$400,000-plus awarded in scholarships to Siloam Springs students
Posted on Thursday, May 18, 2006
SILOAM SPRINGS — Siloam Springs High School graduates of the class of 2006 were presented Thursday night with 456 scholarships from the community that totaled $437,750.
Out of the class of 231 students, 146 applied for scholarships through the community scholarship program, and 165 received scholarships during the 30 th annual Scholarship Award Presentation.
The program began with a presentation of $1,499,260 worth of scholarships from various colleges, universities and technical schools to students attending those institutions. The highest scholarship — more than $100,000 — was awarded to Wes Van Landingham to attend The Citadel military college in Charleston, S. C. John Brown University presented 16 students with scholarships.
Other schools that presented scholarships included Tulsa University, Southern Arkansas University, Northwest Arkansas Community College, College of the Ozarks, Northwest Technical Institute, Oral Roberts University, the University of Arkansas, Arkansas State University, Missouri Southern State University, Cottey College, the University of Central Arkansas, Arkansas Tech University, the University of Texas at Tyler and Northern Arizona. A scholarship was also given by the U.S. Navy.
The largest single scholarship from the community was awarded by the Charlotte & Delbert E. Allen Sr. Endowment to David Abbott in the amount of $16,000.
He received a total of $21,900 and plans to attend JBU. "It helps a lot. My parents are going to help me (pay for school). They are very excited," Abbott said.
Since 1977, the prestigious four-year $12,000 Carl B. & Florence E. King Foundation has presented scholarships to students at Siloam Springs High School. On Thursday, 10 new recipients were announced: Kristin Kennelley, a high honors student; Danielle Hardy, an honors student; Alexa Lambert, an honors student and a National Honors Society member; Todd Holland, a high honors National Honors Society member); Laura Croce, an honors student and a National Honors Society Member; Megan Owens, a high honors National Honors Society member; Taylor Larkin; Ashley Saegert, a high honors National Honors Society member; Joshua Coody, an honors student; and Luke Griggs, a high honors National Honors Society member.
Lambert received a total of $12,350 at the ceremony. She is still deciding between JBU and Huntington University in Indiana. "(The scholarships) will probably make my decision on where to go. The thing is, I have to find out if I can use some of the scholarships because some of them may not be guaranteed unless I use them in-state," she said.
If Lambert chooses to attend JBU, her tuition will be covered because her parents work there, but the scholarships she received Thursday would fully cover room-andboard expenses. "I feel really blessed to get (the scholarships)," Lambert said.
At this year’s program, donors that have given to the program for 25 years were honored. The donors recognized were Allen Canning Co., the Siloam Springs Council of Realtors, and the Leon and Margaret Wasson Memorial.
Proclamations about the scholarship presentations were read from Gov. Mike Huckabee’s office and the office of Siloam Springs Mayor M. L. "Moose" Van Poucke.
The 2006 honor graduates were recognized earlier that day at an Honors Luncheon hosted by the Siloam Springs Chamber of Commerce. At the luncheon, students were honored by local businesses, and plaques were awarded. Those recognized as honors students at the lunch were Joshua Coody, Ashley Creasey, Laura Croce, Park Dinger, Emily Eaton, Danielle Hardy, Stephen Johnston, Britney Kerns, Alexa Lambert, Taylor Mills, Elizabeth Morris, Tori Parker, Allen Sbanotto, Joseph Schaefer, Christine Schwerin, Curtis Sebren, Colton Sheets, Ashlin Smith, Andrew Stephenson, Chong Thor and Spenser Wolken.
The students recognized as high honor students were Kelsey Balzer, Lindsey Brooker, Christina Bunker, Luke Griggs, Kimberly Gutierrez, Todd Holland, Kristin Kennelley, Megan Owens, Ashley Saegert and Bentley Seal.
According to the scholarship office, when students fill out community scholarship applications, they become eligible for more than 300 scholarships. On a percentage basis, students from Siloam Springs High School receive twice as many scholarships as do students nationwide.
The scholarship committee was formed in 1976 by Nancy Van Poucke, Leah Houston, Burton Elliott and the Parent Teacher Association. The present scholarship committee consists of nine members: the high school principal, a high school guidance counselor, five members of the community, the assistant scholarship director and the scholarship director.
The committee is responsible for procuring financial contributions to the program.
Scholarship Director Grady Nichols said the program aims to provide some money to every student who applies. Since 1994, 100 percent of students who completed a local scholarship application have received at least one scholarship.
In the 29 years of the scholarship program, it has had 2,334 applicants, 2,299 recipients, 5,927 scholarships and more than $5.28 million given to SSHS students. The $5.28 million does not include college, university, military, technical and vocational scholarships. Of that total, the Carl B. and Florence E. King Foundation has given scholarships totaling $2 million.
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