(REGIONAL)-During their recent Board of Director’s meeting, the Oregon Trail Community Foundation awarded nearly $45,000 in scholarships to regional students. Ronelle Lynn Stevens of Rushville received $4,000 from the Clara E. Muehlberger Scholarship, and Tessa Retzlaff and Shea Lauren Lindsey, both of Gordon, received $1,000 each. Corinne Kling of Harrison, Sierra Passero of Chadron, and Mikenzie Nordeen and Regina Rose Zaro of Alliance were also awarded $1,000.Scholarship recipients from Scottsbluff receiving $1,000 were Alexandra Nichole Stricker, Jedediah John Weis and Taylor Nichole Strong. Sarah Elizabeth Wirth of Sidney, Nichole Rene’ Murray of Broadwater and Kailin Ann McClung of Big Springs were each awarded $1,000 as well. Also receiving $1,000 were Krysta Rose Applegate from Chappell, Cierra Dawn Jones from Dix, and Laura Marie Gill and Amanda Lee Williams, both of Torrington. The Clara E. Muehlberger Scholarship is available to those who are pursuing undergraduate studies in education or a healthcare-related field.

Natasha Teall from Gering received the Margaret V. Lovercheck Scholarship of $4,000. The Lovercheck Scholarship is available to graduates of Gering High School and is to be used at a four-year college or university for the study of art, music, theater, literature, or journalism.

The Lawrence and Pauline Lemons $4,000 Scholarship awards two separate four-year scholarships; those went to Austin E. Groskopf of Scottsbluff and Mallory J. McCormick of Mitchell. Austin E. Groskopf also was presented the Lawrence Lemons Memorial Scholarship for $500.

Madeline Holscher of Scottsbluff was presented with the CSI-A Scholarship of $4,000. Megan Patrick of Scottsbluff also received a $4,000 CSI-B Scholarship. Briana Blanco was awarded the CSI-C Scholarship of $2,000. The CSI Scholarship Funds are available to graduates of Scottsbluff High School. Patrick said, “I’m going to WNCC, and my brother is only a year older than I am, so it’s just going to help with the general tuition, and my parents will be paying for two kids in college, so it will really help.” She added, “I thank the Oregon Trail Community Foundation for this scholarship.”

The Panhandle Drug-Free Scholarship of $500 is available to high school seniors from the Nebraska Panhandle who are currently involved in a local drug-free youth group; this honor was awarded to Brandon Michael Karpen of Mitchell. Shawn Gasseling of Alliance was the recipient of a Scholarship from the Atkins Bequest of $1,500. A $500 Scholarship from the Hispanic Advisory Committee was given to Valeria Duarte, Reggie Reyes and Brianna Robles. Brianna Robles was also presented with the Dill Scholarship of $1,000.

Oregon Trail Community Foundation board member Bob Kelley, who serves on the Scholarship Committee, says, “This is a committee I really enjoy serving on; it seems like the quality of the applicants gets better every year, and it really restores my faith in the young people of America. I just really am so pleased to be a part of an organization such as the Oregon Trail Community Foundation that is providing strong financial support to continue education of our young people. It’s very important for our community.”

For more information about Oregon Trail Community Foundation scholarships, call 308-635-3393 or contact your high school guidance counseling office. Application forms may also be downloaded from the Foundation’s Web site at www.otcf.org.

 

--Submitted by the Oregon Trail Community Foundation