Since it was established in 1987, the Hemingford Scholarship Foundation (HSF) has awarded $581,052 in scholarships to 226 Hemingford High School (HHS) graduates, for an average of $2,571 per graduate.
Those impressive totals include another $47,500 approved by the HSF Board of Directors for expenditures this fall and next spring. The amount was set at that board's annual meeting held August 3, 2010. Of that amount, $40,000 was awarded to 18 qualifying Hemingford High School graduates by the HSF Scholarship Committee during a meeting held Thursday, Aug. 5. The remaining $7,500 will be awarded next spring.
The Fall 2010 recipients were contacted the week of August 9. Their names appear at the end of this article, followed by the name of the scholarship(s) awarded them.
HSF Board of Directors President Bob Stout, DVM, said he and the rest of the Directors were especially thankful this year to the Trustees of the Edna and Ira Leavitt Foundation for their decision to donate the remaining $15,370.94 of that Foundation's principle to the HSF. "
"The Edna and Ira Leavitt Foundation has long been a valued contributor to the continuing education of Hemingford students going on to college," Dr. Stout said. "We understand that the Foundation was established by Edna and Ira sometime in the 1960s, providing scholarships to Hemingford students ever since." For many years it has been under the capable stewardship of its Trustees, Doug Shaver and Vince Rosenberger of Hemingford. "It was their decision to fold the remaining principal of the Leavitt Foundation into the HSF," Dr. Stout said, "mostly due to rising costs in trust maintenance fees. It was a sound decision, and we will do our fiduciary best to make sure that donation will provide additional scholarships for many years to come."
The Directors stressed that any scholarships funded by the investment earnings from the Edna and Ira Leavitt Foundation gift will continue to have their names associated with the scholarship. Most if not all of the scholarships awarded by HSF honor the donors responsible, in a like manner.
The Directors urged Hemingford High School graduates who are students in college or other higher education institutions to remember to apply for HSF scholarships. "Scholarships are awarded based on several criteria best explained by calling our high school councilors," said HSF Board member and Hemingford Public Schools Superintendent Casper Ningen. "But I can assure you, anyone who does apply and whose application is deemed valid will receive an award in one amount or another. All you have to do is spend a few minutes on the application."
Spring 2011 awards to second semester college freshmen will be considered in a meeting on Tuesday, February 15th, 2011, so be aware of that approaching deadline.
He said the HSF Scholarship Committee (which is a separate entity from the Board of Directors) awarded 18 applicants scholarships in varying amounts after examining each application and assigning points for various required parts of the application. Four of the award winners were post graduate students in Master's Level or above programs.
Applications can be obtained, along with further information, by calling the Hemingford Public Schools, 308.487.3328.
People wishing to learn more about establishing endowments in the name of an individual or family, wishing to assist the Foundation in other ways or who may just have questions can contact any of the Board members: Dr. Stout, Mr. Ningen, Matt Elliott, Kim McMillan or Brian Kuhn.
The 2010 Fall HSF recipients (and the name of the scholarship(s) received) are:
Trace Armstrong: Ed St. George Scholarship and Maxine Elliott Scholarship; Kyle Campbell: Colleen Messersmith Scholarship and Maxine Elliott Scholarship; Melissa Cervantes: Bob Elliott Scholarship and Maxine Elliott Scholarship; Bridger Chytka: Edna & Ira Leavitt Scholarship and Maxine Elliott Scholarship.
Mandy Dannar: 5 C's Scholarship and Maxine Elliott Scholarship; Aurelia Darveau-Smith: Oscar & Ester Carey Scholarship and Maxine Elliott Scholarship; Megan Gettert: Jim Manning Scholarship and Maxine Elliott Scholarship; Jordan Haas: General Scholarship and Maxine Elliott Scholarship.
Joseph Haas: Schindler Scholarship and Maxine Elliott Scholarship; Kyle Huss: Hemingford Telephone Company Scholarship; Patrick Jespersen: Hemingford Telephone Company Scholarship and Maxine Elliott Scholarship; Kevin Messersmith: Duhon Family Scholarship; Brittani Moeller: Robert R. Elliott Scholarship.
Katrina Mundt: Robert R. Elliott Scholarship; Heston Paris: Robert R. Elliott Scholarship; Megan Roland: Robert R. Elliott Scholarship; Stephanie Sorensen: Robert R. Elliott Scholarship; Micki Votruba: Robert R. Elliott Scholarship and Maxine Elliott Scholarship.
Donations to the HSF are tax deductible. They can be made to the Foundation, c/o Johnson and Associates, 803 Box Butte Ave., Alliance, NE 69301. All scholarships are exclusively awarded to Hemingford High School graduate applicants seeking postsecondary education at any college of their choice.
