lives on the line to keep us safe. The security industry works closely with these forces, providing support and technology to help them do their job more efficiently.
But ESA wants to do more than just that. To give back to this brave group of public servants, ESA has developed the ESA Youth Scholarship Program — a philanthropic endeavor that aims to support the futures of first responders’ children. The program has awarded over $941,500 to high school seniors dedicated to excellence and inspired by their first responder parents.
“Participating in the youth scholarship program for children of first responders is profoundly rewarding, as it offers these incredibly deserving young individual’s opportunities they might not otherwise have.” says Kelly Bond, Partner at Davis Mergers and Acquisitions Group and Scholarship Chairwoman “Seeing their individual successes, and knowing you’ve contributed to their futures, brings immense personal satisfaction and pride.”
The Youth Scholarship Award strives to make an impact on youth so they can make an impact on the world, much as their parents have. This year, 9 state associations participated with ESA in a programmatic effort to support the families of first responders. Awards were given in each state and national first and second place winners were recognized.
This year’s first place award recipient is Brady Freundel of police officer James Freundel. Brady highlights how proud he is to have a first responder father.
“I have always been proud to tell others that my father is a police officer for the Washington D.C. Metropolitan Police Department.” says Brady Freundel, 2024 ESA youth Scholarship Winner “His sacrifice, like others in public safety, is honorable yet he is humble and expects nothing in return for his dedicated work. I have tried my best to incorporate these traits in my life as well.”
In the Fall, Brady will begin my endeavor of becoming an electrical engineer. He hopes to serve the United States of America by creating weapons systems that deter aggression against our country. As an engineer, Brady plans to use his skills to make the world a better place and empower those in need while giving back to the community through coaching STEM programs at local schools.
“I strive to live a life of service to my community like my father. This scholarship will help me reach my goal of becoming an electrical engineer and making my community the best it can be.” says Brady “I am sincerely grateful to have received the Electronic Security Associations Youth Scholarship. No words can describe the immense pride and joy I experienced when I received the call that I was the national finalist! Not only was I being honored for my community service, but my father’s work as a police officer was being honored as well. This generous support will help pay for my tuition in the fall and will help relieve some of my financial burden. I am committed to excellence in my Electrical engineering studies, and plan to be an active member of my college community. Thank you for believing in my potential and granting me the ESA Youth Scholarship. It means so much to me!”
ESA flew Brady and his father, James Freundel, to ESX 2024 in Louisville for them to receive the award in the amount of $13,500 in person.
These ESA scholarship awards are made possible by contributions from ESA and from our partners COPS Monitoring and the Law Offices of Marc Katz.
ESA’s second place national winner, Jesse Stewart from Washington state, whose father is a firefighter for Shoreline Fire Department Station 61 was awarded $3500.
ESA also wants to recognize the following state winners:
- Stella Werle, California
- Olivia Swim, Florida
- Madeline Kromer, Georgia
- Averie Roberts, Nevada
- Mason Drew, New York
- Isabelle Zuick, Colorado
- Gabriella Egnezzo, New Jersey
- Oliver T. Mathews, Wisconsin
Online donations, which will enhance these awards, are now available to the electronic security and life safety channel supporters who are interested in contributing. All donations will go directly to scholarship awards for high school seniors across the country. Supporters will be recognized on the ESA website. Donations can be made at: ESAweb.org/scholarship-donate.
The ESA’s Youth Scholarship Program’s Volunteer Committee Members
Program Chairwoman: Kelly Bond, Partner at Davis Mergers and Acquisitions Group
Jason Etter, Owner of AVX Integrated Technologies
Lilianne Chaumont, President of Chaumont Law Inc.
Karen Smith, Sr. Director at Cultris Security Systems, Inc.
Mike Perdue, General Manager at Fire and Data Systems, Inc.
Marc Katz, Member at Law Offices of Marc P. Katz, LLC
John Nemerofsky, Chief Operating Officer at SAGE Integration
