Elizabeth Rose Henderson is currently a senior at Fitch High School, Groton, CT and she plays on the Fitch tennis team in the spring. She is a level 9 trampolinist at USA Trampoline Academy, Mystic, CT. She has qualified three times for nationals as well as placing third in the nation in 2021. Elizabeth has volunteered annually for the Mystic Irish Parade for as long as she can remember, and loves being part of this Irish tradition. She visited Ireland in 2017 and enjoyed traveling to the country of her ancestors and trying all the local foods and learning where her relatives came from. She plans on attending Endicott College in the fall and will double major in Psychology and Art therapy.

Madison Janeen Porter is currently a senior at Fitch High School, Groton, CT and she plays on the Fitch tennis and gymnastics teams. She is the President of the Key Club, Vice President of National Honor Society, a member of the Best Buddies and Unified Sports programs. She has competed in the Eastern Connecticut Math Competitions as part of her school Math Team. She handmade over 300 masks that were donated to positive Covid patients through a local Facebook volunteer group. Her Irish background has shaped her into the person she is today. A heritage she so deeply cherishes and will continue to carry on through her love for cooking Irish cuisine, learning Irish etiquette, and researching her family’s native country! Above all, her favorite Irish tradition has been attending the Mystic Irish parade for as long as she can remember! She plans to pursue a degree in Biology in the Pre-Med track with the goal of becoming a physician specializing in Pulmonology.

Molly Barrett Kulick is a senior at Stonington High School, Stonington, CT. Her greatest passion is sailing. She has volunteered at the Mystic Seaport Museum since 2018 and was awarded Mystic Seaport Volunteer of the Year! She has been a certified sailing instructor for three years. She is an active member of St. Patrick’s Church, where she has served as an alter server for many years. She also assisted her grandmother in teaching kindergarten and first grade students Faith Formation religious education classes at St. Patrick’s Church. She grew up surrounded by strong Irish women who taught her to advocate for herself and she is proud to carry on the values of her Irish culture. She will be attending the University of New Hampshire in Fall 2023 where she plans to major in Psychology.

The Mystic Irish Parade Foundation is thrilled to announce Sarah Servidio as the winner of the first annual Colleen and Court scholarship contest. As a senior at Fitch High School, Sarah is a member of the Chamber Choir, National Honor Society and Captain of the Varsity Cross Country Team. Sarah celebrates her Irish heritage as a champion Irish step dancer and an active member of the church of St. Patrick in Mystic.

Sarah is in school now and unfortunately cannot attend this year’s parade.

Grand Colleen is a new tradition for the Mystic Irish parade and is an opportunity for local young women of Irish descent to compete for the opportunity to ride in the parade and receive a $500 college scholarship. Contestants must be local high school women of Irish heritage in their junior or senior year. Applicants were judged based on responses to question regarding how their Irish heritage has impacted them, their community involvement, volunteerism, hobbies and future goals. Congratulations to the Mystic Irish Parade’s first Grand Colleen, Sarah Servidio.