WEM Students receive over $100,000 in scholarships

The Win-E-Mac Academic, Athletic and Fine Arts Banquet and Awards Program was held on Wednesday, May 8th in the Arts & Event Center. The Student Council President Madyson Plante opened the awards program for the evening. Principal, Kevin McKeever recognized this year’s honor roll students, then Madyson began to announce the presenters for this year’s scholarship awards. The first two scholarships of the evening were presented by Daryl Halvorson who presented Madyson Plante with $300 from Grace Lutheran Church; and also the Erskine American Legion (Bailey Throne Post 596 presented $700 each to Madyson Plante, Lily Breckel, Aries Qualey, Mason Spry, Clarissa Neste, Tapanga Bratager, and Brekken Lindberg. McIntosh First Responders and Firefighters awards were given by Justin and Amanda Schultz, who presented each of 8 students, Lily Breckel, Brekken Lindberg, Emma Mills, Madyson Plante, Hannah Smeby, Mason Spry and Savannah Stennes with a $500 scholarship. The Minnesota Telecom Alliance Bud Murrow Scholarship for $2,000 was presented to Brekken Lindberg. Hannah Smeby, Lily Breckel, Brekken Lindberg, Madyson Plante, and Mason Spry were each presented with a $500 scholarship from the Winger Lions by Karl Erickson. A scholarship in the amount of $250 each from the American State Bank, Erskine Branch was awarded to Aries Qualey and Mason Spry by Melissa Senger; and Devra Carlson from Essentia Health presented Lily Breckel with a $1,500 scholarship. Brad Sander along with Mrs. Sandra Jore awarded a $500 scholarship to Mason Spry and Lily Breckel from the Fosston Area Sportsmen Club. Mason Spry received a $500 award from Team Industries and Brekken Lindberg who will graduate this year received a $1,000 scholarship. East Polk County Fair's scholarship recipient this year was Brekken Lindberg who received a $1000 award. The Wild Rice Electric Scholarships, presented by Jeff Nornes, for $750 were awarded to Lily Breckel, Brekken Lindberg, Mason Spry and Hannah Smeby. The Leo Parent Charitable Trust Fund II awarded $1,200 to Mason Spry. Lily Breckel received a $500 scholarship from Altru Health Systems Scholarship. The Red Lake Electric Scholarships in the amount of $500 was awarded to Aries Qualey; and the Communication Workers of Am. Local 7272 awarded Kylie Brekke, Clarissa Neste and Madyson Plante with $100. The Lindfor's Agency Scholarship for $1,000 was presented to Tapanga Bratager. For the sixth year, the Matthew Harmon Fallen Soldier Memorial Scholarship has awarded scholarships to Win- E-Mac students this year an award of $1,250 was given to Aries Qualey. The Deloris Schow Memorial Scholarship of $250 each was awarded to Madyson Plante and Tapanga Bratager; and the Jim Stordahl Memorial Scholarship which Roxanne Stordahl awarded $500 each to Lily Breckel, Clarissa Neste and Hannah Smeby. Lauri Walker awarded the Brett Walker Memorial Scholarship to Lily Breckel for $500. This year’s recipients of the Win-E-Mac Alumni Scholarships of $500 each were Tapanga Bratager, Lily Breckel and Clarissa Neste; and the McIntosh/Erskine Garden Club Scholarship of $200 was awarded to Brekken Lindberg. The Tori Sannes Memorial Scholarship of $500 was awarded to Brekken Lindberg. A $2,500 scholarship was given to Aries Qualey by the Liberty Lucken Scholarship and Aries Qualey and Hannah Smeby were each awarded $500 from the Gunter Scholarship. Aries Qualey received a Jeannie Vesledahl Scholarship, which is awarded to a graduate interested in the performing arts, in the amount of $500. The Thompson Family Scholarship of $250 each were awarded to Tapanga Bratager and Mason Spry. Presented to a graduate interested in the areas of Journalism, Speech, Broadcasting and Public Relations, the Jan Ostenson Scholarship of $500 was awarded to Madyson Plante; Madyson Plante received $2,500 from the Harriet Grundyson Hudrlik Memorial Scholarship, based on the criteria of choosing a career in nursing or a medical field; and the Jim & Nancy Benson Scholarship was awarded to Hannah Smeby for $500. A scholarship award from the McIntosh VFW Post 6891 awarded Clarissa Neste with $300. Arthur I. and Jane B. Snustad Foundation Scholarships of $2,500 each were awarded to 8 post-secondary recipients, Bryce Neubert, Grace Spry, Sydney Tadman, Tyra Wilson, Hunter Chaput, Alayna Espeseth, Noah Klinkhammer, and Olivia Simonson; the 6 Win-E-Mac Seniors that also received a $2,500 scholarship from the Snustad Foundation were Lily Breckel, Brekken Lindberg, Madyson Plante, Aries Qualey, Hannah Smeby and Mason Spry. Student Council Vice President Emma Mills then called upon Principal McKeever to announce the Valedictorian who was Aries Qualey and the Salutatorian Hannah Smeby. Principal McKeever also announced the winner of the AAA Awards which went to Kylie Brekke and Brekken Lindberg. Next Ms. Sandra Jore recognized the National Honor Society graduates and some of the scholarships that the Seniors hae received from their colleges they will be attending. The Knowledge Bowl awards were presented by Mrs. Ann Vesledahl and the One Act Play awards by Mr. Bruce Mc- William. . Amanda Shultz presented Aries Qualey with the John Philip Sousa award for band performance. The award is given to recognize young musicians displaying superior musicianship, leadership, dependability, loyalty, cooperation and other qualities of conduct. Miss Salmonson presented the National School Choral Award, the highest honor for high school choral performers to Aries Qualey as well. Aaron Cook then presented the Mark Schimanski Award to Brekken Lindberg, the Randy Helgaas Defensive Player of the Year award to Kylie Brekke for Varsity girls, Bryer Strom for Varsity boys, Felicity Andress for Junior Varsity girls, and Remy Goodwin for Junior Varsity boys. Next Mr. Cook presented the Senior Outstanding Athlete Awards to Kylie Brekke and Mason Spry; the Senior Outstanding Academic Athlete Awards to Kylie Brekke and Brekken Lindberg, and the Senior Outstanding Academic and Fine Arts Student award to Aries Qualey. Brekken Lindberg was awarded the Academic All State award in both football and basketball.