Local Students Receive Scholarships Totaling More Than $40,000 from the Community Foundation

Recipients of the scholarships, most of which come from permanently endowed funds at the Community Foundation, will receive financial support towards the accredited post-secondary institution they are attending in the 2024-2025 school year. One fund also provides a teacher recognition award and grant to provide classroom resources.

Each scholarship fund has its own criteria representing the donor’s or honoree’s interests or legacy. 

Most of the scholarships are endowed, which means a portion of the earnings of each fund is reinvested for continued growth, providing future scholarships and awards to deserving students.

This year’s recipients include:

• Jansen Lawson, a graduate of Quincy Senior High School, received the Becky Swisher Crowe Memorial Scholarship.

• Noah Krisko, a graduate of Hannibal High School, received the Hannibal High School Class of 1955 Scholarship.

• Taylor Richie, a graduate of Quincy Senior High School, received the F. Lee & Joan Kammerlohr Family Scholarship. Lydia Fisher, a 2023 graduate of Quincy Senior High School and student at John Wood Community College renewed the scholarship for her sophomore year. Kayla Maguire, a 2022 graduate of Quincy Senior High School and student at John Wood Community College renewed the scholarship for her junior year. 

• Brady Althoff, a graduate of Payson-Seymour High School, received the Krutmeier Scholarship. 

• Hannah Hill, a graduate of Pleasant Hill High School, received the Virginia Kaye Leinweber Leeds Scholarship. 

• Emily Depke, a graduate of Western High School, received the Marvin J Likes & Thomas Leo Likes Math Scholarship. 

• Trevor Biggerstaff, graduate of Canton High School, and Macy Hamlin and Kaley Payton, graduates of Highland High School, received scholarships from the Ben C. and Etta M. Plank Memorial Fund.

• Morgan Kim, a graduate of Quincy Senior High School, received the Quincy High School Class of 1957 Scholarship.

• Jacob Michael Barnes, a graduate of Palmyra Senior High School, received a scholarship from the Teresa Lynn Thompson Memorial Scholarship Fund.

• Grace Fessenden, a graduate of Palmyra Senior High School, received a scholarship from the Alton A. Vannice FFA Leadership Fund. Emmalee Drebes and Jacob Webster, past graduates of Palmyra Senior High School, renewed scholarships.

• Macie Fisher, a graduate of Canton R-V High School, received the Tom and Judy Zenge Fund Scholarship.

• Brittany Welker, a teacher at Canton R-V High School, received the Tom and Judy Zenge Fund Key Teacher Award.

Jansen Lawson is a graduate of Quincy Senior High School. He is the son of Kelly and Rick Lawson of Quincy. Jansen will attend John Wood Community College.   

The Becky Swisher Crowe Memorial Scholarship Fund provides a scholarship at an accredited two-year or four-year institution for a Quincy High School senior intending to pursue a degree in education. Becky Swisher Crowe taught at Quincy Junior High School and Quincy Senior High School. She was killed March 9, 1979 in an automobile accident on her way to work. Her colleagues immediately set up a scholarship in her name. “Becky loved kids and teaching,” said her best friend Karen Bottorff. “Whenever she was around, it was a happier place.” In 2006, the scholarship was transferred to the Community Foundation to ensure Becky’s name and legacy endured. 

Noah Krisko is a graduate of Hannibal High School and is the son of Julie Downing of Hannibal. Noah will attend Northwest Missouri State University to study music education. 

The Hannibal High School Class of 1955 Scholarship Fund provides a scholarship to a Hannibal High School graduate who will be attending an accredited post-secondary institution for tuition, room and board, fees and/or books, and related expenses.

At its 50th reunion, two members of the Hannibal High School Class of 1955 challenged others to establish a scholarship to give back to the community and school that were so important to them during their formative years. Forty-six members made founding gifts to establish this scholarship fund in 2005. 

Taylor Richie is a graduate of Quincy Senior High School and is the daughter of Nicole Ihnen. Taylor will attend Missouri State University to study elementary education. 

Lydia Fisher, a 2023 graduate of Quincy Senior High School, attends Central College in Pella, Iowa and majors in elementary music education. Lydia received her second year of the renewable scholarship. 

Kayla Maguire, a 2022 graduate of Quincy Senior High School, attended John Wood Community College and will attend Quincy University to major in elementary education. Kayla received her third year of the renewable scholarship. 

The F. Lee & Joan Kammerlohr Family Scholarship Fund was established in 2021 in honor of Joan’s dedication to education. Joan spent 39 years as an elementary teacher in Wisconsin, Singapore, and Quincy, Illinois.

The scholarship will be awarded to a Quincy Senior High School graduating senior who intends to pursue a teaching career, through an accredited two-year or four-year post-secondary institution, with a preference for elementary education. Based on academic achievement, merit, financial need, and good citizenship, the scholarship is renewable for up to three additional years.

Brady Althoff is a graduate of Payson – Seymour High School. Brady is the son of Preston and Megan Althoff of Plainville. Brady will attend John Wood Community College to study ag business. 

The Krutmeier Scholarship Fund was established in 2021in memory of Robert and Rodney Krutmeier. Robert and Rodney had many passions in life, but together they shared an enthusiasm for farming, family and their community. 

The scholarship will be awarded to a Payson High School graduate who is pursuing a career in an agriculture-related field. 

Hannah Hill is a graduate of Pleasant Hill High School and is the daughter of Leigh Anna Hill of Pleasant Hill. She will be attending Culver-Stockton College to study nursing. 

