The 2012 graduating class of Dowagiac Union High School accrued more than $643,000 in scholarships Wednesday during the 54th annual Honors Program.

Local organizations, universities and the U.S. military delivered $643,936 in total scholarships to honorable seniors who will graduate from DUHS June 3. Among the many officials on hand to present the certificates and awards, Dowagiac Union High School Supt. Mark Daniel spoke, detailing how important this time in their lives is.

“This is the 54th annual Honors Program,” Daniel said to the audience of parents and friends. “This tells you a little about the support Dowagiac has.”

One thing Daniel urged all the award recipients to do once they graduated was to “stretch.”

“You’ve done wonderful things in the classroom, but I challenge you to continue that learning,” Daniel said. “And fail. It’s okay to fail. If you don’t stretch…you don’t make those leaps you have the potential to make.”

Among many scholarships given, many totaling in hundreds to thousands of dollars, one of the largest included the Presidential Scholarship and Cardinal Chorus Scholarship from North Central College in Naperville, Ill. The recipient, Samantha Hess, received $74,000.

“I’m extremely fortunate and grateful,” Hess said, who will double major in music theater performance and English, while minoring in secondary education.

Craig Zebell, who was named valedictorian of his class, also received a similar scholarship: the Moody Bible Institute Endowment worth $72,000.

“It’s really humbling,” Zebell said. “I’m excited to head to Chicago and it’s great that this can help towards my college.”

Kirsten Novak received the Awards of Excellence Scholarship from Southwestern Michigan College, which will pay half of her tuition. Novak said she was really happy and that it felt “pretty good” to be given such an honor.

Daniel said that he wanted to encourage the students to go out and do something they love.

“Hopefully, one day you can come back to Dowagiac and do that for the community,” Daniel said.