Students earn numerous awards in several categories
By Jim Beers
CHESTER – Monday May 8th was 2023-2024 Chester High School Honors Night. The annual event was a highlight of a school year full of hard work and countless accomplishments. Students, parents, faculty, staff and guests gathered in Colbert Memorial Gymnasium to honor students3 for their excellence.
Casey Hawkins, Chester High School Counselor and Director of Student Services, organized and coordinated the event with assistance from Student Services employee Christa Howie and CHS Administrators Jeremy Blechle, Principal and Robin Barton, Assistant Principal.
District # 139 Superintendent, Kimberly Briggs, was on hand along with numerous faculty and staff to witness the recognition of student success, awards, and scholarships. The ceremony began at precisely 6:00 p.m. with a warm welcome from Ms. Hawkins, who thanked everyone for being on hands to help witness and praise CHS students for their dedication and drive towards academic success.
The first 30-minutes was dedicated to recognizing students with high academic honors with the presentation of the prestigious “Academic C” Awards. In all there were a total of 59 students who earned “Academic C” chenille letters or bars for their letters.
Students at CHS earn the chenille “Letter” the first time that they qualify for this high honor and a metal bar for each year thereafter that they qualify. A total of four such awards, one for each school year, can be earned by having a cumulative grade Point Average (GPA) of 3.75 or higher in their 1st, 3rd, 5th or 7th semester grade report.
There were 25 freshmen, 12 sophomores, nine juniors, and 13 seniors that were presented with the “Academic C” Awards. Ms. Hawkins and Principal Blechle presented these awards. Those recipients are listed in this document.
To close out the first 30-minute portion of the event, Jennifer Cartwright, CHS Athletic Director, presented five different major athletic awards including two Scott Egge Memorial Scholar/Athletic Awards, one male and one female; two Dick Roth Sportsmanship Awards; one Fritz Roth Award; one Jeff Brown Award; and one Mike McLean Memorial Football Award.
A total of seven students received these awards represented in the five categories. These awards were non-monetary awards. Recipients have their names engraved on perpetual plaques that are located on the upper concourse of Colbert Memorial Gymnasium by the James F. Sharp Cafeteria doors. The respective award winners are listed in this document.
Following the presentation of the “Academic C” and Athletic Awards, Ms. Hawkins announced that there would be a brief intermission after which the College Local Scholarships would be presented.
Ms. Hawkins began the second portion of the event with another warm welcome and the recognition of senior members of the CHS Summit Chapter of the National Honor Society (NHS). NHS sponsors, Sophia Durbin and Evelyn Hankins conducted the recognition.
Each of the 18 honorees received a certificate and were presented with gold cords which were to be proudly worn on their graduation gowns at the 2024 CHS Graduation Ceremony.
The 18 members included Jordan Buskhol, Katelin Conway, Emma Diskey, Isaiah Roth, John Gilbert, Dyson Helmers, Garret Hopkins, Haley Hoskin, Jessica Ixcoy, Korbin Jany, Hannah Kaempfe, Amanda Kennon, Kinsli McCartney, Rylie McDonough, Chloe Miller, Lucas Thompson, Kaci Trost, and Mabry Wingerter.
The scholarship portion of the event featured graduating seniors who were primarily going to attend trade school, junior college or a four-year college next year. The scholarships presented were local scholarships for the most part.
There were 32 different types of local scholarships, some of which had multiple recipients amounting to 45 scholarship presentations.
The local scholarships and the number of recipients receiving them included American Legion (3); Buena Vista Bank (1), Chappius Fieschi Memorial (1), Chester Chamber of Commerce (2); Chester Eagles (2); Chester Education Association (1); Chester High School Alumni (2); Chester Masonic Lodge 72 (2); Chester VFW 3553 (2); Chester Women’s Club (2); Alice and Elmer Eggemeyer (1); Thomas R. and Pauline G. Evans (1); Chester Knights of Columbus (1); Koeneman Family (1); The Manor at Craig Farms (1); Marion Eye Center (2); Mary Katherine Mueller (1); Pat Mulholland (1); Randolph County Democrats (1); Chester Rotary Club (1); Schaffner Masonic Scholarship Foundation (5); Gary A. Schwent Memorial Scholarship (1); Carolyn Schwent Scholarship (1); Edna Sharp Scholarship (1); Jake Sharp Scholarship (1); Roseanna Sharp-Myers Scholarship (1); Rebecca Young Memorial Scholarship (1); Dr. Milton Zemlyn Memorial Scholarship (1); Leah Search Memorial Scholarship (1); SADD Blood Drive Scholarship (1); National Honor Society Blood Drive Scholarship (1); and 1st Lt. Bruce R. Welge Memorial Scholarship (1).
Four CHS Class of 2024 graduating seniors have committed to Southern Illinois University at Carbondale. They each received “Southern Illinois University School Counselor Choice Scholarships”. Those students include Anarosa Ruiz Huerta, Isaiah Roth, Jacob Pfiefer, and Cailey Bainter.
There were also (8) Chester High School students that have enrolled at Southwestern Illinois College (SWIC). Those eight students ranked in the Top-20 Percent of the CHS Graduating Class of 2024. All eight students received “SWIC Top-20%” Scholarships.
