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 2022 - 2023 Oerter Foundation Recognized Scholars and the 2022 - 2023 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 2022 - 2023 Oerter Foundation Recognized Scholars and the 2022 - 2023 Scholarship Winners listed below!
2023 - 2024 Recognized Scholars
Columbia High School |
Layne Albers |
Brianna Bean |
Zane Bergmann |
Annelyse Birner |
Noah Boyer-Edwards - Scholarship Winner |
Amanda Chace |
Angela Chen |
Samuel Denny |
Megan Fredenberg |
Abby Foster |
Ethan Hogan |
Emily Jackson |
Sage Laxton |
Paige Prewitt |
Ava Rehmer |
Lucas Riebeling |
Samantha Snow |
Amy Velnosky |
Paige White |
Connor Yochum |
Delaney Zarlingo |
Dupo High School |
Madison Ehrhard |
Audrey Ham |
Brianna Jackson |
Megan Kimbrel |
Page Mushaney - Winner |
Mary Robinson |
Noah Theurer |
Paul Woods |
Gibault Catholic High School |
Kinsey Biehl |
Elseah Congiardo |
Gavin Kesler |
Brock Murphy |
Krona Newton |
Hannah Perjak - Scholarship Winner |
Lucy Range |
Lee Vermeulen |
Valmeyer High School |
Gracie Kohler |
Mia McSchooler |
Kierstin Miller |
BrookeMiller |
Caleb Seboldt - Scholarship Winner |
Grace Williams |
Waterloo High School |
Chloe Aubuschon |
Amelia Barnes |
Natalee Bell |
Dylan Brewer |
Charles Bulman |
Olivia Colson |
Derek DuChene |
Nadia Franks |
Ashlyn Garrett |
McKenzie Gower |
Madelyn Gummersheimer |
Angelynn Kanyuck |
Kyle Kern |
Ali Kloeppel |
Amanda Lammert |
Allison Levendoski |
Isaac Lohman |
Madison Marquardt |
Mia Miller |
Danielle Mudd |
Garrett Mueller |
Lauren Patterson |
Avery Scace |
Ethan Schimpf |
Mars Shufelt |
Amelia Stellhorn |
Derek Taylor |
Summer Wilson - Scholarship Winner |
Justin Witt |
Isaac Woodruff |
