Grads obtain $256,745 in scholarships

ODESSA – Odessa High School's commencement ceremony last Saturday honored 16 newly minted graduates, who collectively received $256,745 in scholarship money for post-secondary study. It was a very blustery day, and everyone at the podium had trouble hanging on to the paperwork, but all in all it was a well-organized and planned event. The individual students achieving scholarships follow below.

Keith Strebeck received $1,735: $200 from the Odessa Fire Department Auxiliary, $500 from the Grange Supply Co. of Odessa and a $1,035 Washington College Grant. He plans to attend Spokane Community College.

Alyssa Iverson received $2,100: $200 from the Odessa Fire Department Auxiliary, $500 from the Grange Supply Co. of Odessa, $600 from the Odessa Healthcare Foundation and an $800 Miss Odessa Scholarship. She plans to attend Wenatchee Valley Comm. College.

Pilot Weishaar received $5,500: $1,000 from the Grange Supply Co. of Odessa, $2,000 from the Grange Insurance Agency and $2,500 from NW Farm Credit Service. He plans to attend Spokane Community College.

Jett Nelson received $6,500: a $1,000 Burnett/Ennis Scholarship, a $1,500 BBCC Foundation High School Graduate Scholarship, a $1,500 BBCC Workforce Education Scholarship, $1,500 from the Odessa Booster Club and $1,000 from the Odessa Alumni Association. He plans to attend Big Bend Comm. College.

Colton Messer received $14,750: $500 from HighLine Grain Growers, $500 from the Grant Country Sheriff's Association, a $750 Lincoln-Adams 4-H Leaders Council Scholarship, $1000 from Ritzville Warehouse, $1,000 from the Yakima Plan Center, $2,000 from WAEF Vocational and $9,000 from the Moses Lake Rotary – Work Force Education fund. He plans to attend Perry Technical Institute in Yakima.

Tim DeWulf received $63,450: $200 from the Odessa Fire Department Auxiliary, a $250 Gordon and Virginia Neale Music Scholarship, $1,000 from the Odessa Alumni Association, $2,000 from the Odessa Booster Club and $15,000/year for four years ($60,000) from the University of Idaho Western Undergraduate Exchange. He will attend U of I.

Maddie Scrupps received $74,086: a $500 Anna Marie Amende-Korobkin Scholarship, $500 from HighLine Grain Growers, $600 from the Odessa Healthcare Foundation, $750 in Braun Family Mathematics Scholarships, an $800 Miss Odessa Scholarship, $1,000 from Inland Power and Light, $1,000 from the Odessa Alumni Association, $1,000 from the Spokane Area Retired Educators Association, $1,000 from the Grange Supply Co. of Odessa, a $1,500 Reinhold and Ida M. Roloff Memorial Scholarship, a $1,100 Pastor Tim Hauge Memorial Scholarship, $1,500 from the Odessa Booster Club, $2,500 from NW Farm Credit Services and $15,084/year for four years ($60,336) from the U of I Western Undergraduate Exchange. She will attend U of I.

Kaya Curo received $88,624: an $800 Miss Odessa Scholarship, a $4,000 Manoa Academic Merit Scholarship, the $1,000/year for four years ($4,000) The Walking Shield Scholarship, the $5,000 Rincon Education Scholarship, a $7,000 Matt LaChappa – Salutatorian award and $16,956/ year for four years ($67,824) from the University of Hawaii Western Undergraduate Exchange. She will attend U of Hawaii.

Katreace Boss plans to join the U.S. Air Force. Kaden Haase and Chase Kissler are both headed to Big Bend Community College in Moses Lake. Joycelynn Hottell will attend Spokane Falls Comm. College. Emma Caler will attend Paul Mitchell Beauty School in Spokane Valley. Nic Larson will join the workforce, and Aaliyana Mendoza is as yet undecided as to her future plans. Ryan Melgren is headed to T Enterprises Truck Driving School in Pasco.