2017 LWPTSA Scholarship Awards

Student and staff recipients of the 2017 Scholarship Program were honored with a reception and awards ceremony at the June 5th LWSD Board meeting. For a list of our two staff and 15 student winners, click here. The accomplishments and determination of every single recipient is impressive and we are, as always, pleased to be a small part of this tremendous milestone in the lives of these exceptional students.

With over 100 applications received this spring, we couldn't be happier about the response to the program. One of our goals this year was to reach a broader student applicant pool to reflect the changes and growth in our district. To that end the Board included the addition of two new scholarships: Turn Around and Perseverance. We also changed how we distribute our scholarships. To make it more equitable across the district, we grouped them for judging purposes based on the Learning Community where the student resides, rather than the high school they attend.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank the 2017 Scholarship Committee which helped it organizing the entire process: heading up judging panels, creating rubrics for each category of scholarship, writing the program, stuffing recipient packets and reception planning. My heartfelt thanks goes to: Brandi Comstock, Alison Thomas, Deb Knaus, Tara Hempstead, Allison Barstow, Cindy Poon, Michele Grinslade and Cindy Ten Brinke who were an exceptional team to work with! Though she won't like me highlighting her here, PTSA Council President Liz Hedreen was also instrumental throughout the process, from start to finish, particularly with the brainstorming of changes, as were Brandi Comstock, Denise Campbell and Jay Pulacode. And a final big thank you to Wendy DeLong, for her long stewardship of this program, and the assistance she provided this year.

We had a total of seven judging panels and 19 judges. I've attached the list here and I cannot emphasize enough how much we appreciate their time, commitment to the process and integrity. In short, these judges rocked! Thank you!!

It's not every day that a person gets the opportunity to manage a program like this and it was a genuine pleasure for me as well as a learning and growth experience, made more so by a strong and dedicated team of PTA and other community volunteers.

Irene Neumann

PTSA Scholarship Chair