Dowagiac Union High School’s Class of 2013 received $736.615 in scholarship offers Wednesday night at the 55th annual honors program in the DUHS cafeteria.

 

“This really an incredible class. It’s going to be a joy to see what you do in the years ahead,” Supt. Dr. Mark Daniel said.

 

Principal Pieter Hoekstra, presiding at his first program, introduced Co-Valedictorians Jeremy Collins, Sydney Foote, Corinne Kasper, Katherine Pielemeier and Kristyn Turner and Salutatorian Hollie Olson, who lead the class at Dowagiac’s 149th Commencement June 2 at Chris Taylor-Alumni Field.

 

Twenty-four students achieved grade-point averages (GPAs) between 3.4 and 4.0.

 

Nineteen students will be graduating with a 3.0 (B) or higher GPA.

 

The 24 high honor graduates (* denotes National Honor Society membership) also include Georgie Alexander, Lauren Bishop, Carolina Brito*, Alexandra Carey*, Margaret Cripe*, Nathan Dodd, Shannon Gonzalez*, Jessica Herthoge, Megan Hornburg, Jordan Juday, Rebecca Luth*, Matthew Lyle*, Hannah MacDonald*, Michael Magin*, Rachel McLaughlin*, Joseph Pasternak, Easton Preston*, Brett Scanlon, Abigail Schuur, Brittany Smith*, Haley Smith*, Benjamin Thompson*, Marc Tyrakowski* and Cody Williams.

 

Nineteen honor graduates are Alejandra Cano*, Miranda Collins, Conner East, Cheryl Ennesser, Jenna File, Shane Filley, Amanda Hassle, Morgan Helmuth, Timothy Keene, Marlaina Kiggins, Paul Lamphere, Todd McIntyre, Katelynn Mitchell, Liliana Noyola, Brooke Parritt, Paige Schaus, Tia Standifer, Logan Warsko and Brittany Williams.

 

Hoekstra and Assistant Principal Kelly Millin presented Academic Awards of Excellence to Jeremy Collins, Sydney Foote, Jordan Juday, Corinne Kasper, Rebecca Luth, Hannah MacDonald, Hollie Olson, Katherine Pielemeier, Haley Smith and Kristyn Turner.

 

Martha Paulsen, representing Sister Lakes Lady Lions Club, presented its $500 scholarship to Easton Preston.

 

Ronald Jacobs and Jack Cooper, representing Sister Lakes Lions Club, awarded its $1,000 scholarship to Paul Lamphere.

 

Guidance counselor Randy Luthringer, representing Elks Lodge 889, gave the Elks Most Valuable Student Scholarship and the Michigan Elks Most Valuable Student Scholarship of $1,000 each to Kristyn Turner.

 

Retired superintendent Larry Crandall, on behalf of Dowagiac Rotary Club, presented its $500 scholarship to Easton Preston.

 

Jason Jamison, representing the Veterans of Foreign Wars Men’s Auxiliary, gave its scholarship to Haley Smith.

 

Karen Judd, Lee Memorial Foundation chair, presented Leo Krziza and Esther Krziza-Condry scholarships to Matthew Lyle, Hollie Olson and Easton Preston.

 

Chuck Timmons, secretary of the Michigan Masonic Charitable Foundation, presented its scholarship to Paul Lamphere.

 

Barb Guse, representing Cass County Republican Women’s Club, awarded its $750 scholarship to Rebecca Luth.

 

Rhonda Lyle, on behalf of Zeta Chi Sorority Chapter of Beta Sigma Phi, presented the Toni Shaer Memorial Scholarship to Logan Warsko.

 

David and Camille Briegel presented the 23rd Steven Briegel Memorial Scholarship to Jenna File.

 

Sister Kiele Belew awarded Kameron Belew Memorial Scholarships to Margaret Cripe, Paul Lamphere, Kristyn Turner and Logan Warsko.

 

Kameron, a former all-conference linebacker who graduated in 2005, was 19 when he died in an auto accident on Rudy Road Dec. 31, 2006.

 

Luthringer gave the Kenneth Dehring Memorial Scholarship to Katelyn Lee. Mr. Dehring, who died in the spring of 1999, counseled at Central Middle School.

 

Phil Kidman, on behalf of the Knights of Columbus, presented the $1,000 John Tuka/Tony Krukowski Memorial Scholarship to Matthew Lyle.

 

Hoekstra presented the $300 memorial scholarship for math teacher Ron Latourette to Jordan Juday.

 

Undersheriff Richard Behnke presented his brother Craig Behnke’s memorial scholarship for community involvement from Dowagiac Lions Club to Sydney Foote.

 

Behnke, representing Cass County Sheriff’s Office, bestowed community policing scholarships on Hollie Olson and Haley Smith.

