A full auditorium greeted approximately 71 Fort Atkinson High School Class of 2023 graduating seniors as they gathered on stage Wednesday in anticipation of the evening’s scholarship awards ceremony. Fort Atkinson High School Counselor Samantha Ahler opened the event with a speech welcoming family members, friends, school district administration and some 40 presenters, all of whom participated in a two-hour ceremony during which some $643,000 in scholarship funds were distributed among the students on the stage. The evening, in pictures, follows.
Kim McDarison photos.
Fort Atkinson High School Principal Leigh Ann Scheuerell, at left, announces and distributes state-level awards, including the Wisconsin Academic Excellence Award and the Wisconsin Technical Excellence Award. Winners of the Academic Excellence Award are Ethan Larson and Kaitlyn Burke. Each student received $9,000. Technical Excellence Award winners, not pictured, included Blayne Fletcher and Declan Kaplan. Each received $6,750.
Crown College “Honors Scholarship” recipient Alyssa Heagney holds up her $23,000 award. The scholarship was one of two in the “non-local scholarships” category presented by Fort Atkinson High School counselor Samantha Ahler. Ahler, not pictured, also presented the $72,000 Alverno College Alexia Scholarship to Courtney Majeres, also not pictured.
Fort Atkinson High School counselor Katie Utphall, at left, presents several non-local scholarships, including the $60,000 Cedarville University President’s Scholar Award to Mallory Gasper, not pictured; the $1,000 University of Wisconsin-LaCrosse Resident Merit Scholarship to Trent Davis, and the $2,000 UW-Stout Dr. Richard and Nancy Cheng Computer Science Renewable Endowed Scholarship to Kade Eske.
School District of Fort Atkinson Superintendent Rob Abbott presents the $2,500 Dr. James and Therese Fitzpatrick Educator Scholarship to Evelyn Cruz Palacios.
Mariah Luebke displays her envelope after receiving the Ardell Wiederhoeft Scholarship. The $2,500 award was presented by district Superintendent Rob Abbott and Ardell Wiederhoeft.
Fort Atkinson High School art teacher Angie Szabo offers accolades and words of congratulations in advance of naming Tawney Hadler as the Senior Artist of the Year. The honor came with a $300 scholarship and a bag filled with art supplies.
Scott Galston names several recipients of the Fort Atkinson Generals Athletics, Baseball, and Special scholarships.
Fort Atkinson Generals Baseball, Special, and Athletics Scholarship winners are Nathan Hartwig, from left, Kendall Garant, and Diana Sampayo. Each recipient was awarded $500.
School District of Fort Atkinson Board of Education member and a teacher at St. Joseph’s Catholic School, standing in for the school’s principal, Kari Homb, presents Aiden Worden with the St. Joseph’s Catholic Church Powers award of $7,400.
Louise Dietrich names Evelyn Cruz Palacios, not pictured, as the recipient of the $1,000 Jefferson County Retired Area Educators Scholarship.
Brian Morgan arrives at the podium to name the recipient of the Jacobsen Morgan Scholarship. The $8,000 award is given to Evelyn Cruz Palacios, not pictured.
Jim Knoflicek is among presenters naming recipients of awards given by the Class of 1971 for vocational and technical studies.
Joining Knoflicek from the Class of 1971 to make the presentations are Tim Humphrey, at left, and another classmate. Students earning the awards are Erin Dahnert, Abigail Frame and Cade Hein. Each recipient, not pictured, was awarded $500.
Arriving at the podium, Anita Freeman names the recipients of the American Legion Auxiliary Medical and Music scholarships. They are Abigail Frame and Carla Hernandez Fercano. Each recipient, not pictured, was awarded $750.
At the podium, Rollie Carothers names Kade Eske, not pictured, as the recipient of the Richard Bowers Memorial Vietnam Veterans Chapter 409 Scholarship.
Kade Eske displays an envelope holding his $1,000 Richard Bowers Memorial Scholarship award.
Ret. Col Michael Williams announces the names of the recipients of the Vietnam Veterans of America Rock River Chapter No. 236 Scholarship and the Vietnam Veterans of American Rock River Chapter No. 236 Max Perkins Memorial Scholarship. The two recipients are Tyler Hartman and Kade Eske. Each, not pictured, received $300 and a commemorative medallion, which, the colonel said, was for good luck.
