Kari Hooker-Leep, GIPS Foundation Executive Director, said that the foundation has hosted this event for over 18 years, (Brian Neben, Central Nebraska Today)
GRAND ISLAND — The annual Grand Island Senior High scholarship reception was hosted by the Grand Island Public Schools Foundation during the morning of Wednesday, April 24.
The event offered the chance for students to connect with scholarship donors and share stories; the students sharing their future plans, and the donors sharing their reasons for the donations.
Kari Hooker-Leep, GIPS Foundation Executive Director, said that the foundation has hosted this event for over 18 years.
Hooker-Leep said the reception is a chance to honor the students for their accomplishments. There were 62 students who were honored with 105 scholarships that totaled $266,000.
Overall, the GIPS Foundation would present 190 scholarships to 98 graduates that totaled $415,518 this year.
When asked about the impact the event and meeting face-to-face have on students and donors alike, Hooker-Leep said it was amazing how many of the students keep in contact with the donors as they go off to college.
For the donors, some of them are already holding employment opportunities for the students after they complete their secondary education.
Speaking to the 2024 class, Hooker-Leep said this has been a, “phenomenal, record breaking year,” with the amount of scholarship monies that the students earned.
What encourages Hooker-Leep the most is the fact that so many students wish to return to Grand Island after attending college. “We love that, (the students) want to come back, they want to be a part of the Grand Island community.”
“Our students are always thinking ahead,” Hooker-Leep said.
2024 Scholarship Awards
Analee Adams
Charles R. and Bessie E. Frith Scholarship
Jacob Albers
Academic Aristocrat Scholarship
Serenity Alvarez
Marjorie Curtin Scholarship
Yuliana Alvarez
Home Federal Bank Scholarship
GISH Student Council Scholarship
Adilene Beltran
Kahrhoff Family Scholarship
Kaufmann-Cummings Trust Scholarship
Marilyn Huebner Memorial Scholarship
Mae T. Clark Scholarship
Chelsea Betancourt Sanchez
Wiegand Family Scholarship
Mr. E.A. Kral Scholarship
Braylon Bilslend
Brostrom Family Scholarship
Theatre Boosters – John Haberman Fine Arts Scholarship
Grand Island City Singers Scholarship
Micah Books
Marie Knickrehm Memorial Scholarship
Breeonna Brandt
Vern & Esther Taylor Charitable Trust Scholarship
Seedling Mile PTA Scholarship
Lilly Brennan
William & Ferne Marshall Scholarship
Tyler Brezenski
Home Federal Bank Scholarship
Scholarship Fair Scholarship
Kaleb Brosz
Bobby Reynolds Scholarship
Easton Brown
Eakes Family Scholarship
Lauren Brown
Marvin D. Maurer Scholarship
Jack Learned Memorial Grand Island Concert Association Scholarship
Carly Burrows
Lillian & Mildred Willman Scholarship
Carter Burtle
Academic Aristocrat Scholarship
Celeste Chihuahua-Lazalde
Marilyn Arrants Memorial Scholarship
Mariah Cobler
Vern & Esther Taylor Charitable Trust Scholarship
Kaufmann-Cummings Trust Scholarship
Roberta Slack Scholarship
Emilio DeLeon Memorial Scholarship
Dodge PTO Scholarship
Larry F. Willis and Lonny W. Willis Memorial Scholarship
Coben Colson
Geddes Bryant Scholarship
Andrei Contreras Ramos
Eakes Family Career Pathways Scholarship
Anthony Cruz
Marie Knickrehm Memorial Scholarship
‘Build GI’ Reed Family Scholarship
