Central Minnesota Community Foundation Awards $544,000 in Scholarships to Students

(KNSI) – The Central Minnesota Community Foundation has announced the winners of its 2025-2026 scholarship program, awarding over half a million dollars to 228 students from more than 60 high schools to further their education.

The scholarships give students between $150 and $20,000 from various endowments and memorial funds established by community members and organizations. Some of the biggest include the Granite Companies Scholarship Fund and the Little Mountain Summit Scholarship Fund, which granted two $20,000 scholarships to Monticello High School students.

The winning students are pursuing diverse educational paths, from traditional four-year degrees to trades and technical programs.

Students interested in applying for next year’s scholarships can find applications beginning December 1st.

Click here for more information.

Scholarship Recipients from Central Minnesota Include:

ACGC High School

Brooke Schultz – $1,500 from the Bernick Family Trades Scholarship Fund

Albany High School

Ellyana Sand – $1,500 from the Bernick Family Trades Scholarship Fund
Keenan Dingmann – $1,000 from the Bill and Joyce Coborn Memorial Scholarship Fund
Grace Burg – $4,000 from the Granite Companies Scholarship Fund
Kayla Forster – $4,000 from the Granite Companies Scholarship Fund
Katelyn Mareck – $8,000 from the Granite Companies Scholarship Fund

Apollo High School

Olivia Bisping – $500 from the Sartell Police Assn/Brian Klinefelter Law Enforcement Scholarship Fund and $2,000 from the Greater St. Cloud Public Safety Foundation Scholarship Fund
Cadaan Miller – $1,500 from the Paul Edward Host Memorial Scholarship Fund

Becker High School

Makayla Hoefs – $2,000 from the Bernick Family Scholarship Fund
Cadence Koste – $2,500 from the Evelyn Lenander Education Fund
Courtney Halvorson – $6,000 from the Granite Companies Scholarship Fund

Belgrade-Brooten-Elrosa High School

Coby DenHartog – $1,500 from the Bernick Family Trades Scholarship Fund
Victoria Reed – $1,000 from the Bill and Joyce Coborn Memorial Scholarship Fund

Eden Valley-Watkins High School

Ellaree Anderson – $500 from the Wat-Kim-Valley VFW Post #5460 Scholarship Fund
Justin Becker – $1,500 from the Donald B. Schlangen Memorial Scholarship Fund
Rachel Coulter – $8,000 from the Granite Companies Scholarship Fund
Riley Geislinger – $1,500 from the Wat-Kim-Valley VFW Post #5460 Scholarship Fund
Megan Hesse – $1,000 from the Christine Olivia Maul Memorial Fund
Paige Kneip – $150 from the Gaspar Family Scholarship–Eden Valley Watkins Area Fund
Marissa Laudenbach – $500 from the Korman–Eden Valley Watkins Area Foundation Fund
Henry Lemke – $1,200 from the Farmers & Merchants State Bank General Scholarship Fund
Mitchell Lipinski – $1,200 from the Farmers & Merchants State Bank General Scholarship Fund and $1,000 from the Wat-Kim-Valley VFW Post #5460 Scholarship Fund
Treyce Ludwig – $1,000 from the LeRoy H. Nolan Scholarship (EVWAF) Fund
Abby Niewind – $300 from the Fink Memorial Scholarship–Eden Valley Watkins Area Fund

Foley High School

Madeline Adkisson – $600 from the Severyn and Irene Youso Scholarship Fund
Will Albers – $1,000 from the John and Joan Youso Wisniewski Fund
Chloe Bechtold – $1,000 from the Foley Area Foundation Scholarship Fund
Chase Dahler – $2,000 from the Alan Peterson Agricultural Scholarship Fund
Lydia Kowitz – $500 from the George Kinney & Eilleene Kinney Scholarship Fund
Skylar Morris – $500 from the Burton Olson Scholarship Fund
Ann Sobania – $8,000 from the Granite Companies Scholarship Fund
Arlayna Wirth – $1,500 from the Svihel Schaefer Scholarship Fund
Victoria Ziwicki – $750 from the Bill Rasmussen Memorial Scholarship Fund

Kimball High School

Jonathan Serbus – $2,000 from the Wat-Kim-Valley VFW Post #5460 Scholarship Fund

Lena-Winslow High School (IL)

