Win-E-Mac Seniors receive over $100,000 in scholarships

The Win-E-Mac Academic, Athletic and Fine Arts Banquet and Awards Program was held on Wednesday, May 9th in the Arts & Event Center. The Student Council Co-President Tyra Wilson opened the awards program for the evening.

Principal, Kevin McKeever recognized this year’s honor roll students, then Tyra began to announce the presenters for this year’s scholarship awards.

The first scholarship of the evening was presented by Pastor Tim Lundeen who presented Sydney Tadman with $300 each from Grace Lutheran Church; next Joe Sandberg  from the Erskine American Legion (Bailey Throne Post 596 presented $700 each to MacKenzie Fuller, Blake Glass, Jarrin Gunderson, Bryce Neubert, Jay Parenteau, Sydney Tadman, and Tyra Wilson.

McIntosh First Responders and Firefighters awards were given by Mark Strom and Tanya Hamre, who presented each of 10 students Gretchen Finseth, Gracy Spry, Jordan Gunderson, Jarrin Gunderson, Maci Hamre, Sydney Tadman, Jay Parenteau, Mary Catahan, Kendra Thompson, and Lauren Strom each with a $500 scholarship.

Grace Spry, Tyra Wilson and Sydney Tadman were each presented with a $500 scholarship from the Winger Lions by Karl Erickson; and the Elaine Bergman Scholarship of $1,000 was awarded by Adam Bergman to Tyra Wilson

A scholarship in the amount of $250 each from the American State Bank, Erskine Branch was awarded to Jarrin Gunderson and Patience Reep by Melissa Senger; and Devra Carlson from Essentia Health presented Tyra Wilson with a $1,500 scholarship.

Brad Sander along with Mrs. Sandra Jore awarded a $500 scholarship to Emelian Hanson from the Fosston Area Sportsmen Club.

2017 Graduate Hunter Chaput received a $2,000 award from Team Industries along with Noah Bergman who will graduate this year and received a $1,500 scholarship; East Polk County Extension awarded Emelian Hanson with a scholarship and East Polk County Fair's scholarship recipient this year was Kendra Thompson.

The Wild Rice Electric Scholarships were awarded to Mackenzie Fuller and Sydney Tadman.

The Leo Parent Charitable Trust Fund II awarded $1,2000 to Jordan Gunderson, Jarrin Gunderson, Cole Shaver, Jay Parenteau, Emelian Hanson, Jorday O'Brian and Bryce Neubert; and Mary Carahan received a $500 scholarship from Altru Health Systems Scholarship.

The Red Lake Electric Scholarships in the amount of $500 each  were awarded to Kendra Thompson and Blake Glass; and the Communication Workers of Am. Local 7272 awarded Kendra Thompson with $100; Friends of Sanford Health awarded Tyra Wilson a $1,500 scholarship adn the NW Minnesota Women's Scholarship awarded Grace Spry $1,000.

For the fifth year, the Matthew Harmon Fallen Soldier Memorial Scholarship has awarded scholarships to Win-E-Mac students this year an award of $450 was given to Tyra Wilson. 

The Deloris Schow Memorial Scholarship, awarded by Deloris’ grandson Kain, of $250 each was awarded to Sydney Tadman and Grace Spry; and The Jim Stordahl Memorial Scholarship which Roxanne Stordahl awarded $500 each to Mary Catahan, Blake Glass and Lauren Strom.

Lori Walker awarded the Brett Walker Memorial Scholarship to Jarrin Gunderson and Sydney Tadman at $500 each.

New this year was the Dennis Simonson Memorial Scholarship, which as awarded by Mark Simonson and Marcella Simonson in the amount of $1,000 and the recepient of the award was Blake Glass.

This year’s recipients of the Win-E-Mac Alumni Scholarships of $300 each were Mackenzie Fuller, Blake Glass and Sydney Tadman; and the McIntosh/Erskine Garden Club Scholarship of $200 was awarded to Blake Glass.

