Cranston’s League for Cranston’s Future (CLCF) awarded its second annual Passing the Baton Scholarship.

The scholarship is awarded annually in April to one male and one female student in their senior year of high school. The winners receive $1,000 each to put towards their post graduation needs. There are two major criteria to be considered for this scholarship. The first is CLCF Track participation for at least four years, that can consist of a combination of CLCF indoor and outdoor track (Rec League or Travel Team) for their middle school grades and younger. The second is high school track participation where applicants must complete at least three years combined of high school indoor and outdoor track.

The 2023 Passing the Baton Scholarship Awards were presented this year at the CLCF Summer Showdown Youth Track Meet at Cranston West track on July 15. This year’s recipient for the girls was Stella Loezos from Cranston East. Stella competed with CLCF track’s indoor and outdoor teams for six years. Stella then went onto a great high school career with Cranston East. She was named captain in her junior and senior years of the indoor and outdoor teams. Several times Stella earned All-Division and All-Class honors during her track career.

In 2022, she and her teammates on the 4x800 relay qualified for the New England Meet after finishing among top six teams at the varsity state meet. Stella was a part of the National Honor Society in addition to being an outstanding track athlete.

The boy’s recipient is from West Warwick High School, Jesse Principe. Jesse is a stand out distance runner who has earned All-Division, Class, and State honors during high school. Jesse made all divisions in the 1,500 and 800 during indoor track during his sophomore, junior and senior year. Jesse repeated the feat for outdoor in his junior and senior year. In addition to the local honors, he qualified for the New England meet for both indoor and outdoor. Jesse, like Stella, is an outstanding student, being a part of the National Honor Society.

The CLCF track program was started in the early 1970’s as one of the youth sports under the non-profit group of CLCF Sports. The original chairperson of the track program was Russ Cote. The track program began as a two day a week recreational team, introducing the basics of the sport to the youths of Cranston.

In 2009 the track program expanded its program by offering two teams, the Rec League and the Travel Team. Since the expansion of the program CLCF track has trained athletes from all over Rhode Island, Massachusetts, and Connecticut. Athletes with CLCF track have competed in meets around New England and across the country earning various individual and team awards including All American honors for indoor and outdoor.

The mission of CLCF track is to encourage good sportsmanship, self-esteem and goal oriented work ethic. The coaching staff supports their athletes in future endeavors through this scholarship. CLCF Passing the Baton Scholarship is our way to help student-athletes handoff from high school to college.