Seniors awarded scholarships
Published 4:41 pm Friday, May 27, 2011
Niles High School seniors spent their last day in class Wednesday, and for some of them, the next time they pass through the school’s halls will be as they prepare for their graduation ceremony.
Last week was a busy one for seniors as the anticipation builds to the commencement of the class of 2011.
Seniors took part Tuesday in the 90th annual Niles Community Scholarships ceremony.
“We award more than $60,000 in scholarships,” said Jenny Freeze, a guidance counselor at Niles High School.
Among those are some of “the oldest endowed scholarships,” Freeze said, including the Orville Coolidge, Adastra, Sarley Family, Mary Swan and Baxter Memorial scholarships.
“The scholarships range anywhere from $200 to $5,000 across the board,” Freeze said.
A total of 31 organizations sponsored scholarships and presented them to students. Opportunities for the seniors to begin applying for possible scholarship awards begin around February, after area organizations and donors are contacted.
The ceremony, Freeze said, is not just a chance to recognize students but those supplying the scholarships as well.
“I’ve not had the experience of this local support (anywhere else),” Freeze said. “To the tune of $60,000 — that’s a lot of local support for our students.”
Students apply for those scholarships they qualify for and in some cases are involved in interviews prior to the ceremony as well.
The ceremony is just another milestone for students, Freeze said, as well as a much needed start on tuition and college expenses.
“I think that this week in general is a big week for the kids,” she said. “Their graduation events really kicked off on Sunday with our Honors Tea … (The scholarships) certainly help defray the cost of an ever increasing college expense.”
Niles Community Scholarship winners include:
Orville Coolidge — Jessica Norris
Adastra Scholarship — Hope Johnson
Sarley Family Scholarship — Riley Robson
Mary Swan Scholarship — Ashley McOmber
Baxter Memorial — Taylor Glick
Stephen N. Tyler Memorial Scholarship — Whitney Ellis, Chris Noble
George and Margaret Contois Scholarship — Andre Grosse
Heart of Cook Scholarship — Brett Phillips
Leo Krziza and Esther Krziza-Condry Endowed Health Care Scholarship Fund by the Lee Memorial Foundation — Haley Davis, Alexis Franciscotty, Alex Haimbaugh
Barbara Ann Stone Scholarship — Carlee Holt
Virginia Heirmann Frucci Memorial — Jade Hoglund
Niles Downtown Development Scholarship — Brittney Bunch
Jane S Davis Scholarship — Hope Johnson
Niles Haunted House Scholarships — Matthew Dodge, Alexis Franciscotty, Jessica Norris
Niles High School Athletic Booster Scholarship — Taylor Glick, Chris Noble
Niles Buchanan Rotary Club Scholarship — Haley Davis
Howard Community Lions Club
Clyde E Snyder Scholarship — Caley Flenar, Jade Hoglund, Abigail Stickney
LaRue Messenger Post 26 Scholarship — William Smith
Niles District Education Association — Josh Brawley, Caley Flenar, Taylor Fuller, Kara Bouwkamp, James Brann, Matthew Dodge, Ashley McOmber, Zach Prenkert, Brandon Rouse
Kiwanis Club of Niles — Sophie Nielsen, Lacey Stanage, Jesse Sebastian
Cass County Community Policing Scholarship — Haley Davis, Alexis Franciscotty
Brian Parker Scholarship — Alexandria Heimbaugh
Neil Moss Annual Drug Awareness
Golf Scholarship — Sophie Nielsen, Chris Noble
Beta Sigma Phi Sorority Xi Alpha Delta Chapter Scholarship — Marissa Laskowski, Taylor Fuller, Jasmine Thompson
Academic Boosters Scholarship — Jacob Nava, Cody Taggart, Alex Flick, Tim Potter, Chandler King, Ashley Yeager
Niles Service League Scholarship — Alexis Franciscotty, Alexandria Haimbaugh, Jessica Richmond, Matthew Dodge, Riley Robson, Ashley McOmber, Zachary Prenkert
Carlton Dungey Jr Minority Scholarship — Antwaun Brann, Belinda Fordjour, Andre Grosse, Deanna Haynes, Loyce Nalyazi, Jasmine Thompson
Niles Track Coach’s Recognition Scholarship Presented — Jessica Norris, Whitney Ellis
Student Council Scholarship — Jessica Richmond, Emily Wagner
Noon Optimist Club Scholarships — Aaron Carroll, Charissa Spear, Jacob Stanage, Zachary Prenkert, Deanna Haynes
Niles Football Scholarship — Zach Durm
Blaske-Hill Foundation Scholarship — Andre Grosse
Niles Soccer Scholarship — Kassim Dafa, Pierce Knoll
Harrah Family Academic Achievement Scholarship — Lacey Stanage
Jeanne Griffin Scholarship — Haley Davis