From left, Dave Coy, General Manager of WKBN 27; Gage Haslar, WKBN 27 Caring for Our Community 2026 Scholarship Winner; Pamela Haslar, mother; and Rick Haslar, father. (Submitted photo)

YOUNGSTOWN — The WKBN 27 Caring for Our Community campaign has named the winners of the  2026 Tom Holden Memorial Scholarship contest.

A total of 230 students from Mahoning, Trumbull, Columbiana, and Mercer counties wrote commercials for local nonprofit organizations. The winning script was produced by WKBN, Youngstown Area Goodwill Industries. It can be viewed throughout the summer on WKBN 27 and FOX Youngstown. 

The winner and five runners-up will each be featured in commercials airing on WKBN throughout May and June. The first-place student receives a $1,500 college scholarship for use in their future educational endeavors.

$1,500 SCHOLARSHIP WINNER: 

Gage Haslar, a senior at LaBrea High School

His entry featured: Youngstown Area Goodwill Industries

1st Runner-up:

Hannah English, a senior at Cardinal Mooney High School

Her entry featured: Jewish Community Center of Youngstown

2nd Runner-up:

Madeleine Devlin, a senior at Ursuline High School

Her entry featured: Warren-Trumbull County Public Library

3rd Runner-up:

Lauren Lewis, a senior at Valley Virtual High School

Her entry featured: The Rich Center for Autism

4th Runner-up:

Niko Papini, a senior at Hubbard High School

His entry featured: Potential Development

5th Runner-up:

Cadence Westfall, a senior at Hubbard High School

Her entry featured: Candence Care Network