The Dalles High School community awards more than $350,000 in scholarships to graduating seniors

Kurt Evans, principal of The Dalles High School, opened the annual scholarship ceremony by telling the audience that “before the start of the next school year, over $350,000 will be awarded to graduates here at Nadelles High School.” He said most donations are local and that the North Wasco County School District Scholarship Foundation administers about 60 of the awards.

The ceremony — largely presentations by donors, family members and foundation board members — featured dozens of named awards ranging from $500 scholarships to larger endowments. Evans also said the scholarship foundation’s total endowment is “about 2 and a half million dollars,” and he thanked the volunteers who staff the foundation and the district’s scholarship coordinator, Andrea Gander.

The largest single awards announced included a $14,000 scholarship to Rowena Benjamin and three $10,000 scholarships from the North Wasco County PUD for Benjamin Dahl, Zachariah Banks and Maddie Brock. Other notable awards listed by presenters included a $8,000 award to Avery Schwartz; a $6,000 award to Jackson Warren; and a $5,000 award from the Doctor Richard Krohn Memorial Scholarship to Jackson Warren.

Several presenters described the purpose or eligibility for their funds before naming recipients. Wayne Von Borstel said his award honors “being an excellent community member, member of the school, and a citizen of this community,” and presented awards including $5,000 to Sydney Newby and $14,000 to Rowena Benjamin. Ken Anstatt, identified as a Scholarship Foundation board member, read multiple memorial- and field-specific scholarships that specified academic or career fields, grade-point minimums, or residency requirements.

Community organizations and families provided most awards. Examples announced during the program include scholarships from Cascade Eye Center, Bob and Mary May Memorial, Dr. Victor and Betty Mills Memorial, the Carter Family Orchard, Mid Columbia Vision Source, Hyde Family Scholarship in the medical arts, Kiwanis Club, Cascade Singers, and multiple memorial funds established by local families and alumni.

School-affiliated groups and labor organizations also awarded scholarships: the district’s Education Support Professional union presented a $500 scholarship restricted to children of classified employees; the District 21 Education Association (d 21 EA) awarded a $500 scholarship to a child of a licensed staff member; and the Colonel Wright PTO, Saint Mary’s Academy, Cherry City Crush Softball Association and other school-linked groups announced recipients.

Presenters repeatedly emphasized local volunteerism and community service as selection criteria. For example, the Marlys Krenn Memorial Scholarship described a long record of volunteer service as its touchstone, and the Steve Garrett Memorial Scholarship highlighted a mix of athletics and arts participation in its recipient.

The program included several scholarships targeted by geography or residency: the Leonora Hunter Scholarship specified Mosier, Oregon residency for eligibility; the Colleen Jenks Memorial Scholarship restricted applicants to the former Chenoweth School District No. 9 area; and several awards noted applicants must be Dallas High School graduates.

Principal Evans closed the night by thanking donors, the Scholarship Foundation board and the scholarship coordinator Andrea Gander, noting the program’s role in offsetting college costs for students. A presenter observed the ceremony’s length as “an hour and 8 minutes,” underlining the program’s size and breadth.

The ceremony did not include board action, motions, votes or policy decisions; it was a community awards presentation and record of donor-supported scholarships for The Dalles High School graduating class.