Community awards LPOHS students more than $18K

SANDPOINT — Three Lake Pend Oreille High School students were overjoyed Thursday as they were awarded $18,500 in scholarships.

"People don't realize how much the community helps us out," said LPOHS senior and scholarship recipient Cheyanne Holliger. "I'm overwhelmed with excitement."

LPOHS counselor Sara Gosling handed out the two largest awards of the day to Holliger and LPOHS senior Jessica Inman, who received $3,000 and $10,000 respectively from the Dorothy Adler fund, a memorial scholarship specific to LPOHS.

"We, as a small school, as an alternative school, get a chance to get scholarships in a way that I don't think other school have the opportunity to, so it is really fun for me to give this out," Gosling said.

Inman was also awarded scholarships from the Ambrosiani-Pastore Foundation and PEO Chapter V, for a grand total of $12,500 including the Dorothy Adler scholarship. Holliger received scholarships from Beta Sigma Phi and the Rotary Club of Ponderay in addition to the Dorothy Adler scholarship for a grand total of $4,000.

The other student awarded a scholarship on Thursday is actually a former LPOHS student, as she graduated in 2017. Mikayla Wright took a year off after high school, so Mary Jo Ambrosiani awarded her a $2,000 scholarship from the Ambrosiani-Pastore Foundation as she prepares to head to college in the fall.

Holliger said she filled out 13 scholarship applications, and while it was a lot of time and effort, it paid off as she plans to attend University of Idaho in the fall to become an adolescent counselor and help people who have had difficult childhoods. Inman said she doesn't even know how many scholarship applications she filled out.

"I filled out as many as possible," Inman said. "I just knew that I wanted to go to college so bad."

Inman wants to teach third grade, so she plans to attend North Idaho College for two years and then UI to get her teaching certificate.

In addition to the scholarship awards, several individuals and organizations from the community were recognized for their contributions to LPOHS.

"We would not be able to make it on a day-to-day basis without the many community members who come together and help us out throughout the year," said LPOHS Principal Geoff Penrose.

One special recognition went out to local artist Leata Judd.

Judd, who is known for her whimsical papier mache and clay creations, was chosen as last year's Festival at Sandpoint poster artist. At that time, she told the Daily Bee that the reason she gets up each day and leaves her house is to volunteer in LPOHS teacher Randy Wilhelm's art class.

Wilhelm's art students joined him as he recognized Judd for all her hard work with the school over the past four years. She has put in more than 250 hours a year at the school. As they went back to their seats, each of the students gave Judd a big hug and thanked her for all she has done for the school.

Mary Malone can be reached by email at mmalone@bonnercountydailybee.com and follow her on Twitter @MaryDailyBee.