Cienna Kerr – $1,000 from the Bill and Joyce Coborn Memorial Scholarship Fund

Little Falls Community High School

Elizabeth Blair – $5,000 from the Alice L. Schubert Medical Scholarship Fund

Melrose Area High School

Brooke Klaphake – $1,000 from the Barbara Bloch Scholarship Fund
Brian Hernandez – $2,000 from the St. Cloud Builders Exchange Legacy Scholarship Fund

ROCORI High School

Aaron Baisley – $5,000 from the Alice L. Schubert Medical Scholarship Fund
Bridget Bohnsack – $2,000 from the Bernick Family Scholarship Fund
Allie Faber – $1,000 from the Andy and Carol Hilger Pro-Life Scholarship Fund
Avery Jacobson – $5,000 from the Alice L. Schubert Medical Scholarship Fund
Autumn Kron – $1,000 from the Bernice and Walter Decker Family Scholarship Fund
Kaitlin Reitmeier – $2,000 from the Alan Peterson Agricultural Scholarship Fund
Avery Winter – $6,000 from the Granite Companies Scholarship Fund
Luke Zimmer – $2,000 from the St. Cloud Builders Exchange Legacy Scholarship Fund

Sartell High School

Libby Crandall – $5,000 from the Alice L. Schubert Medical Scholarship Fund
Andrew Hackenmueller – $2,000 from the Bernick Family Scholarship Fund
Tyler Larson – $1,000 from the Bill and Joyce Coborn Memorial Scholarship Fund
Brenna Lenzmeier – $3,000 from the George and Shirley Torrey Nursing Scholarship Fund
Andrew McClellan – $2,000 from the Greater St. Cloud Public Safety Foundation Scholarship Fund
Bennett Prose – $2,000 from the Bernick Family Scholarship Fund
Emelia Schroeder – $8,000 from the Granite Companies Scholarship Fund
Daniel Zacher – $1,000 from the Bill and Joyce Coborn Memorial Scholarship Fund
Morgan Weber – $3,000 from the George and Shirley Torrey Nursing Scholarship Fund

Sauk Centre High School

Jacob Jennissen – $3,000 from the Evelyn Lenander Education Fund
Mackenzie Ritter – $1,000 from the Bill and Joyce Coborn Memorial Scholarship Fund
Madelyn Schuster – $1,000 from the Bill and Joyce Coborn Memorial Scholarship Fund

Sauk Rapids-Rice High School

Abby Feddema – $1,000 from the Julie Ann Hanson Scholarship Fund
Mason Fincher – $2,000 from the St. Cloud Builders Exchange Legacy Scholarship Fund
Deagan Gondeck – $1,000 from the Julie Ann Hanson Scholarship Fund
Ayla Kissinger – $1,000 from the Julie Ann Hanson Scholarship Fund
Lauren Klein – $4,000 from the Granite Companies Scholarship Fund
Ethan Mader – $1,000 from the Brian Klinefelter: Law Enforcement at Alexandria Technical and Community College Fund and $2,000 from the Greater St. Cloud Public Safety Foundation Scholarship Fund
Elliott Miller – $2,000 from the Bernick Family Scholarship Fund
Skyler Petermeier – $1,500 from the Bernick Family Trades Scholarship Fund
Mason Sabraski – $1,000 from the Julie Ann Hanson Scholarship Fund
Evan Scapanski – $2,000 from the Miller Architects and Builders Industry Scholarship Fund
Jonah Thell – $1,200 from the Farmers & Merchants State Bank General Scholarship Fund
Ellie Voth – $1,000 from the Brian Klinefelter Family Scholarship Fund
Imayah Williams – $2,000 from the Greater St. Cloud Public Safety Foundation Scholarship Fund

St. Cloud Tech High School

Dillen Avenson – $500 from the Dan Fouquette Scholarship–St. Cloud National Bank Fund
Nolan Avenson – $1,000 from the David Torrey Memorial Scholarship Fund
Amarr Boyongo – $2,000 from the Greater St. Cloud Public Safety Foundation Scholarship Fund
Penelope Carpenter – $1,500 from the Leo and Agnes Bauerly Memorial Scholarship Fund
Declan Frantesl – $1,000 from the David Torrey Memorial Scholarship Fund
Gavin Gall – $2,000 from the Bernick Family Scholarship Fund and $1,000 from the David Torrey Memorial Scholarship Fund
Madison Hagen – $2,000 from the Arlene Helgeson Scholarship Fund
Jacob Knier – $2,000 from the Arlene Helgeson Scholarship Fund
Teagan Ruprecht – $8,000 from the Granite Companies Scholarship Fund
Charlie Streit – $1,000 from the Tom Pierce Optimist Scholarship Fund

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