SHS seniors land awards, scholarships
(Photo by MARY MALONE) Representing the Disabled American Veterans, Bill Stevens, right, presented Sandpoint High School senior Niah Brass, left, with a scholarship during the May 21 Scholarship Night event. Brass was among 62 SHS seniors who were awarded a total of $135,086 in scholarships throughout the evening.
(Photo by MARY MALONE) Four Sandpoint High School seniors were awarded the Lippi Family scholarship during the school's annual Scholarship Night event on May 21. Curtis Hauck Rosalyn Kummer, Kirsten Baker and Elise Neely were among 62 SHS seniors who were awarded a total of $135,086 throughout the evening.
SANDPOINT — With 202 students, Sandpoint High School’s class of 2019 is what postsecondary counselor Jeralyn Mire describes as “small but mighty.”
“This is one of our smaller classes, but they applied for over 1,000 local scholarships,” Mire said during the school’s annual Scholarship Night event last week.
Throughout the evening, 62 SHS seniors were awarded a total of $135,086 in scholarships — and that was just from local groups on Scholarship Night. I n all, Mire said the senior class has earned an estimated $1.5 million in scholarships to two-year, four-year and trade programs. University of Idaho alone awarded the class $266,000 this year, she said.
The seniors had a little extra help this year in their endeavors with the implementation of a Scholarship Club, giving the students a time and place every Monday after school to research and apply for scholarships.
“It was exciting working with the seniors during the year, especially during Scholarship Club meetings, and to watch all their hard work come to fruition,” said Kendall Lang, SHS college and career mentor and the club’s advisor.
The broad range of scholarship opportunities for the students come from local organizations, foundations and businesses, as well as former students and bus in the Lake Pend Oreille School District, among others. Two new groups, the Pend Oreille Arts Council and Life Choices offered scholarships this year as well.
Representatives from each group presented the students with their scholarships on Scholarship Night, with many giving a little history of how the scholarship came about. One of the former students who began offering a scholarship a couple years ago is Jake Sleyster. Each year, his parents, Tina and Dave Sleyster, present the Sleyster Unlimited Potential award to a deserving SHS senior.
“This scholarship came about because when (Jake) reflects, he remembers the teachers, administrators and coaches and the people in this community who believed in him, outside of his parents, that gave him the kick in the butt when he needed it,” Tina Sleyster said.
The scholarship was created to give back to the college-bound students of the Sandpoint community to encourage them to follow their dreams and find their unlimited potential.
Another scholarship that encourages students to follow their dreams is the Patrick Orton “Live Your Dreams” memorial scholarship. The scholarship has been offered to an SHS student each year since the death of Orton in 2013, when he was 24 years old. Orton was an SHS graduate as well.
Liam Orton, who presented the scholarship award, said his brother was a professional outdoor photographer who went through a lot of “trials and tribulations” to be successful in following his dream.
“It’s not an easy life, but if you love it and it’s your dream, then it’s not just bearable, it is something you can look forward to with courage and passion,” Liam Orton said.
With a total of 50 groups from across the community presenting scholarships to students last week, Mire said the generosity of the community is “stunning.”
“I am absolutely overwhelmed with the support our community offers our seniors as they journey on to post-secondary education,” she said. “I could not be more proud to call Sandpoint my home.”
Mary Malone can be reached by email at mmalone@bonnercountydailybee.com and follow her on Twitter @MaryDailyBee.