Tyler Hartman displays his award and medallion.
Bob Cheek, at the podium, names two Eagle Scout and Gold Award scholarship recipients. They are Courtney Majeres and Trent Davis. Each recipient received $250.
Don Garity, at the podium, announces Ryan Fjelstad as the recipient of the Jones Industrial Mechanics Scholarship. Fjelstad received $1,250.
Matt Lueder arrives at the podium to announce the recipients of three awards, including the Jesse Nowodzelski Memorial, the Mary Dexheiner Gates Memorial award, and the Lueder Finacial Group award. Recipients, not pictured, are Brooklynn Christiansen, $2,000; Ellison Emrick, $2,500, and Carlos Baez, $2,000.
Curt Polzin, from left, and Angie Salamone arrive at the podium to announce the recipients of two awards. The are, not pictured, Valentina Santamaria Munante, receiving the Capt. Wilber Sundt Kiwanis award of $4,000 and Melia Schueller, receiving the Kiwanis Charity Concert Scholarship of $2,500.
Bob Jonas announces the recipient of the Gregory and Arlette Sambs Scholarship for Agriculture Advancement. Receiving the $500 award, not pictured, is Brooklynn Christiansen.
Craig Rusch announces Kade Eske, not pictured as the winner of the $2,500 Leonard Brosig Wisconservation Club scholarship.
Tim Brunk announces five winners of the FFA Alumni/FFA scholarship.
FFA Alumni/FFA winners are, not in pictured order, Alexis Mielke, $500; Cade Hein, $600; Melia Schueller, $700; Mariah Luebke, $700, and Nathan Hartwig, $700.
Jordan Nelson, at the podium, is joined by two Fort Atkinson Vocational, Technical Scholarship winners. They are Ariel Miller, $500, and Alison Olszak, $2,000.
Make a Difference scholarship presenter, Peggy Polk, representing the Ott, McGlynn, Polk, and Kudlata families, from the podium, announces two recipients, including Brennan Trader, and Ruth Stiemke, not pictured. Each recipient was awarded $5,000.
The $1,000 Fireside Theatre Scholarship, presented by Julie Nordeen, was awarded to Erin Dahnert, not pictured.
Jeanne Bell arrives at the podium to announce the recipients of three awards. They, not pictured, are: the Stuart and Gladys Anhalt Memorial, $10,000, received by Madison Klauer; the Edward Hager Memorial, received by Tawney Hadler, $3,000, and Jack Opperman, $2,500, and the Edward G. Wolff Memorial, received by Bryan Volla and Evelyn Cruz Palacios. Both received an award of $2,500.
Laurie Strom greet ceremony attendees from the podium to announce the recipients of four scholarships. They, not pictured, are: the Casey Ensweiler Memorial Scholarship, $1,000, awarded to Charles Schenck; the 2023 St. Coletta Scholarship, $2,000 awarded to Paige Teubert; an anonymous award of $500 received by Diana Sampayo, and the Comstock Fort Atkinson Community Theatre Memorial Scholarship, $500, awarded to Jackson Sitkiewitz.
Sharing the podium Doug Gross, from left, and Hank Jasper announce Alyssa Heagney, not pictured, as the recipient of the $1,000 MBE CPAs Fort Atkinson Scholarship.
David Ward, at the podium, is joined by several winners of the Robert Ward Memorial Scholarship. They are, not in pictured order, Nathan Hartwig, $600; Cade Hein, $500; Mariah Luebke, $500, and Melia Schueller, $400.
Chris and Dawn Church name Jackson Sitkiewitz, not pictured, as the recipient of the $750 Hannah Church Memorial Scholarship.
Jackson Sitkiewitz, the recipient of the Hannah Church Memorial Scholarship, displays his award.
School District of Fort Atkinson Superintendent Rob Abbott, from left, seated next to Fort Atkinson High School Principal Leigh Ann Scheuerell are among audience members and presenters attending the awards ceremony.
