by Kimberly A. Rinker, for Harness Horsemen International

Chicago, IL — Alexander Scurto, 18, has been awarded the 2014 Harness Horsemen International $4,000 Jerome L. Hauck Scholarship.

Alexander is the son of Joe and Tracey Scurto of Naperville, Ill.

Alexander Scurto has been awarded the 2014 Harness Horsemen International $4,000 Jerome L. Hauck Scholarship.

In addition to the Hauck Scholarship, Scurto received a Presidential Scholarship which will pay his tuition to Illinois’ College of DuPage, where he plans on majoring in Environmental Science and Engineering in the fall of 2014.

“I have been fortunate enough to have the same interest and career goals ever since I began my journey in high school,” Scurto offered. “Every class I have taken since my freshman year has pointed me down a single path through which I found a career that I would love, and that path has been toward environmental science.”

An Illinois State Scholar for the past two years, Scurto has been on the Honor Roll during his final seven semesters at Naperville North High School and has been a member of the National Honor Society throughout his junior and senior years, when he sported a 4.2 grade point average.

He is also co-owner in the 4-year-old Real Artist gelding Plenty Of Spunk, currently racing in Chicago. He owns the gelding in partnership with his father Joe.

Besides harness racing, Scurto’s other passion is soccer, a sport at which he has excelled. He has been a member of the Naperville North High School soccer team from his freshman through his senior years, and was awarded the Junior Varsity Sportsmanship Award in 2013 and the Varsity Most Improved Player Award for 2014.

Scurto has been involved with community activities, serving as a lifeguard at the Huntington Estates Bath & Tennis Club since 2011, and has taught swimming lessons since 2010. As well, he helped out at the West Suburban Community Pantry from 2010 to 2011 and worked with the Feed My Starving Children organization this past February.

Harness Horsemen International is delighted to present this scholarship to such a deserving candidate as Alexander Scurto.