The Rock Island-Milan Education Foundation (RIMEF) celebrated the Rock Island High School Top Ten of each class at the Austin Academic Achievement and Scholarship Award night on Tuesday, May 9. RIMEF awarded a record $141,200 to the Class of 2023.
Fifty-seven accomplished Rock Island High School seniors received $36,000 in Austin Academic Achievement Award (AAAA) scholarships and $105,200 RIMEF named scholarships at the annual ceremony.
Top Ten Recognitions
Freshman: Lauryn Barker, Landyn Bowker, LaRayah Carroll, Francesca Guyette, Zaynah Hassan, John Sel Htoo, Emily Ignatius, Owen Klapperich, Haleigh Laud, Gabriel Mahn, Fedora Noya, Claire O’Hern-Maidak, Eh Dah Soe, Jackson St Amand, Averi Vroman
Sophomores: Elaina Adlfinger, Hussein Alhamdan, Carson Banks, Bibi Barikzay, Madison Carroll, Alexander Churchill, Nathaniel Cruz-Oliveros, Chase Curry, Max Davis, Zoe Ehlers, Alexis Gahimbare, Lauren Gottcent, Mia Hixson, Karsen Horton, Stella Houk, Ywa Tar Hay Htoo, Benjamin Huisman, Naomi King, Mu Phlay K’Tooe Soe, Yessenia Leos-Ochoa, Abbagale Lieber, A’rion Lonergan-Shinskia, Isabella Marceleno, Kevin Mayares, Elizabeth McCoy, September Naing, Grayson Perion, Lily Phares, Pedro Ramirez, Lyric Rice, Linda Rose, Olivia Samuelson, Mylie Shook, Sophia Stout, Madison Wangler, Tyler Whipple, Kiana Williams
Juniors: Presley Behrens, Jackson Bennett, Leah Conner, Eva Essman, Lucette Feigley, Riley Levan, Asa Mahn, Almir Matias, Alivia Stanley, Chloe Turner
Seniors: Julian Anderson, Daxon Ashpaugh, Vix Dang, Stephen Dillender, Ella Hansen, Riley Hawotte, Madelyn Maidak, Keller Mathews, Kaylee Plohr, Natalie Pothoven, Lucas Rettig
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 $1,200 scholarship.
Business: Kennedy Maombi, Emily Myers
Career and Technical Education: Olivia Wiese, Dominic Baker
Career and Technical Education: Olivia Wiese, Dominic Baker
EL - English Learners: Klae Kpor, Maryrose Abuke
English: Natalie Pothoven, Daxon Ashpaugh
English: Natalie Pothoven, Daxon Ashpaugh
Fine Arts - Performing: Kassandra Miller, Brennan Hampton
Fine Arts - Visual: Madelyn Maidak, Vaida Gunasheva
Math: Ella Hansen, Nathan Hendrickx
Science: Vix Dang, Keller Mathews
Social Studies: Emma Jasper, Nathanial Gottcent
World Languages: Riley Hawotte, Aiyanna Lacey
Math: Ella Hansen, Nathan Hendrickx
Science: Vix Dang, Keller Mathews
Social Studies: Emma Jasper, Nathanial Gottcent
World Languages: Riley Hawotte, Aiyanna Lacey
Scholarship Awards:
Nell Althoff Family Memorial Scholarship - $2,500 each
Recipients: Emma Jasper, Riley Jones, Montzerrat Meza-Pena, Brandon Poulos
Recipients: Emma Jasper, Riley Jones, Montzerrat Meza-Pena, Brandon Poulos
Charles O. Austin Leadership Scholarship – $2,000
Recipient: Madelyn Maidak
Recipient: Madelyn Maidak
Bally’s Quad Cities Scholarship – 3 awards
Recipient, $3,000 award: Vix Dang
Recipient, $2,000 award: Kaylee Plohr
Recipient, $1,000 award: Stephen Dillender
Recipient, $3,000 award: Vix Dang
Recipient, $2,000 award: Kaylee Plohr
Recipient, $1,000 award: Stephen Dillender
Carole S. Barkan Scholarship – $1,000
Recipient: Amiyah Woods
Recipient: Amiyah Woods
Boeye Family Scholarship – $1,000
Recipient: Mackenzie Meirhaeghe
Recipient: Mackenzie Meirhaeghe
Grant W. and Virginia M. Brissman Scholarship - $4,000
Recipient: Dylan James
Recipient: Dylan James
Class of 1961 Scholarship – $1,000 each
Recipients: Dominic Baker, Monyonnoh Carr, Maricela Churchill, Mizero Gerald, Tamiah Jamison, Niyitunga Jeanvier, Alyce Jett-Ryan, Austin Kowalik, Juanita Lopez, Kennedy Maombi, Nevaeh Robinson-Cunningham, Gavin Quinones
Recipients: Dominic Baker, Monyonnoh Carr, Maricela Churchill, Mizero Gerald, Tamiah Jamison, Niyitunga Jeanvier, Alyce Jett-Ryan, Austin Kowalik, Juanita Lopez, Kennedy Maombi, Nevaeh Robinson-Cunningham, Gavin Quinones
Class of 1963 “First in the Family Scholarship” - $1,000 each
Recipients: Nelie Ninahzwe, Montzerrat Meza-Pena
Recipients: Nelie Ninahzwe, Montzerrat Meza-Pena
Class of 1965 Scholarship - $500
Recipient: Mizero Gerald
Recipient: Mizero Gerald
Stanley H. Coin Business Scholarship - $1,000
Recipient: Riley Hawotte
Recipient: Riley Hawotte