Vinnette Walsh Sothman Memorial Scholarship
Henry A. Bartenbach Scholarship
Glade Family Scholarship
Hannah Dankert
Grand Island Senior High Air Force Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps (AFJROTC) Scholarship
Kelly Family Nursing Scholarship
Lucile C. Martin Dream Scholarship
Pedro De La Torre
Dick & Dorothy Spelts Scholarship
Kevin De Leon Morales
Academic Aristocrat Scholarship
Dwain Duff
Brosz Family Scholarship
Grand Island Senior High Class of 1973 Scholarship
Trey Engberg
Joyce & Marval Hornady Scholarship
Finley Evans
Board of Education Scholarship
Armani Ewoldt
Academic Aristocrat Scholarship
Itzia Erives Chacon
P.E.O. Chapter EZ Scholarship
Ashlyn Favazza
Mercedes Augustine Scholarship
VFW Post 1347 Scholarship
Ariel Figueroa
Grand Island Senior High Class of 1964 Scholarship
Glade Family Scholarship
Lexi Fishler
Becky Donovan Education Scholarship
Ethan Foley
Dream Big, Work Hard, Stay Humble Sam Foltz Memorial Scholarship
Michelle Fuentes
Eakes Family Scholarship
Patty and Mike Kneale Education Scholarship
Gaylord ‘Pete’ Peterson Memorial Scholarship
Dr. Joe & Bonnie Watkins Scholarship
Cari Cobler Memorial Education Scholarship
Herb and LaNita Roeser Scholarship
Eddy Garcia Cajas
Academic Aristocrat Scholarship
Gene Haas Foundation Scholarship
Dramco Tool Company Scholarship
Melvin Sems Memorial Scholarship
Lucile C. Martin Dream Scholarship
Aaliyah Gracia
Academic Aristocrat Scholarship
Makenna Garrels
Darrell Enck and Dorothy Haile Enck Family Scholarship
Hannah Gengenbach
Patron of Music Grand Island Concert Association Scholarship
Charlie Gentry
Herbert F. Mayer, Jr. Memorial Scholarship
Central Nebraska Home Builders – Jim Roth Memorial Scholarship
Grand Island Senior High Band Scholarship
Doug Beran Memorial Scholarship
Jim & Maureen Kahrhoff Scholarship
Miriam Gomez
Wasmer PTA Scholarship
Jackson Green
Gene Haas Foundation Scholarship
Dramco Tool Company Scholarship
Jaylen Hansen
Dr. Stanley Urwiller Scholarship
Lester Husted Memorial Scholarship
Barry Skalberg Memorial Scholarship
Cohn Family Scholarship
Dakota Karn Memorial Scholarship
Joseph Hayman
Charles R. and Bessie E. Frith Scholarship
Alex Hernandez Lopez
Albert & Grace Hehnke Scholarship
Mr. Allen Covault Scholarship
Herbert (Herbie) F. Mayer, III Memorial Scholarship
Grace Hill
Marie Knickrehm Memorial Scholarship
Haedyn Hoos
Jack R. Cory Memorial Scholarship
Joel Family Scholarship
Lily Houston
Irma Louise ‘Pat’ Nichols Memorial Grand Island Concert Association Scholarship
Jenna Hudnall
Steve Jardine Memorial Scholarship
Madelon Hurtado
Duane D. Curtin Scholarship
Kaufmann-Cummings Trust Scholarship
William ‘Bill’ Degen, Sr. and Mary Ann Degen Scholarship
Glade Family Scholarship
Brian Anthony Stecher Memorial Scholarship
Marco Jimenez
Bernard & Joann Kisner Scholarship
Carson Jonak
Dr. Stanley Urwiller Scholarship
‘Build GI’ Reed Family Scholarship
Glade Family Scholarship
Jordan Meier Memorial Scholarship
Paul H. Sothman Memorial Scholarship
Keira Jones
‘Build GI’ Reed Family Scholarship
Gabby Ayala Memorial Scholarship
Reid Kelly
Vern & Esther Taylor Charitable Trust Scholarship
Briannah Kutschkau
Maurer Family Scholarship
Jeffries Family Scholarship
Brenna Lang
Marie Knickrehm Memorial Scholarship
Lucile C. Martin Dream Scholarship
Sara Lopez
Theodora Baumann Scholarship
Jack & Lucile Martin Memorial Scholarship
Macy Loth
