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