The family of Virginia ‘Ginger’ Leeds established the fund as a tribute to the health care professionals who took care of Ginger when hospitalized. Although Ginger was confined to a wheelchair at age 33, she kept her enthusiasm for life and sense of humor. She returned to college at age 43 where she completed her bachelor’s degree and two master’s degrees. 

The Virginia Kaye Leinweber Leeds Scholarship Fund provides a scholarship to Pleasant Hill High School graduates interested in pursuing the field of nursing. “Mom loved young people and wanted to see everyone have the opportunity to go to college,” says her daughter, Leah Erke. “I chose the field of nursing as a way to honor all of the nurses who cared for her.”

Emily Depke is a graduate of Western High School and is the daughter of Daniel and Tamera Depke of Hull. Emily will be attending the University of Illinois to study neural engineering. 

The Marvin J Likes & Thomas Leo Likes Math Scholarship honors the memories of Marvin J Likes and Thomas Leo Likes. The Marvin J Likes and Thomas Leo Likes Math Scholarship reflect the two men’s standards. “Both were an inspiration and encouragement for young people to better themselves,” said Ralph Garner, who was a long-time employee of Likes Land Surveyors, Inc., Barry, Illinois.  

Pat Likes established this scholarship in memory of her husband Marvin and their son Tom. Marvin requested the scholarship be set up because he saw a need to encourage young people to go into math professions. 

The scholarship ensures they will continue to make a positive impact in the lives of young people.

Trevor Biggerstaff is a graduate of Canton High School and is the son of Scott and Susie Biggerstaff of Canton.  

Macy Hamlin is a graduate of Highland High School and is the daughter of Ronnie and Angie Hamlin of Ewing. 

Kaley Payton is a graduate of Highland High School is the daughter of Kevin and Jessica Payton of Ewing. 

Dorothy Plank established the Ben C. and Etta M. Plank Memorial Fund, in honor of her parents, through her trust. The scholarship is for students graduating from Canton High School or Highland High School (Lewis County, Missouri) to help fund college tuition. The endowed fund will continue to provide support for students continuing their education for years to come.

Dorothy Plank was a modest person who did not draw attention to herself. She thought long and hard about what she wanted to do to benefit others. A longtime friend and her attorney both agreed that while living she would not have wanted people to know her estate plans. They also agree that what Miss Plank did serves as an example for others to consider when planning for charitable causes. 

Morgan Kim, a graduate of Quincy Senior High School, is the recipient of the Quincy High School Class of 1957 Scholarship. She will attend the University of Missouri and major in biological sciences, health leadership and policy. She is the daughter of Suzan Neely – Kim of Quincy.  

 

The scholarship was initiated with a gift from Dr. John E. Sallstrom to commemorate the 50th Reunion of the QHS Class of 1957. “The scholarship fund should help the recipients continue their chosen career paths and motivate them to strive for excellence in their lives,” says Dr. Sallstrom. “If it encourages other individuals and classes to do something similar in the future, the whole community will be enriched.” The Quincy High School Class of 1957 Scholarship Fund provides one or more scholarships to a Quincy High School graduate who will be attending an accredited, four-year post-secondary institution for tuition, room and board, fees and/or books, and related expenses. 

Jacob Michael Barnes is a graduate of Palmyra R-1 High School.  

The Teresa Lynn Thompson Memorial Scholarship Fund was established with memorials and donations made following Teresa’s death in May 2004. 

The scholarship assists a Palmyra R-1 High School student attending a post-secondary school. Teresa’s roots were in Palmyra. She had many family and friends there. 

She spent her life’s work in radio. Her ability to work and deal with people earned her great respect, according to her employer and friend, Bud Janes, former owner of Bick Broadcasting. 

Grace Fessenden is a graduate of Palmyra High School. 

Emmalee Drebes, a 2023 graduate of Palmyra High School, attends Truman State University and majors in nursing. Emmalee received her second year of the renewable scholarship. 

Jacob Webster, a 2021 graduate of Palmyra R-I High School, attends University of Nebraska- Lincoln. Jacob received his fourth year of the renewable scholarship. 

In 2012, Alton Vannice’s wife, Joyce, and their family, decided to honor Alton's legacy of agricultural leadership by establishing the Alton A. Vannice FFA Leadership Fund. The family endowed a scholarship for the further education of Palmyra FFA students who show outstanding leadership qualities and seek to enter agricultural careers. Alton Vannice was a 10th generation farmer who learned the skills of leadership through his experiences in the Palmyra FFA Chapter. Alton's beliefs in his community and in agriculture were expressed as he served on numerous committees and boards throughout his farming career. He gladly served in these capacities and others because he believed in the values expressed in the FFA creed: leadership, respect, the ability to work efficiently and think clearly, and in the promise of better days through better ways.

Macie Fisher is a graduate of Canton R-V High School. Macie will attend Kirkwood Community College to study early childhood education. Macie is the daughter of Hank and Kellie Fisher of Canton. 

The student scholarship recipient recommends selection of the Key Teacher award recipient. The primary consideration is for the teacher who has been most influential in helping the student to achieve academic success. Mrs. Brittany Welker is an art teacher at Canton R-V High School. With the award, Mrs. Welker hopes to purchase a new camera for her yearbook and photography classes. 

The Zenges established their fund in 2006 with the Community Foundation to provide annual scholarship and teacher recognition awards at Canton R-V High School. The scholarship provided by the Tom and Judy Zenge Fund encourages the best and brightest young men and women to enter technical careers, whether engineering, research, teaching, manufacturing or other related fields. The teacher award recognizes a teacher that continues to make learning a lifelong passion.