News: Clark Co. - 2016 Herb Kohl Foundation Award 2016)

Contact: Dolores (Mohr) Kenyon
E-mail: dolores@wiclarkcountyhistory.org 

Surnames: Kohl, Baehr, Hanson, Johnson, Olson, Parker, Schumacher, Bunton, Malone, Myers, VanDoorn, Webster, Branstiter, Dewitt, Heisler, Holman, Lusenge, Vonderheid, Lancaster

----Source: Thorp Courier (Thorp, Clark Co., WI) 4/06/2016

2016 Herb Kohl Foundation (Award Recipients - 2016)


2016 Herb Kohl Foundation Award Recipients Announced

The selection committee for the Herb Kohl Educational Foundation Scholarship, Fellowship, and leadership Program has announced recipients of the 2016 Herb Kohl Foundation awards for students, teachers, and principals. The $3,000 awards are being made to 100 teachers, 16 principals, and their schools, and 184 graduating high school students. This year marks the first Kohl principal awards that recognize school leadership across the state.

Excellence in the academic arena and high motivation to achieve, have displayed a broad range of activity and leadership outside the academic setting, and have shown strong promise for succeeding in college and beyond.

The Excellence Scholarship recipients from the CESA 10 area include Whitney Baehr from Owen-Withee High School; Benjamin Hanson of Ladysmith High School; Emily Johnson of Gilman High School; Josie Olson of Eleva-Strum High School; Bailey Parker of Loyal High School; and Douglas Schumacher of Medford Area Senior High School.

Fellowship recipients are educators who have been chosen for their superior ability to inspire a love of learning in their students, their ability to motivate others and their leadership and service within and outside the classroom.

Recipients of the Fellowship from CESA 10 include Douglas Bunton from Ladysmith High School; Molly Malone of Chippewa Falls High School; Katherine Meyers of Flynn Elementary School in Eau Claire; Barbara VanDoorn of Lake Holcombe School; and Lynn Webster of the School District of Gilman.

Recipients of the new Leadership Award are school principals who are being recognized for setting high standards for instruction, achievement and character and for creating a climate to best served students, families, staff and community.

Excellence Scholarship, Fellowship and Leadership Award recipients are selected by a statewide committee composed of civic leaders and representatives of education-related associations and of program’s co-sponsors: The Wisconsin Newspapers Association Foundation, Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction, Wisconsin Council of Religious and Independent Schools (WCRIS), regional Cooperative Educational Service Agencies (CESA), and the Association of Wisconsin School Administrators.

Imitative Scholarship recipients, chosen by their schools, have demonstrated exceptional initiative in the classroom and have shown strong promise for succeeding in college and beyond, but have not yet received other academic-based scholarships.

The winners of the initiative Scholarship from the CESA 10 region include Sabrina Branstiter from Abbotsford Middle and High School; Damontae Dewitt from Gilmanton High School; Jessica Heisler from Spencer Junior and Senior High School; Brock Holman from North High School in Eau Claire; Esther Lusenge from Medford High School; and Carlee Jo Vonderheid from Regis High School in Eau Claire.

“I think it’s significant that Wisconsin’s students, teachers, principals, and schools are recognized for their devotion to education and learning,” said Michael Lancaster, WCRIS president.

The Kohl Foundation Scholarship and Fellowship program was established by Herb Kohl, U. S. Senator (Retired) in 1990. To date, the foundation has awarded $10.2 million to Wisconsin educators, students and schools. New this year is the addition of the Leadership Award to recognize outstanding Wisconsin principals.

“Education is the key to the future of Wisconsin and our nation. I am very proud of the accomplishments of these students, teachers, and principals and look forward to the great contributions they will make in the future,” Kohl said.

Letters notifying recipients of the award were mailed by the Herb Kohl Foundation last month. Regional recognition luncheons honoring the recipients will be held in a few weeks. Herb Kohl will attend all luncheons and present awards to the recipients.