Sylvia Beck Scholarship
Isai Macias
Lucile C. Martin Dream Scholarship
Ismael Martinez Gomez
Mr. William Smith Scholarship
Evan McDonald
Marie Knickrehm Memorial Scholarship
Ken & Bonnie Gnadt Family Scholarship
Breanna Miller
Maxine Bielfeldt Memorial Scholarship
Blaine Kyle Morrow Memorial Scholarship
Ryan Muckey
Gene Schneberger Memorial Scholarship
Lucile C. Martin Dream Scholarship
Adalene Nelson
Steve Jardine Memorial Scholarship
Jaxson Nesvara
Jack R. Cory Memorial Scholarship
Caitlyn O’Neill
Philip J. Harvey Scholarship
Live Well Physical Therapy Scholarship
Samantha Osborn
Gerald D. Bryant Scholarship
Hany Osman
Apfel Family Scholarship
Aaron Pardinas
Louis & Mabel Gerdes Scholarship
Denisse Pena Paxtle
Academic Aristocrat Scholarship
Jefferson Elementary PTO – Maria Parra Memorial Scholarship
Hannia Reyes
Academic Aristocrat Scholarship
Wasmer PTA Scholarship
Logan Ripp
Mr. James Cassey Scholarship
Theatre Boosters – Fine Arts Scholarship
Apfel Family Scholarship
Audra Rischling
Maxine Bielfeldt Memorial Scholarship
David Harris Family Grand Island Concert Association Scholarship
Grand Island Senior High Band Scholarship
Lofgreen Family Scholarship
C. Ray Gates PTA Scholarship
Ashley Rodriguez
Dick & Dorothy Spelts Scholarship
Rick Milton Hospitality Scholarship
Karina Rodriguez
Eakes Family Scholarship
Lucile C. Martin Dream Scholarship
Avery Rogers
Joyce & Marval Hornady Scholarship
Kaufmann-Cummings Trust Scholarship
Higgins Family Scholarship
Stolley Park PTA Scholarship
Addison Ross
Marie Knickrehm Memorial Scholarship
Elizabeth Rush
Albers Family Scholarship
Kaufmann-Cummings Trust Scholarship
Colson Sackschewsky
Dr. Stanley Urwiller Scholarship
Nicholas Jay Galvan Memorial Scholarship
Kaila Vanicek Memorial Scholarship
David & Helen Young Scholarship
Herb and LaNita Roeser Scholarship
Daniel Sanchez Ramos
Grand Island Senior High Air Force Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps (AFJROTC) Scholarship
Annaka Schlachter
Margaret Hornady David Scholarship
Kaufmann-Cummings Trust Scholarship
Ivy Severin
Dr. Stanley Urwiller Scholarship
Piper Shepard
Dream Big, Work Hard, Stay Humble Sam Foltz Memorial Scholarship
Braelyn Sindelar
Jeremy J. Buckner Memorial Scholarship
Annika Staab
William & Esther Shaffer Scholarship
Ava Stein
Joyce & Marval Hornady Scholarship
Erb Family Grand Island Concert Association Scholarship
Nahomi Sunum Dominguez
Eakes Family Scholarship
Deaf/Hard of Hearing Services Scholarship
Yorleny Torres
Lucile C. Martin Dream Scholarship
Filip Vasilevski
William W. Marshall, III Memorial Scholarship
Howard Spanton Memorial Scholarship
Emma Villa Lopez
Marie Knickrehm Memorial Scholarship
Dr. Carlos Guerrero, Jr. Memorial Scholarship
Marie Knickrehm Board of Education Scholarship
Kimberly and Matthew Placzek Fine Arts Scholarship
Edee Walker
Marie Knickrehm Memorial Scholarship
Elli Ward
Dorothy N. Maurer Scholarship
Jack & Lucile Martin Memorial Scholarship
Elise Warner
Marie Knickrehm Memorial Scholarship
Theatre Boosters – Greg Ulmer Theatre Scholarship
Lucile C. Martin Dream Scholarship
Jaci Wattier
American Legion Post 53 Scholarship
Maguire Westerby
Marie Knickrehm Memorial Scholarship
Lucile C. Martin Dream Scholarship
Peyton Westwood
Edward F. Saunders, Jr. Memorial Scholarship
Alyssa Zamarripa
Lucile C. Martin Dream Scholarship
Brityn Zelasney
Vern & Esther Taylor Charitable Trust Scholarship
