Foundation awards PHS seniors $142,000 in scholarships
Photo: Recipients of the Foundation Medallion Scholarship
For 60 seniors at Pittsburg High School, their goal of earning a college degree has been made a bit easier: they were awarded a total of $142,000 in scholarships Sunday at the Pitzer Family Scholarship Event organized by the USD 250 Foundation.
The annual event was named for George and Billie Pitzer, who in 2000 had a vision to create a nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting the students and staff of the Pittsburg school district, and the Foundation was born.
Held at PHS, Sunday’s event brought together numerous donors from the community and the students and their families so that the names behind the scholarships became more meaningful and personal.
Some donors gave scholarships in their own names, others gave memorial scholarships as a tribute to family members, and still others gave scholarships established in the name of a school class or a business.
The Foundation awarded $29,000 in academic scholarships of its own, including Medallion Scholarships and the Night of Dragons Scholarship, all funded by an annual social event, silent auction, and other fundraising activities throughout the year led by board members.
Jon Bartlow, vice president of the Foundation board and emcee for the event, noted that those receiving scholarships are among the top in their class; have contributed hundreds of hours of volunteer service hours to the community; have been active in numerous athletic and academic extracurriculars; and have held part-time jobs throughout high school.
“These scholarships reward those tremendous achievements and help these students on the path to their next big achievement: graduating from college,” Bartlow said.
Scholarship recipients included:
Tucker Akins: $500 Class of 1978 Scholarship (2-year renewable). Tucker has not finalized his college plans.
Lissette Allen: $1,000 USD 250 Foundation Medallion Scholarship. Lisette will attend Pittsburg State University to pursue a degree in Nursing.
Beau Bedene: $1,000 USD 250 Foundation Medallion Scholarship. Beau will attend Oklahoma State University to major in Music.
Georgia Boekhout: $1,000 USD 250 Foundation Medallion Scholarship. Georgia will attend Dawson Community College to major in Business.
Ava Carper: $1,000 Roy Davis Scholarship (4-year renewable). Ava will attend Pittsburg State and is considering Physical Therapy and Engineering.
Caitlyn Costello: $1,000 USD 250 Foundation Medallion Scholarship. Caitlyn will attend the University of North Carolina at Greensboro to major in Biochemistry.
Joey Cronister: $1,000 USD 250 Foundation Medallion Scholarship; $1,000 Lee Nelson Memorial Scholarship. Joey plans to pursue a degree in Business but has not yet determined at which university.
Macy Farrington: $1,000 USD 250 Foundation Medallion Scholarship; $500 Dragon Mentor Scholarship. Macy will attend Oklahoma State University to major in Early Childhood Education.
Nivek Feagan: $500 Dick Webb Memorial Scholarship; $750 Class of 1968 Scholarship. Nivek plans to attend Labette Community College to major in Business.
Webb Fern: $1,000 USD 250 Foundation Medallion Scholarship; $500 Class of 1978 Scholarship (2-year renewable). Webb plans to attend Coffeyville Community College then major in Biology (Pre-Physical Therapy) at Pittsburg State.
Dakota Foster: $1,000 USD 250 Foundation Technical Scholarship. Dakota will graduate in May with certificates in Construction Trades and Heavy Equipment Operation from CTEC. He plans to attend Pittsburg State and major in Construction Management.
Indiana Grotheer: $1,250 USD 250 Foundation Gold Medallion Scholarship. Indiana will attend Pittsburg State to pursue a degree in Nursing.
Savannah Grotheer: $1,250 USD 250 Foundation Gold Medallion Scholarship. Savannah will attend Pittsburg State to major in Chemistry.
Jacqueline Hall: $1,250 USD 250 Foundation Gold Medallion Scholarship; $1,000 Lee Nelson Memorial Scholarship; $500 Class of 1978 Scholarship (2-year renewable). Jacqueline will attend Missouri Southern State University to major in Biology (Pre-Med).
Avery Harrison: $500 McQuade Family Scholarship. Avery will attend Pittsburg State and major in General Studies.
Caleb Hartman: $750 Class of 1967 Scholarship. Caleb will attend Pittsburg State and participate in ROTC.
Margaret Hopper: $1,000 Roy Davis Scholarship (4-year renewable); $500 Dick Webb Memorial Scholarship. Margaret will attend Pittsburg State and major in Marketing.
