News Coverage

The Giovanni Vitrano Foundation is excited to welcome Tom Block and Chris Petley to its Board of Directors for the 2023-24 academic year. Renowned FSU Football Sideline Reporter Tom Block joins as Director of Fundraising, and Tallahassee Soccer Club’s Chris Petley steps in as Director of Community Outreach. Their combined expertise promises to elevate the foundation’s mission of supporting high school student-athletes in Tallahassee. Read more about their contributions and the foundation’s ongoing impact.

The Giovanni Vitrano Foundation proudly announced its annual scholarship winners in a heartwarming event at Southwood Community Center. Among the exceptional student-athletes recognized, Jose Gonzalez of Chiles High School clinched the $6,000 Giovanni Vitrano Memorial Scholarship and is set to attend Penn this fall. Betrice Drayton from Rickards High School and RJ Hosay from Maclay School both secured the $2,000 scholarship. Both have exhibited outstanding prowess in soccer and academics alike, with Betrice gearing up to join West Florida College and RJ set to embark on his journey at Florida. These scholarships, commemorating the inspiring Giovanni Vitrano of Leon High School’s Class of 2020, celebrate a legacy of dedication to education, soccer, and community service.

Our local CBS Sportscaster Ryan Kelly came by the Inaugural Gio Cup, to help spread the word about our great event. https://youtu.be/tzK-wV9YYgs

WCTV's Ryan Kelly came out to cover our annual awards banquet, and profilied 2022 Scholarship winners Alejandro Alonso, Madison Kopka, and Ethan Stewart. Link: WCTV: Giovanni Vitrano Foundation awards first three scholarships Part 1 https://youtu.be/5v5h2NntCIw Part 2...

In a heartwarming move to commemorate Giovanni Vitrano’s legacy, The Giovanni Vitrano Foundation has unveiled the proud winners of the inaugural Giovanni Vitrano Memorial Scholarships. This year sees a rewarding $7,000 being disbursed to three deserving high school seniors. The standout recipient, Alejandro Alonso from Gadsden County High School, with plans to dive into Criminology at Florida State University, clinched the $5,000 scholarship. Meanwhile, soccer stalwarts Ethan Stewart from Leon High School and Maddie Kopka from Sail High School, who have both showcased immense dedication on and off the field, each secure a $1,000 scholarship. Formed in the wake of a tragic loss, the foundation stands as a testament to Giovanni’s love for soccer and education. Aspiring applicants for the Class of 2023 can look forward to the application window opening this fall