OHS hands out awards and scholarships

by Angie AsamStaff Writer

“In the last seven years we have given out close to $1 million in scholarships to our kids,” said high school principal Marty Mix in his welcome at Tuesday evenings awards ceremony.

MANY SCHOLARSHIPS and awards were handed out to Onaway High School students Tuesday evening. The evening ended with honoring the top students in the class of 2014. From left are honor student Sarah Marsh, salutatorian Jordan McKenzie and co-valedictorians Mariah Ehrke, Sara Fullerton and Emily Glass. (Photo by Angie Asam)

 

First on the agenda, Mix handed out seven Michigan Competitive Scholarships to Mary Bandish, Sara Fullerton, Emily Glass, Eli Godsey, Michelle Malay, Jordan McKenzie and Mattie Watts.

Following that presentation came the presentation of scholarships from many organizations that seniors had applied for. The first was a scholarship for two years of full tuition at North Central Michigan College, the institutions presidential award went to Barb Stitt. Casey Watson received more than $8,000 to Ohio Technical College.

Staff Sgt. Gibson from the United States Marines presented distinguished athlete awards to Devin Bristley and Joe O’Bradovich and scholastic excellence awards to Mariah Ehrke and Noah Bacon. Staff Sgt. Jewell of United States Army recognized Ehrke with a scholar athlete award.

The Aurora Gas/Student Council scholarship went to Ehrke. The Onaway Area Schools Alumni Association scholarships went to Stitt, Fullerton, Chris Cleaver and Rachel Nave. Nave also won the Michigan Association of Retired School Personnel scholarship worth $1,000.

Andrew Prow received the Sturgeon for Tomorrow Fisheries, Wildlife or Natural Resources Scholarship worth $500. The Onaway Parent Teacher Organization (PTO) awarded $500 scholarships to Sara Marsh and Prow.

The Presque Isle Electric & Gas Communities First Fund scholarships for $1,000 each went to Ehrke, Fullerton and Glass.

Bristley won a $1,200 scholarship from the Millersburg Eagles #4482 and Nave and Prow received Red Cross scholarships.

AFTER THE organizations awarded their scholarships Mix took over to give out some college/university scholarships. More students will receive scholarships from the college or university they plan to attend, however, some of those are not yet announced and couldn’t be a part of the awards ceremony.

Ehrke was given a $500 scholarship to Alpena Community College (ACC) on top of the full-ride she is being given to play volleyball for the Lumberjacks. Nave also received a $1,000 scholarship to ACC.

Bandish and Malay each received $18,000 scholarships to Central Michigan University (CMU) for academic excellence in having at least a 23 on their ACT and a 3.0 grade point average. Glass received a $24,000 prestige award scholarship to CMU for having a 27 on her ACT as well as at least a 3.25 grade point average.

Fullerton received a four-year full tuition scholarship with a value of nearly $40,000 to Saginaw Valley State University, the Presidential Award.

The

$1,000 Alice and John Smith Scholarship went to Glass while the Vera and LB Smith Scholarship went to Marsh. Hannah Materna won the Charlie Schaar Memorial Scholarship and McKenzie won the Rusty Martin Memorial Scholarship.

FOLLOWING THE presentation of the scholarships was a brief intermission before the departmental honors awards were handed out to students.

At the end of the departmental awards chemistry teacher Lewis Robinson and some of his students performed several chemistry experiments before Mix honored the top students and thanked everyone for coming to the awards banquet.