Donald E. Devinney Business and Business Education Scholarship - $8,000
Recipient: Emily Myers
Recipient: Emily Myers
Barbara Fackel AVID Scholarship - $1,000
Recipient: Aline Niyogusenga
Recipient: Aline Niyogusenga
“Failure is Not an Option” the Candice Hinze Williams Scholarship – $1,000
Recipient: Brennan Hampton
Recipient: Brennan Hampton
Ben D. and Nancy K. Brown Farrar Scholarship - $2,000
Recipient: Kennedy Maombi
Recipient: Kennedy Maombi
Jim and Doug Franz Memorial Scholarship: $1,500
Recipient: Madelyn Maidak
Recipient: Madelyn Maidak
Rick Gilliland Scholarship - $500
Recipient: Aiyanna Lacey
Recipient: Aiyanna Lacey
Ray and Elva Haberthur Memorial Scholarship - $2,000
Recipient: Natalie Pothoven
Recipient: Natalie Pothoven
Hass Family Scholarship - $1,000
Recipient: Mackenzie Meirhaeghe
Recipient: Mackenzie Meirhaeghe
Heart of a “Rock” - $1,000
Recipient: Gavin Quinones
Recipient: Gavin Quinones
Amy Helpenstell Liberal Arts Scholarship – $1,000
Recipient: Mackenzie Meirhaeghe
Recipient: Mackenzie Meirhaeghe
Jerry and Sue (Farrow) Horton Scholarship – $1,000
Recipient: Dominic Baker
Recipient: Dominic Baker
Derek James Jackson Art Scholarship - $500
Recipient: Chanel Colvin
Recipient: Chanel Colvin
Timothy Joannides Family Foundation Scholarship - $1,000
Recipient: Maricela Churchill
Recipient: Maricela Churchill
Tyler John Memorial Scholarship - $1,000
Recipient: Nathaniel Gottcent
Recipient: Nathaniel Gottcent
Judith A. Katz Scholarship - $4,000
Recipient: Julian Anderson
Recipient: Julian Anderson
Donavin J. Keim Scholarship – $500
Recipient: Darius Tongo
Recipient: Darius Tongo
Knights of Pythias Scholarship – $1,000
Recipient: Camryn Milefchik
Recipient: Camryn Milefchik
R. Decker Magee Memorial Scholarship - $500
Recipient: Jake Brandt
Recipient: Jake Brandt
The Marler Clark Science Scholarship - $2,000
Recipient: Keller Mathews
Recipient: Keller Mathews
Mollie Montgomery Scholarship - $2,000
Recipient: Anjilika Barikzay
Recipient: Anjilika Barikzay
Herb Niemann Scholarship - $1,200
Recipient: Lucas Rettig
Recipient: Lucas Rettig
R. Dale Owen “Be the Light” Memorial Scholarship - $1,000
Recipient: Ntiebuwayo Leya
Recipient: Ntiebuwayo Leya
Charlie White/Richard Klatt Purple Tuna Creativity Scholarship - $1,000
Recipient: Vaida Gunasheva
Recipient: Vaida Gunasheva
Darrell and Mary Anne Reynolds Scholarship - $2,000 each
Recipients: Rafael Lopez, Dustin Moreno
Recipients: Rafael Lopez, Dustin Moreno
Miles W. Rich Family Scholarship - $4,000
Recipient: Ethan Smithson
Recipient: Ethan Smithson
Jayovontae “Jaree” Roberts Scholarship - $500 each
Recipient, Education: Riley Jones
Recipient, Education: Riley Jones
Recipient, Music: Nathaniel Gottcent
Rock Island-Milan Education Foundation Scholarship - $1,000 each
Recipient, 4-year College: Jake Brandt
Recipient, 2-year College: Aiyanna Lacey
Recipient, Vocational School: Isabelle Roelens
Recipient, 4-year College: Jake Brandt
Recipient, 2-year College: Aiyanna Lacey
Recipient, Vocational School: Isabelle Roelens
Rock Island-Milan Education Foundation Merit Scholarships - $500 each
Recipients: Jace Bennett, Alexis Carroll, Stephen Dillender
Recipients: Jace Bennett, Alexis Carroll, Stephen Dillender
Fred Houlton “Service Above Self” Rock Island Rotary Scholarship - $1,000
Recipient: Ella Hansen
Recipient: Ella Hansen
Rock Island Township Scholarship - $1,000
Recipient: Gavin Quinones
Recipient: Gavin Quinones
Chet and Louise Schultz Scholarship - $2,000
Recipient: Brandon Poulos
Recipient: Brandon Poulos
Schwiebert Family Scholarship - $2,000
Recipient: Lucas Rettig
Recipient: Lucas Rettig
William and Saralie Shallman Memorial Scholarship - $2,500
Recipient: Nee Pwe
Recipient: Nee Pwe
Terry Stephens Memorial Scholarship - $1,000
Recipient, Softball: Alexis Carroll
Recipient, Softball: Alexis Carroll
Elizabeth Kennel Williams Scholarship - $1,000
Recipient: Venansia Annuarite
Recipient: Venansia Annuarite
Women’s Computer Science, Math, & IT Scholarship - $500
Recipient: Amiyah Woods
Recipient: Amiyah Woods
Rosemary Woodward Scholarship - $1,000
Recipient: Monyonnoh Carr
Recipient: Monyonnoh Carr
DW Young Memorial Scholarship - $4,000
Recipient: Kayla Rice
Recipient: Kayla Rice