Eleven deserving graduates of Hemingford High School are the latest in a long line of HHS alumni to benefit from the Hemingford Scholarship Foundation (HSF). The graduates were awarded a total of $57,895 in 2023-2024 scholarships for their undergraduate and graduate study. Applications were reviewed by the Foundation’s Scholarship Committee Monday, July 24.
Over the Foundation’s 36-year history, a total of 497 scholarships amounting to $1,321,123 have been awarded to help HHS graduates continue their education beyond high school, including these ten 2023-2024 award recipients: Lauren Gasseling, Samantha Gilkerson, Boston Goodsell, Destiny Hanson, Elizabeth Mayer, Alex Neefe, Rashell Neefe, Landrie Nelson, Katelyn Varner, Kenneth Wyland, and Kylie Mendiola. Checks are sent to the post-secondary institutions the students are attending.
This outstanding program was established in 1987 by the generosity and vision of Bob Elliott, Sr. (now deceased). His son, Bob Elliott, Jr (also deceased) was instrumental in its initial years of existence. While Mr. Elliott’s donations comprise the bulk of the Foundation’s principle, other entities and individuals (usually in the form of memorials) have contributed. The HSF has provided college support in all the years since for Hemingford High School graduates; one of only two requirements needed to be considered, the other being a full-time higher education student. It is rare that an applicant does not receive some level of award. Besides Mr. Elliott being recognized via scholarship title, scholarships established as memorials (or by a business) are also recognized to the recipient of an award so that they may express their appreciation to surviving family members. They very much appreciate such correspondence.
The HSF is governed by a Board of Directors comprised of five members charged with the responsibility of monitoring and shepherding the Foundation’s principle funds in a fiduciarily responsible manner. The Directors meet once per year in July to go over the Foundation’s investment performance of the just concluded fiscal year, and to allocate the amount of funds to be made available for the coming year’s scholarship awards. Current members include Robert Stout, DVM, President; Thomas Elliott, Vice President/Treasurer; Travis Miller, Secretary; Terry Curtiss, Legal Counsel; and Brian Kuhn. The Board’s Accountant is JM & Associates. It’s Financial Advisor is Rich Otto of Edward Jones.
The Board of Directors is also responsible for appointing individuals to a five-member Scholarship Committee. The Scholarship Committee is responsible for the awarding of scholarships to graduates. The Committee establishes the amounts each recipient will receive; distributed according to a point system and limited to the overall amount of funding made available for that year as set by the Board of Directors. Awards are determined by the following point system:
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35% Scholarship
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35% Need
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15% Leadership/Activities
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15% Completeness and timeliness of application and other considerations
An HHS graduate who is a full-time higher education student in their second semester of freshman enrollment on up can obtain applications at the HHS Guidance Counselor Office, or at the HHS Superintendent Office. They can also obtain an application at HHS’s website: www.hemingfordschools.org.
Friends and patrons of education who wish to donate to this worthy cause may do so by contacting Karen Johnson, JM and Associates, in Alliance (308) 762-7622 for information on how to do so.