The Tori Sannes Memorial Scholarship of $500 was awarded to Jay Parenteau; 2 $1,500 scholarships were given to Jay Parenteau and Grace Spry by the Liberty Lucken Scholarship; and Tyra Wilson and Mackenzie Fuller were each awarded $500 from the Gunter Scholarship.

Jay Parenteau received a Jeannie Vesledahl Scholarship, which is awarded to a graduate interested in the performing arts, in the amount of $500; The Thompson Family Scholarship of $250 each were awarded to Sydney Tadman and Kendra Thompson.

Presented to a graduate interested in the areas of Journalism, Speech, Broadcasting and Public Relations, the Jan Ostenson Scholarship of $500 was awarded to Jay Parenteau; Mary Catahan, Gretchen Finseth, Patience Reep, Kylie Stuhaug, Kendra Thomspon, and Tyra Wilson each received $1,000 from the Harriet Grundyson Hudrlik Memorial Scholarship, based on the criteria of choosing a career in nursing or a medical field; and the Jim & Nancy Benson Scholarship was awarded to Bryce Neubert for $1000.

The Russell B. Hagen Foundation awarded each Sydney Tadman, Cole Shaver, Jordan O'Brien, Bryce Neubert, Emelian Hanson, Maci Hamre, Jordin Gunderson, Jarrin Gunderson, Gretchen Finseth, and Mary Carahon, in the amount of $1,000 each; and a scholarship award from the McIntosh VFW Post 6891 awarded Cole Shaver with $300.

Arthur I. and Jane B. Snustad Foundation Scholarships of $2,500 each were awarded to 4 post-secondary recipients, Hunter Chaput, Olivia Simonson, Kaysee Mandt, and Zach Plante; the 12 Win-E-Mac Seniors that also received a $2,500 scholarship from the Snustad Foundation were Mary Catahon, Mackenzie Fuller, Blake Glass, Jarrin Gunderson, Maci Hamre, Emelian Hanson, Patience Reep, Grace Spry, Lauren Strom, Sydney Tadman, Kendra Thompson and Tyra Wilson.

Sydney Tadman, Student Council Vice President then called upon Principal McKeever to announce the Valedictorian who was Tyra Wilson and the Salutatorian Mackenzie Fuller. Principal McKeever also announced the winner of the AAA Awards which went to Blake Glass and Tyra Wilson. 

Next Ms. Sandra Jore recognized the National Honor Society graduates and some of the scholarships that the Seniors hae received from their colleges they will be attending.

The Knowledge Bowl awards were presented by Mrs. Ann Vesledahl and the One Act Play awards by Mr. Bruce McWilliam. 

Amanda Shultz presented Jay Parenteau with the John Philip Sousa award for band performance. The award is given to recognize young musicians displaying superior musicianship, leadership, dependability, loyalty, cooperation and other qualities of conduct. 

Miss Salmonson presented the National School Choral Award, the highest honor for high school choral performers. It recognizes the dedication and musical achievement of the top choral students. This year the award was awarded to Tyra Wilson.

Athletic Director, Aaron Cook, then presented the Mark Schimanski Award, an award given to a Varsity Boys Basketball player and voted by his teammates. The award was presented to Emelian Hanson.

Mr. Cook also awarded the Randy Helgaas Defensive Player of the Year awards for both girls and boys basketball. The girl’s awards were given to Sydney Tadman for Varsity and Riley Haugen for Junior Varsity. Brekken Lindberg received the boy’s varsity award and Gavin Walker received the Junior Varsity boy’s award..

Also recognized were the All-State awards were Tyra Wilson, Sydney Tadman, Mackenzie Fuller and Lauren Strom in Volleyball, Tyra Wilson and Sydney Tadman for Girls Basketball, and Emelian Hanson in Football.

Mr. Cook then presented the Senior Outstanding Male and Female Awards. The Senior Outstanding Athlete Award was presented to Sydney Tadman and Emelian Hanson. The Senior Outstanding Academic Athlete Award was presented to Tyra Wilson and Blake Glass. The Senior Outstanding Academic and Fine Arts Student Award was presented to Tyra Wilson.

Student Council Vice President, Sydney Tadman finished the night by thanking all that has joined in the occasion.