Embreeann Huebner: $1,000 USD 250 Foundation Scholarship; $500 Brandon Leroy Smith Scholarship. Embreeann will attend Pittsburg State and major in Biology (Pre-Physical Therapy).
Kayann Humble: $1,250 USD 250 Foundation Gold Medallion Scholarship. Kayann will attend Kansas State University and major in Biology.
Aurora Hunziker: $500 Dick Webb Memorial Scholarship; $500 Class of 1974 Scholarship. Aurora will attend Labette Community College with the goal of graduating from Pittsburg State with a degree in Elementary Education.
Landon Hurt: $500 Pepsi-Cola of Pittsburg Scholarship. Landon will attend Pittsburg State to pursue a degree in Nursing.
Caitlyn Ivy: $13,000 Lorraine E. and Fred J. Galvani Tuition Scholarship. Caitlyn will attend Pittsburg State to pursue a degree in Nursing.
Neveah Jackson: $500 Elliott Family Scholarship; $500 Timmons Scholarship. Neveah will attend Fort Scott Community College to study Physical Education.
Faith Leonard: $1,000 Class of 1943 Scholarship; $500 Dick Webb Scholarship; $500 Marilyn Noble Memorial Scholarship. Faith will attend Pittsburg State to major in Exercise Science with the goal of going on to earn a Doctorate in Physical Therapy.
Jacob Linahan: $1,000 Matthew Newbery Memorial Scholarship (4-year renewable). Jacob will attend Ottawa University to major in Accounting.
Sidney Lira: $600 Ken Bishop Memorial Scholarship. Sidney will attend Pittsburg State University to study Interior Design.
Seth Loudermilk: $1,000 USD 250 Foundation Medallion Scholarship; $500 Ron’s Supermarket Scholarship. Seth will attend Pittsburg State to major in Math.
Rileigh Manuel: $500 Class of 1974 Scholarship; $500 Dick Webb Memorial Scholarship. Rileigh will attend Pittsburg State University to major in Construction.
Ryland Martin: $1,250 USD 250 Foundation Gold Medallion Scholarship. Ryland will attend the University of Kansas to major in Computer Science.
Emma Mayhew: $500 Class of 1974 Scholarship; $500 Class of 1978 Scholarship (2-year renewable). Emma will attend the University of Kansas to major in Business.
Vivian McCormack: $1,000 USD 250 Foundation Medallion Scholarship. Vivian will attend Pittsburg State to pursue a degree in Actuary Sciences/Math.
Cassidy McMurry: $1,000 USD 250 Foundation Medallion Scholarship; $500 Fine Arts Summer Camp Scholarship; $500 Derek Brumbaugh Memorial Scholarship; $250 Friends of Performing Arts Technical Scholarship. Cassidy will attend Pittsburg State to major in Music Education.
Alexis Miller: $500 Dick Webb Memorial Scholarship; $500 Elliott Family Scholarship. Alexis will attend Pittsburg State to major in Criminal Justice and Criminology.
Elizabeth Miller: $1,000 USD 250 Foundation Night of Dragons Scholarship (4-year renewable). Elizabeth will attend Pittsburg State to major in Biology, with the goal of going on to earn a degree in Veterinary Medicine.
Rachel Miller: $500 Lee Nelson Memorial Scholarship; $500 Pepsi Cola of Pittsburg Scholarship. Rachel will attend Pittsburg State to major in Accounting and Business Administration.
Sorin Mize: $500 Elliott Family Scholarship. Sorin will attend Wichita State University to pursue a degree in Animation.
Eve Moss: $1,250 USD 250 Foundation Gold Medallion Scholarship; $1,000 Wayne B. Yarcho Track Scholarship. Eve will attend Pittsburg State to major in Political Science and Spanish. Her goal is to attend law school.
Alexandrea Muckala: $1,000 USD 250 Foundation Medallion Scholarship; $250 Friends of Performing Arts Musical Theater Scholarship; $750 Greg Shaw Memorial Scholarship; $500 Susan Laushman Vocal Music Scholarship. Alexandrea will attend Stephens College in Columbia, Missouri, to earn a degree in Fine Arts.
