Sophia and Elmer Oerter Charitable Foundation Annual Scholar Recognition
"Student Recognition for Academic Achievement and Leadership"
The Sophia and Elmer Oerter Foundation was created pursuant to the Last Will of Sophia Oerter. In her Will, Sophia Oerter made a provision which provided for a monetary donation to create a Foundation in her and her husband’s name for the purpose of “promoting, furthering and supporting charitable, education, literary, religious and public objectives and programs within and without the City of Columbia, Illinois”. The Foundation has been in existence since 1987 with its registered agent being Crowder & Scoggins, Ltd., a law firm in Columbia.
In 1988 through 2005, the Foundation honored students from Columbia, Dupo, Gibault, Valmeyer, and Waterloo High Schools. Beginning in 2006, the Foundation not only honored the scholars from those high schools but also began awarding a $500.00 scholarship to the top scholar from each high school. The Foundation began hosting an annual banquet, as well, for the scholars, their family, their school administrators, and their teachers. In 2017, the Foundation increased its scholarship award to $1,000.00 to the top five (5) honor students.
Since 2019, the Foundation continues to honor students who are in the top 15% of their senior class with one of those students who displays “exemplary efforts not only in scholarship, but in character, service and leadership” being awarded a $2,500.00 scholarship.
CONGRATULATIONS to the 2021 - 2022 Oerter Foundation Recognized Scholars and the 2021 - 2022 Scholarship Winners listed below!
In 1988 through 2005, the Foundation honored students from Columbia, Dupo, Gibault, Valmeyer, and Waterloo High Schools. Beginning in 2006, the Foundation not only honored the scholars from those high schools but also began awarding a $500.00 scholarship to the top scholar from each high school. The Foundation began hosting an annual banquet, as well, for the scholars, their family, their school administrators, and their teachers. In 2017, the Foundation increased its scholarship award to $1,000.00 to the top five (5) honor students.
Since 2019, the Foundation continues to honor students who are in the top 15% of their senior class with one of those students who displays “exemplary efforts not only in scholarship, but in character, service and leadership” being awarded a $2,500.00 scholarship.
CONGRATULATIONS to the 2021 - 2022 Oerter Foundation Recognized Scholars and the 2021 - 2022 Scholarship Winners listed below!
2021 - 2022 Recognized Scholars
Columbia High School |
Avery Allen |
Isabella Crabtree |
Evan Descher |
Madison Ebner - Scholarship Winner |
Avery Flowers |
Luke Haubein |
Riley Henderson |
Alexa Hildebrand |
Jolie Hilgedieck |
Kaitlyn Koenigstein |
Jason Kuchinski |
Kylee McGuire |
Zachary O'Leary |
Madelyn Parker |
Alexander Patrick |
Ella Riley |
Alexis Schlemmer |
Kiersten Shane |
Kami Steffenauer |
Alexis Voelkel |
Dupo High School |
Emily Baugh |
Alexis Curtis |
Tommy Dixon |
Abigail Francis |
Katie Harr |
Hailey Keys - Scholarship Winner |
Bryce Koonce |
Breanna Portell |
Saran Vanover |
Gibault Catholic High School |
Elayna Hermanns |
Faith Miskell |
Evan Muehlher |
Noah Newton |
Autumn Ramey |
Jacob Whitworth - Scholarship Winner |
Valmeyer High School |
Ariana Gibbs - Scholarship Winner |
Isabella McCarthy |
Jordan McSchooler |
Frederick Schaefer |
Sophie Seidler |
Waterloo High School |
Austin Bedford - Scholarship Winner |
Haley Bell |
Ella Bockhorn |
Meredith Britton |
Aidan Brown |
Savanna Cawvey |
Sarah Crump |
Isabella Del Re |
Bailey Du Chenne |
Kristina Ferry |
Sophie Foster |
Josephine Giffhorn |
Joely Goulding |
Ryan Hanks |
Anthony Irovic |
Marah Johnston |
Karley Kinzinger |
Madeline Leifeld |
Nathaniel Lenhardt |
Kendall MacDonald |
Hailey Montgomery |
Olivia Most |
Payton Richter |
Drew Rose |
Jack Schnepel |
Ian Schrader |
Ellie Schwehr |
Alexis Stumpf |
Emma Tiedemann |
Chase Veto |