 

Retired principal Dave Strlekar presented Dowagiac Optimist Club’s $500 scholarship to Hollie Olson.

 

Sodexo Services hospitality scholarships of $500 each went to Margaret Cripe and Kristyn Turner.

 

Quality Dining Inc. gave a $1,000 Burger King McLamore Foundation Scholarship to Katherine Pielemeier.

 

Lori Ruff, Midwest Energy community relations specialist, awarded the Cassopolis cooperative’s $1,000 scholarship to Kristyn Turner.

 

Hoekstra, on behalf of the Michigan Hispanic Caucus, the Latino Commission of Michigan and the Capital Area Cesar Chavez Commission, presented a $500 scholarship to Petra Torres.

 

Russ Barnes, representing Dowagiac Education Association, awarded $500 DEA scholarships to Jeremy Collins, Matthew Lyle and Kristyn Turner.

 

Former queens Courtney Livingston (2005) and Gabrielle Dorman (2011), representing the Miss Dowagiac Scholarship Pageant, gave its scholarships to Miss Dowagiac Amanda Hassle ($2,000), Second Runner-up and communications winner Katelyn Lee ($1,200) and Miss Congeniality Brittany Smith ($250).

 

Robbyn Candelaria, representing Van Buren Technology Center, gave National Technical Honor Society cords and stoles to Carolina Brito and Megan Hornburg.

 

Ismael Moreno accepted the $1,000 Lane Automotive Scholarship and Auto Mechanics Student of the Year from Dan Buzuzalski, Van Buren Technology Center.

 

Amy Anderson, Educational Talent Search director at Southwestern Michigan College, presented the 2013 MI-CAPP Education Foundation Academic Achievement Endowment Scholarship to Rebecca Luth.

 

Millin, on behalf of K&M Machine-Fabricating Inc., presented the $2,000 Earl G. Marhanka Scholarship to Jordan Juday.

 

Kim Luthringer, SMC enrollment representative, announced Award of Excellence Scholarships for half tuition and fees to Michael Magin and Haley Smith.

 

She also presented $1,000 SMC honors scholarships to Harley Beaver, Jenna File, Liliana Noyola, Abigail Schuur and Tia Standifer and $250 early college scholarship awards to Alejandro Cano, Shannon Gonzalez and Haley Smith.

 

A $1,500 University of Michigan Regents Merit Scholarship went to Sydney Foote.

 

Grand Valley State University bestowed $4,000 Laker Scholarships on Matthew Lyle and Hollie Olson.

 

Jessica Herthoge and Carolina Brito received Lake Michigan College Board of Trustees Scholarships for $1,000 a semester from Jeremy Schaeffer.

 

Schaeffer presented LMC Board of Trustees and Winners Circle scholarships ($500 a semester) to Joseph Pasternak, who will play soccer for the Redhawks.

 

Ancilla College, gave a $4,000 REAch Scholarship to softball player Rachel Bailey.

 

Western Michigan University, presented the Dean’s Scholarship and the WMU Residence Hall Award for $7,000 to Nathan Dodd and a $1,500 Excellence Scholarship to Brett Scanlon.

 

Rachel McLaughlin accepted a $12,000 Valparaiso University Forte Scholarship.

 

A $16,000 Ferris State University Provost’s Scholarship was presented to Megan Hornburg.

 

Eastern Michigan University gave $46,000 in Education First Opportunity Scholarships to Rebecca Luth, Easton Preston and Brittany Smith.

 

Defiance College in Ohio awarded its $24,000 scholarship to Dallas Hale to play football while majoring in criminal justice.

 

Jeremy Collins received a $24,000 Wayne State University Gold Scholarship for psychology.

 

Adrian College, presented its Dean Scholarship and Academic Department Scholarship for $44,000 to Amanda Hassle.

 

Jordan Juday is getting the Presidential Scholar and Academic Department Scholarship from Adrian for $52,000.

 

St. Joseph’s College Merit Scholarships for $52,000 each went to Todd McIntyre and Logan Polomcak for football.

 

Kalamazoo College’s $72,000 Presidential Scholarship was awarded to Katherine Pielemeier.

 

Albion College’s Webster Scholarship and the Albion Alumni Award for Margaret Cripe give Margaret Cripe $74,000 to study business.

 

Central Michigan University presented its most prestigious Centralis Scholar Award for $90,000 to Kristyn Turner, one of 40 selected from 1,800 applicants.

 

Sarah Squires received an ITT Opportunity Scholarship.

 

The U.S. Marines awarded an $8,000 scholarship to Cody Williams.

 

Jessica Herthoge and Joseph Pasternak picked up U.S. Army Reserve National Scholar/Athlete Awards and Sydney Foote, Corinne Kasper and Kristyn Turner collected Michigan High School Athletic Association Scholar-Athlete Awards.

 

Toni Pasternak of the guidance office coordinated the program.