The Rock Island-Milan Education Foundation celebrated the Rock Island High School Top Ten of each class at the Austin Academic Achievement and Scholarship Award night on Thursday, May 14, virtually. More than 90,000 dollars was given out. Congratulations to all the students on their academic success!
Top Ten Recognitions
Freshman: Daxon Ashpaugh, Elise Aunan, Jayden Bomelym, Jake Brandt, Maliyah Brose, Alexia Clark, Miranda Clark, Chloe Cooper, Nhi Dang, Ava Dietz, Stephen Dillender, Ella Hansen, Riley Hawotte, Lynzie Heggen, Aidan Henderson, Jared Hernandez, Baw Htoo, Paw She Htoo, Emma Jasper, Alyce Jett-Ryan, Kaylee Johnson, Riley Jones, Aiyanna Lacey, Carlos Lizano, Madelyn Maidak, Kyle Mata, Keller Mathews, Kaiya McKinley, Aline Niyoguseng, Kaylee Plohr, Natalie Pothoven, Brandon Poulos, Nee Pwe, Lucas Rettig, Kayla Rice, Ethan Smithson, Emma Stout, and Makenzie Terry.
Sophomores: Avery Brandt, Joseph Brune, Ian Empen, Layla Eygabroad, Grace Gustafson, Drew Jarding, Hunter Melody, Alaine Muller, Delia Schwartz, Olivia Sholl, Chloe Shomo, and Anna Vermeire.
Juniors: Lainey Benson, Logan Braun, Renee Farmer, Kyle Gant, Tiffany O’Leary, Macy O’Mary, Lily Paw, Noah Rettig, Say Say, and Logan Wyers.
Seniors: Nishemezwe Diane, Margaret Honeycutt, Ashley Johnson, Spencer Mar, Julie Nash, Olivia Panegos, Larissa Pothoven, Natalia Rosales, Zoe Veasey, and Jeremiah Wilhite.
Department Scholarship Awards
Rock Island High School Department Awards were given to seniors who excelled in a particular subject area. First place received a $1,500 scholarship and second place received a $1,200 scholarship.
Business: Eh Yee, Henry Thompson
Career and Technical Education: Natalie Rosales, Logan Conner
English: Larissa Pothoven, Julie Nash
Fine Arts: Katherine Shewell, Liam Haskill
Math: Spencer Mar, Zoe Veasey
Science: Matthew J. Stern, Ryan Nickel
Social Studies: Olivia Panegos, Ellie Maranda
World Languages: Ashley Johnson, Nishemezwe Diane
Academic Excellence Awards: Jeremiah Wilhite
Scholarship Awards:
- Charles O. Austin Leadership Scholarship, $2,000 Gwendalyn Waggoner
- Carole S. Barkan, $500 Hannah Simmer
- Boeye Family Scholarship, $1,000 Kelsey Freeman
- Grant W. & Virgina M. Brissman Scholarship - $4,000: Kaitlyn Welsh
- Class of ’61, $1,000: Caleb Carroll, Madelynn DePover, Liam Haskill, Clarissa Lopez, Jacquiline Ndayikengurukiye, Lah Paw, Ashton Timm
- Class of 1963 “First in the Family” Scholarship - $1,000: Nu Khin
- Class of ’65, $500 Ashley Johnson
- Stanley H. Coin Business Scholarship, $1,000 Henry Thompson
- Donald E. Devinney Business and Business Education, $4,000 Nishemezwe Diane
- Barb Fackel AVID Scholarship - $1,000: Hae Ni Sher
- Ben D. and Nancy K Brown Farrar, $2,000 Daniela Martinez Hernandez
- Doug Franz Memorial Scholarship, $1,500 Olivia Pangegos
- Rick Gilliland Scholarship, $500 Miranda Banks
- Ray and Elva Haberthur Memorial Scholarship, $1,500 Josie Pennington
- Hass Family Scholarship, $1,000 Emma Beierlein
- Amy Helpenstell, $1,000 Rafael Ramirez
- Derek James Jackson Art Scholarship, $500 Jeremiah Kirby
- Tyler John Memorial Scholarship, $1,000 Emma Wahlmann
- Jumer’s Casino & Hotel $3,000 Larissa Pothoven; $2,000 Spencer Mar; $1,000 Margaret Honeycutt
- Judith A. Katz Scholarship, $4,000 Zoe Veasey
- Donavin J. Keim Scholarship, $500 Peter Kimba
- R. Decker Magee, $500 Eh Yee
- Marler Clark Science Scholarship, $2,000 Nils Empen
- Herb Niemann, $1,200 Aaliyah Smith
- Charlie White, Richard Klatt Purple Tuna Creativity Scholarship, $500 Jeremiah Kirby
- Darrell and Mary Anne Reynolds, $1,000 Haley Burroughs, Juliana Rounds
- Jayovontae Roberts $500 Music – Allanah Berry / $500 Education - Kmwe Say
- Rock Island-Milan Education Foundation $1,000 4 yr – Uwamahoro Sophie; $1,000 4 yr - Sam Tauke; $1,000 2 yr –Bianca Brown
- RI Township Scholarship, $1,000 Lah Paw
- Chet Schultz Scholarship $1,00 Shaila Christopher
- Terry Stephens Memorial, $500 Baseball - Caleb Carroll / $500 Softball - Amelia Pena
- Elizabeth Kennel Williams Scholarship, $1,000 MacKenzie Noppe
- DW Young Memorial Scholarship, $4,000 Lauryn Dempsey
- Women’s Computer Science, Math & I.T. Scholarship - $500 Natalia Rosale