Senior awards night via web conference

Graduating students of Wrangell High School, school staff, and other community members came together via web conference last week for senior awards night. During the web conference, graduating seniors were informed of scholarships they had won.

"I'm excited to see who wins the awards today, and I want to remind you guys that even if you haven't applied for any scholarships yet there's still millions of dollars out there," Interim Principal Jack Carney said. "So if you don't win anything tonight that's ok. You can still apply, but the key is you got to apply."

The first award winners of the evening were Jing O'Brien and Kaylyn Easterly. They each received a $12,000 merit scholarship from the UA Scholars Program. Addy Esco, with the school district, explained that the scholarship is offered to the top 10 percent of graduating students from every qualified high school in Alaska. The money can be used at any University of Alaska campus in the state.

The state of Alaska also offers the Alaska Performance Scholarship, which several WHS students qualified for this year. There are three different levels of scholarship money that can be awarded, depending on several requirements. These requirements include certain GPAs and studying certain curriculum in high school. There are usually also qualifying test scores for the APS but this requirement was waived due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The money that can be awarded ranges from $2,378 a year, at Level 3, to $4,755 a year, at Level 1. This year's qualifiers were Madison Blackburn, Tasha Massin, Easterly, O'Brien, Laura Helgeson, Austin Reid, and Wade Jack.

Seniors Trevor Miller and O'Brien received $1,500 each from the Association of Alaska School Boards June Nelson Memorial Scholarship. This scholarship was awarded to 15 seniors across all of Alaska, two of which went to these Wrangell students.

Three WHS students received scholarships from the Sealaska Corporation. Massin received a $3,524 scholarship, Easterly received a $3,000 scholarship, and Hank Voltz received a $2,988 scholarship.

Trevor Miller earned the Tongass Federal Credit Union "Jumpstart Your Life" scholarship in the amount of $1,000.

Easterly, Helgeson, and O'Brien each earned the Wrangell Pulp Scholarship this year, in the amount of $20,000 over a period of four years. Helgeson also earned the Pat Roppel Memorial Scholarship in the amount of $5,000.

There were several awards given to students through scholarships managed by the school district itself. Blackburn earned a scholarship from the Freida Lust Trust Fund in the amount of $100. Voltz earned the Alfred B. Ryll scholarship in the amount of $100.

The Alaska Peace Officer Association Scholarship went to Kody Paul in the amount of $500.

The Kiks.adi Scholarship went to Massin, in the amount of $500. This is a fairly new scholarship, according to Winston Davies. It was established in 2019 to honor Wrangell women who have dedicated their time to the local native history and culture.

"Countless Wrangell women have quietly contributed to the culture and history, and have been a cornerstone of the native community," Davies said. "We hope that each of the graduates will continue to contribute to the Wrangell community today and in the future."

Wrangell's native community supplied several other scholarships, as well. The Alaska Native Brotherhood provided Voltz with a $500 scholarship. The Alaska Native Sisterhood gave a $500 scholarship to Easterly.

Both Easterly and Blackburn earned the Wrangell Teachers' Association Scholarship in the amount of $500 each.

Trevor and Tate Miller both earned $1,000 each from the Stikine Sportsmen Association.

The Wrangell Medical Center Health Careers Scholarship went to Easterly in the amount of $1,000. It is renewable for up to four years.

The Colin Buness Memorial Scholarship went to Trevor Miller and Voltz in the amount of $1,000 each, and is renewable for a second year.

The Iverson Memorial Scholarship went to Trevor Miller and Blackburn in the amount of $1,000 each.

Voltz earned a scholarship from the Wrangell Chamber of Commerce in the amount of $1,500.

Three students earned the "Most Valuable Student Participant" scholarship from the Order of Elks. Blackburn, O'Brien, and Massin each received $200. Another scholarship from the Elks Lodge, the Gregg Scheff Memorial Scholarship, went to Voltz in the amount of $2,000.

O'Brien earned $500 from the Wrangell Emblem Club. The Joel Wing Scholarship, also supplied by the Emblem Club, went to Trevor Miller in the amount of $1,000. A third scholarship from the emblem club, the Allen Benjamin Scholarship, went to Helgeson in the amount of $1,000.

The final scholarship awarded that night was the Anna Loftus Ream Scholarship. This scholarship was set up by the Ream family, in honor of their mother who grew up in Wrangell. This year's scholarship of $2,500 went to Helgeson.

"We are super proud of all of the hard work that you have put into this," Esco said, addressing the seniors. "I know it has required a great deal of effort on your part to put in lots of those essays, getting letters of recommendation, and lots of other things, but congratulations on that."