At the podium, Katie Utphall announces the recipients of six awards. They include an anonymous gift of $1,500 awarded to Mallory Gasper. Also awarded, but not pictured, were Bryanna Duddeck, receiving the American Red Cross Young Minds award of $500; Ellison Emrick, receiving the Joe Davies Scholarship of $5,000; Olivia Brock, receiving the Fort Atkinson Education Association award of $500; Kelvyn Gomez, receiving the Ed Winiarski Turn Around Award of $750, and Olivia Brock, receiving the Helenville Mutual Insurance Company Thomas Cheesebro Agricultural Scholarship of $1,000.
Steve Mahoney, at the podium, announces recipients of the Dr. James Russell Athletic and Fort Atkinson Youth Wrestling Club scholarships, They are, not in pictured order, receiving the athletic award each in the amount of $1,100: Eleanor Kohl, Alyssa Heagney, Nathan Hartwig, and Aiden Worden, who also was the recipient of the wrestling club award of $250.
Aiden Worden, at right, receives the Fort Atkinson Youth Wrestling Club award of $250.
Gwen Housley names two recipients of the Dr. Sydney Weidemann Memorial Scholarship. With each receiving $3,000, they, not pictured, are Morgan Hacht and Spencer Betchey.
Samantha Ahler, standing in for Allison Parsons, names Nathan Hartwig as the recipient of the $10,000 Thomas H. Lutsey Waseda Farms Scholarship.
Nathan Hartwig, the recipient of the $10,000 Thomas H. Lutsey Waseda Farms Scholarship, displays his award.
Molly Fuller, front row, at left, representing the Kilar family, names five recipients of the Treyton Kilar Memorial Scholarship. They, not in pictured order, are: Jack Opperman, Kendall Garant, Brooklynn Christiansen, Bryanna Duddeck and Alyssa Heagney. Each received $500 and a “Play for Trey” t-shirt.
Adam Rousseau, at the podium announces four awards. They include recipients of the Bretl Family Leadership Scholarship, the Francis F. Carnes Charitable Trust Scholarship, Fort Memorial Hospital Foundation scholarships, and the Ed Karrels AP Computer Science scholarship. Standing near the podium is Trent Davis, who is the recipient of the Bretl Family scholarship of $7,500.
Recipients of the Francis F. Carnes Charitable Trust Scholarship, not in pictured order, include: Kade Eske, Joshua Larson, Melia Schueller, and Nathan Hartwig. Each received $3,000.
Recipients of the Fort Memorial Hospital Foundation Scott W. Hulstein scholarships, with each receiving $500, include, not in pictured order, Allison Notbohm, Abigail Frame, and Ellie Tuten. Also named as an award recipient was Elizabeth Garcia, not pictured, who received the Estelle Stinson Chase and Peter A. Chase award of $500. Frame also was the recipient of the $1,000 Arthur and Nancy Nesbitt Nursing award, and Garcia was awarded the Fort HealthCare Partners Organization Scholarship of $500.
Ellie Tuten, named the recipient of the Fort Memorial Hospital Foundation Dr. Donald and Barbara Williams Scholarship, holds her $1,000 award.
Jeff Dye announces four awards. They include the Arthur Regelein Memorial Scholarship, the Terra Staffing Service Scholarship, the UW-Foundation Wendall Smith Scholarship, and the Fort Atkinson UW-Madison Alumni Chapter Pellegrin awards.
Mariah Luebke, recipient of the $500 Arthur Regelein Scholarship, displays her award.
Bob Jonas announces two awards. They are the Fort Atkinson High School Alumni Association Scholarship and the Stella Heth Memorial Scholarship. Fort Atkinson Alumni Foundation award recipients, not pictured, included Kade Eske, Kaitlyn Burke, Logan Kees, and Vivian Riggs, with each receiving $2,000, and Melia Schueller, who received $3,000.
Stella Heth Memorial University award recipients include, not in pictured order, Onyx Severin, $3,500; Russell Frey, $3,500; Paige Wangerin, $3,500; Analiese Walter, $3,500; Kade Eske, $1,500; Braden Griffiths, $1,500; Spencer Betchey, $1,500, and Emily Moe, $1,500.
