Ten scholars from seven states awarded funding to continue their education and represent the next generation of service-oriented professionals shaped by first responder family experiences

NEW YORK, Aug. 13, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — First Responders Children’s Foundation (FRCF), the only national nonprofit dedicated to serving the children and families of first responders, today announced, in partnership with CSX, the names of ten students who will receive the CSX Pride in Service Scholarship for the 2026/2027 academic year.

The scholarship recognizes students who demonstrate academic achievement, leadership, community involvement, service to others, and resilience while honoring the sacrifice and service of their first responder families. The 2026/2027 cohort includes ten new scholars who are children of firefighters, law enforcement officers, EMTs, paramedics, and other emergency service professionals, including families impacted by line-of-duty injury, illness, or death, who are inspired to make a positive impact in their communities and beyond. These recipients are now pursuing degrees in medicine, physician assistant studies, engineering, aviation, biology, chemistry, finance, biomedical sciences, and natural resources.

“These students have witnessed firsthand the dedication and impact, as well as the sacrifice of their first responder parent and they carry that burden of service along with them. We’re grateful to CSX for supporting so many scholarship recipients, so they can continue their education” said Jillian Crane, President & CEO of the First Responders Children’s Foundation. “From healthcare and medicine, engineering, aviation, transportation, business, finance, and public service and emergency response fields, we’re proud to champion these students as they pursue their higher education goals and know that the CSX Pride in Service Scholarships will provide meaningful support in their journeys.”

Since 2018, FRCF and CSX have awarded individual scholarships to deserving children of first responders in the communities where they operate, who are inspired and motivated by their parent’s dedication to service. This year, 116 scholarships to students from 20 states were awarded from this generous program. To date, CSX has contributed more than $811,000 in scholarship funding, supporting 359 students across CSX-served states, including $420,000 dedicated to the Pride in Service Scholarship that has supported 80 scholars overall.

“The CSX Pride in Service Scholarship reflects our ongoing mission to empower first responders and their loved ones,” said Angela Costa, CSX Community Investment Senior Manager. “These 10 scholars have seen firsthand what service and sacrifice mean, and they carry that forward in their own ambitions. Supporting their education is one way we honor that commitment and invest in the next generation of service-minded leaders.”

This year’s recipients include:

• Luca Arnone from New York: Luca is an incoming freshman at Florida Institute of Technology, where he will pursue a degree in Aviation with the goal of becoming a professional pilot. Luca’s father is a retired FDNY Captain who is now on line-of-duty disability due to chronic lung disease after extensive exposure at the World Trade Center site following the September 11 attacks.
• Emily Bartz from Maryland: Emily is an incoming freshman at Oregon State University in the Honors Program, where she plans to study Natural Resources. Her father’s career in federal law enforcement and her mother’s role as a paramedic with the Pikesville Volunteer Fire Company has provided her with lessons that she has carried into her own path through her involvement with the fire company as an EMT-in-training.
• Lorenzo Bautista from Illinois: Lorenzo is pursuing a Doctor of Medicine degree at Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science, and hopes to become a primary care physician serving underserved communities. His father is a Sergeant in the 9th District of the Chicago Police Department.
• Kristen Roth from New York: Kristen is pursuing a degree in Physician Assistant Studies at Touro University. Her father, an FDNY Captain, passed away from illnesses related to his service. A graduate of the University of Rhode Island, where she earned a degree in Biological Sciences and was recognized as EMT of the Year, Kristen has built an impressive foundation in healthcare through her work as an EMT, Medical Assistant, and Health Director, and plans to carry her father’s legacy forward through a career centered on compassion, service, and patient care.
• Paxton Dulski from Florida: Paxton is an incoming freshman at Warner University, pursuing a degree in Finance while continuing his lifelong commitment to leadership, service, and faith. The son of a Police Lieutenant, his passion for service is reflected in hundreds of volunteer hours with organizations including Toys for Tots, Trinity Regional Rehabilitation Center, Metropolitan Ministries, and local schools and community programs. In 2025, he was selected as the National Ambassador for the Toys for Tots Program across the Tampa Bay Area, helping coordinate toy drives and support families in need.
• Morgan Morris from Maryland: Morgan is a first-generation college student who will begin her freshman year at McDaniel College, where she plans to study Biomedical Sciences. The daughter of two EMS first responders with Queen Anne’s County Department of Emergency Services, her family devoted to emergency medical service shaped her desire to entire the medical field, especially in first response and trauma care. Morgan has served as a Chief Petty Officer in the U.S. Naval Sea Cadet Corps, participated in varsity wrestling, worked in customer service, and earned the American Heritage Girls Stars and Stripes Award through a 100-hour sustainable service project that brought AED safety boxes and CPR/AED training to her local American Legion.
• Jamar Smith from Florida: Jamar is a graduate student pursuing a Physician Assistant degree at Nova Southeastern University. He earned his bachelor’s degree in Exercise Physiology from Florida State University, with minors in Biology and Chemistry, and has built a strong foundation in healthcare through roles as an orthopedic technician, patient transporter, virtual scribe, patient care technician, and rescue team member. The son of a firefighter, which taught him responsibility, resilience, and the importance of caring for others, Jamar is currently working at Tampa General Hospital, a Level 1 trauma center, where he supports orthopedic and emergency patients while continuing to serve the community that helped shape him.
• Jazmin Brown from Florida: Jazmin is a sophomore at the University of Central Florida pursuing a Bachelor of Arts in Chemistry on the pre-professional track. Growing up with a mother serving as a Master Deputy in court security with the Orange County Sheriff’s Department, she developed a strong sense of responsibility, discipline, and resilience. She has contributed extensive volunteer hours through animal rescue work, library programs, and school athletics support, while also holding leadership roles in clubs, JROTC, and track and field. She plans to continue her education in pharmacy, with the goal of helping patients manage medications and improving access to care, especially for those who serve and support their communities.
• Austin Parks from Ohio: Austin is a sophomore at the University of Cincinnati pursuing a degree in Mechanical Engineering. Growing up he witnessed his father, a firefighter, recover from a line-of-duty injury that permanently changed their family’s life. While the injury prevented many of the activities they might have shared, he credits his father – and his mother, a nurse – with teaching him the value of perseverance and service, lessons that continue to shape his goals and outlook on life. Through his studies in engineering, Austin has also begun building hands-on experience through coursework and collaborative projects, including involvement in technical design and problem-solving initiatives, and hopes to create technologies and solutions that improve lives and support communities, carrying forward the spirit of service that has shaped his upbringing.
• Makenzie Hodges from Indiana: Makenzie is an incoming freshman at the University of Louisville pursuing a Bachelor of Arts in Biology. Her mother became a firefighter/EMT in her late thirties after years of pursuing the career she had always dreamed of, modeling perseverance, resilience, and dedication. Makenzie witnessed firsthand the sacrifices that came with that transition and the physical and emotional demands of emergency response. Throughout her mother’s career, observed both the challenges and the deep sense of purpose that comes with serving as a first responder, and looks forward to carrying forward the values of hard work, selflessness, and resilience that she has witnessed throughout her life.

Each scholar is awarded a grant for a single academic year based on financial need, academic merit, leadership skills, outstanding performance in the arts or sports, and community service. Recipients are encouraged to reapply annually for a maximum of four years. 

Through the CSX Pride in Service community investment initiative, FRCF and CSX have partnered to support the specific needs of children of first responders in the communities where they operate through scholarships, financial assistance grants, and bereavement assistance as well as to foster positive relationships between law enforcement and community members in key markets.

To learn more about First Responders Children’s Foundation, please visit www.1stRCF.org and follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram @1strcf.

ABOUT FIRST RESPONDERS CHILDREN’S FOUNDATION:
First Responders Children’s Foundation is a national nonprofit that provides programs and resources that address the specific needs of first responders and their families. The Foundation focuses on five key areas: Scholarships, Financial Assistance Grants, Natural Disaster Relief, Mental Health Resiliency with free counseling; and Community Engagement. The Foundation was founded 25 years ago in response to 9/11 when 800 children lost a first responder parent and today uplifts all children of first responders across the country. Additional information about FRCF can be found at www.1stRCF.org and on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram @1strcf.

CONTACT:
Sunshine Sachs Morgan & Lylis
frcf@ssmandl.com
(212) 691-2800

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/first-responders-childrens-foundation-announces-2026-csx-pride-in-service-scholarship-recipients-302850566.html

SOURCE First Responders Children’s Foundation