Kiran Navaratnam: $1,000 USD 250 Foundation Medallion Scholarship; $500 Dragon Mentor Scholarship. Kiran will attend Evangel University in Springfield, Missouri, where she will double major in Intercultural Studies and Humanitarian Relief and Development.
Noah Niederklein: $1,250 USD 250 Foundation Gold Medallion Scholarship; $500 Class of 1978 Scholarship (2-year renewable). Noah will attend Concordia University in Nebraska, pursuing a double major in Math and Data Science. His goal is to earn a Doctorate in Math.
Rachel Norris: $1,000 Class of 1943 Scholarship; $500 Dick Webb Memorial Scholarship. Rachel will attend Pittsburg State to pursue a degree in Nursing, with the ultimate goal of becoming a nurse practitioner.
Grant O’Doherty: $500 Brandon Leroy Smith Memorial Scholarship; $500 Dick Webb Memorial Scholarship; $1,000 Collinson Family Scholarship. Grant will attend the University of Kansas and major in Accounting and Business.
Josh Ozbun: $500 Brandon Leroy Smith Memorial Scholarship; $500 Derek Brumbaugh Memorial Scholarship; $500 Joan E and Steve Lewis Memorial Scholarship. Josh will attend Wichita State to major in Music Education.
Trevor Pepper: $500 McQuade Family Scholarship; $500 Timmons Scholarship. Trevor will attend Pittsburg State to earn a degree in Construction.
Wyatt Rink: $1,000 USD 250 Foundation Medallion Scholarship; $1,000 Coach Larry Garman Legacy Scholarship. Wyatt will attend Pittsburg State to earn a degree in Construction.
Noah Rogers: $1,000 Caiden Barber Memorial Scholarship; $500 Megan Mallatt Memorial Scholarship; $500 Class of 1956 Scholarship. Noah will attend Pittsburg State where he will major in Business and Marketing.
Yanegua “Connor” Rowe: $22,000 Lorraine E. and Fred J. Galvani Memorial Scholarship for tuition, room, and board. Conner will attend Pittsburg State to earn a degree in Diesel Mechanics.
Mya Russell: $500 Altricia Misse Memorial Scholarship; $500 Susie and Babs Tims Scholarship. Mya will attend Fort Scott Community College to pursue a degree in Elementary Education.
Hannah Sandford: $1,000 USD 250 Foundation Medallion Scholarship; $1,000 Jake Steven Fincher Memorial Art Scholarship. Hannah will attend Pittsburg State to major in Art.
Ben Schmidt: $1,000 USD 250 Foundation Medallion Scholarship; $500 Kaleb Konek Memorial Soccer Scholarship. Ben will attend Pittsburg State to major in Biology (Pre-Med) with the goal of becoming a Podiatrist.
Jordyn Shattuck: $750 Class of 1968 Scholarship; $500 Dragon Mentor Scholarship. Jordyn will attend Pittsburg State to study Criminal Justice.
Ava Steier: $1,000 USD 250 Foundation Medallion Scholarship; $500 Class of 1978 Scholarship (2-year renewable). Ava will attend the University of St. Mary in Leavenworth to pursue a degree in Nursing.
Kaden Swank: $15,000 Lorraine E. and Fred J. Galvani Memorial Scholarship for freshman year tuition, room, and board. Kaden will attend Pittsburg State University to major in General Studies.
Kali Terry: $1,000 USD 250 Foundation Medallion Scholarship. Kali will attend Central Missouri State University to major in Criminology.
Jane Tholstrup: $1,000 USD 250 Foundation Medallion Scholarship. Jane will attend Pittsburg State to pursue a degree in Secondary Education.
Landon Vacca: $500 Dick Webb Memorial Scholarship; $500 Timmons Scholarship. Landon will attend Pittsburg State to pursue his interests in Sports Medicine and Graphic Communications.
Isabelle Waldfogel: $500 Timmons Scholarship. Isabelle will attend Pittsburg State to major in Biology and develop a career working with animals.
Zach Ward: $1,000 Collinson Family Scholarship; $500 Class of 1978 Scholarship (2-year renewable). Zach hopes to play golf at the collegiate level and is considering Pittsburg State and Crowder Community College.
Marielle Wright: $500 Kaleb Konek Memorial Soccer Scholarship. Marielle will attend Bemidji State University in Bemidji, Minnesota.