Sue Johnson announces two awards. They are the Fort Community Credit Union (FCCU) Scholarship and the Carol Jean Rowley Memorial Scholarship. The recipient of the $2,000 FCCU scholarship, not pictured, was Lauren Lescohier.
Carol Jean Rowley Memorial Scholarship recipient Martha Morgan displays her $2,500 award.
Rochelle Mitchell announces the recipients of five awards including the Optimist Club Scholarship, and the Florence Hake Educational, Ben and Ada Hake Agricultural, Jerome Hake Engineering, and the Lloyd Hake Memorial Vocational Technical scholarships.
Optimist Club award winners, each receiving $250, are Mariah Luebke and Lauren Lescohier.
Ben and Ada Hake Scholarship recipients, each receiving $3,000 and not in pictured order, include Mariah Luebke, Jonas Boshart, and Cade Hein. Nathan Hartwig also was a recipient in the amount of $1,500.
Jerome Hake Engineering Scholarship recipients, not in pictured order, include: Calum Fettig, $5,000; Ethan Larson, $5,000; Eleanor Kohl, $4,000; Braden Griffiths, $3,000; Dimas Giovanni Monte, $2,500, and Trend Davis, $1,000.
Bonnie Geyer awards four Scholarships. They are the $2,000 Fort Atkinson Thrift Shop and Jean Reich Memorial, awarded to Abigail Frame, not pictured; the $750 Victor and Ruth Johnson Memorial, awarded to Aiden Worden, not pictured; the $2,000 Isabelle Mathews Educational, awarded to Lauren Lescohier, and the $2,500 David Veith Memorial for Performing Arts, awarded to Jackson Sitkiewtz, not pictured.
Isabelle Mathews Educational Scholarship recipient Lauren Lescohier displays her award.
Fort Atkinson Community Foundation Executive Director Sue Hartwick names the recipients of five awards. They are the Jason Dahnert Memorial, the Medical Careers Scholarship, the Jake Meinert Memorial, the Fred and Helen Rose Inspire a Dream, and the Science Matters scholarship.
Medical Careers Scholarship recipients display their awards. They are Abigail Frame, from left, and Erin Dahnert. Each received $1,000.
Jake Meinert Memorial Scholarship award recipient Yuridia Torres displays her $1,000 award.
Fred and Helen Rose Inspire a Dream recipients, not in pictured order, include Mariah Luebke, Declan Kaplan, Jacyn Stockton, and Geovanni Miguel. Each received $2,000.
Science Matters Scholarship recipient Eleanor Kohl displays her $5,000 award.
Sally Koehler, at the podium, announces the recipients of four scholarships, including the with James and Frances Luther Memorial. Standing near the podium, the two recipients are Ruth Stiemke, from left, and Diana Sampayo. Both received $2,200. Koehler also announced the recipients of the Kathleen Grabil Thorndike Scholarship, the Juanita Schreiner Scholarship, and the Maurice and Clara Staller Memorial Scholarship.
Ellison Emrick, at right, joins Sally Koehler at the podium to receive the $5,200 Maurice and Clara Staller Memorial Scholarship.
Six recipients of the Richard Noel Bingham Memorial Scholarship gather to display their awards. They, not in pictured order, are Morgan Hacht, Ethan Larson, Joshua Larson, Lauren Lescohier, Mariah Luebke and Bryan Volla. Each received $8,000. The award was presented by the Fort Atkinson Community Foundation Board of Directors Chairman Sue Johnson, not pictured.
Fort Atkinson Community Foundation Board of Directors Chairman Sue Johnson, at the podium, names five students as recipients of the Theodore W. Batterman Family Foundation Scholarship.
Theodore W. Batterman Family Foundation Scholarship recipients are, not in pictured order, Trent Davis, Ellison Emrick, Alyssa Heagney, Eleanor Kohl, and Dimas Giovanni Monte. Each received $12,000.
Fort Atkinson Community Foundation Board of Directors Chairman Sue Johnson, at center, takes a moment to congratulate two recipients of the Walter and Louise Buell Merit Scholarship. They are Calum Fettig, at left, and Jonas Boshart. Each received $20,000.
The full program listing the scholarships and presenters from Wednesday’s ceremony is above.