These recipients included Kaci Trost, Hannah Kaempfe, Emma Diskey, Korbin Jany, Chloe Miller, Rylie McDonough, Kinsli McCartney, and Chase Gilbert.
Altogether, there were 57 local scholarships presented to CHS students amounting to $276,000.00. When college/university awards were added to that total, the amount of funding allocated to Chester High School seniors amounted to approximately 2.2 Million Dollars.
The Chester High School Principal’s Award was earned by Mabry Wingerter. This award is a non-monetary award that is presented for outstanding leadership. Miss Wingerter was honored at an Illinois Principal’s Association Breakfast and presented with a certificate for her accomplishments.
Specific listings of local scholarship awards:
Chester Scholarships 2024
American Legion Chester post 487
- Haley Hoskin
- Mabry Wingerter
- Korbin Jany
Buena Vista National Bank
- Mabry Wingerter
Chappius, Camille Fieschi Memorial
- Isaiah Roth
Chester Chamber of Commerce
- Camryn Luthy
- Haley Hoskin
Chester Eagles 3252
- Mabry Wingerter
- Garret Hopkins
Chester Educational Association
- Korbin Jany
Chester High School Alumni
- Dyson Helmers
- Jessica Ixcoy Sica
Chester Masonic Lodge 72
- Korbin Jany
- Maison Shemonic
Chester VFW
- Mabry Wingerter
- Amanda Kennon
Chester Women’s Club
- Mabry Wingerter
- Garret Hopkins
Alice and Elmer Eggemeyer
- Mabry Wingerter
Thomas R and Pauline G Evans
- Garret Hopkins
Knights of Columbus
- Garret Hopkins
Koeneman Family
- Mabry Wingerter
Manor at Craig Farms
- Anarosa Ruiz Huerta
Marion Eye Center
- Haley Hoskin
- Garret Hopkins
Mary Katherine Mueller
- Liberty McCormick
Pat Mulholland
- Liberty McCormick
Randolph County Democrats
- Kaylie Springston
Rotary Club
- Lucas Thompson
Schaffner Masonic Scholarship Foundation
- Liberty McCormick
- Garret Hopkins
- Anarosa Ruiz Huerta
- Korbin Jany
- Mabry Wingerter
Gary A Schwent Memorial Scholarship
- Alexis Eggemeyer
Carolyn Schwent Scholarship
- Jordan Buskohl
Edna Sharp Scholarship
- Hannah Kaempfe
Jake Sharp
- Liberty McCormick
Roseanna Sharp-Myers
- Bethany Baughman
Rebecca Young Memorial Scholarship
- Liberty McCormick
Dr. Milton Zemlyn Memorial Scholarship
- Anarosa Ruiz Huerta
Leah Search Memorial Scholarship
- Hannah Kaempfe
Blood Drive Scholarship SADD
- Bethany Baughman
Blood Drive Scholarship National Honor Society
- Jessica Ixcoy Sica
DAR Good Citizen Chapter Winner
- Garret Hopkins
1st Lt. Bruce R. Welge Memorial Scholarship
- Grace Welborn
Principals Award
- Mabry Wingerter
SIUC School Counselor Choice Scholarship
- Anarosa Ruiz Huerta, Isaiah Roth, Jacob Pfieffer, Cailey Bainter
SWIC top 20 percent of graduating class scholarship
- Kaci Trost, Hannah Kaempfe, Emma Diskey, Korbin Jay, Chloe Miller, Rylie McDonough, Kinsli McCartney, Chase Gilbert
Scott Eric Egge Memorial Scholar/Athlete Award
- Lucas Thompson
- Grace Welborn
Dick Roth Sportsmanship Award
- Garret Hopkins
- Josalynn Anaya
Fritz Roth Award
- Korbin Jany
Jeff Brown Memorial Track Award
- Jazzi Merideth
Mike McLean Memorial Football Award
- Gage Hopkins
Dr. James Krieg presents Anarosa Ruiz Huerta with the Dr. Milton Zemlyn Scholarship. Anarosa also received the SIU School Counselor Choice Scholarship, the Schaffner Masonic Scholarship, and the Manor at Craig Farms Scholarship. Jim Beers Photo
Paul Zemlyn, Past President of the Chester Eagles presents the Chester Eagles Scholarship Aerie 3252 to Garret Hopkins and Mabry Wingerter. Jim Beers Photo
Steve Colonel, CHS Band Director, presents the 2024 Camille Chappius Memorial Scholarship to Isaiah Roth. Roth also received the SIU School Counselor Choice Scholarship. Jim Beers Photo
Sharp Scholarships: Hannah Kaempfe, Bethany Baughman, and Liberty McCormick (left to right) received the Sharp Scholarships. Kaempfe received the Edna Sharp Scholarship; Baughman received the Roseanna Sharp Scholarship; and McCormick received the Jake Sharp Scholarship. Jim Beers Photo
Chester High School Alumni Scholarship: The 2024 recipients of the Chester high School Alumni Scholarships were Jessica Ixcoy-Sica and Dyson Helmers. Making the presentation was Paul Stallman. Jim Beers Photo
Chamber of Commerce-Camryn Luthy (left) and Haley Hoskin (right) received the Chester Chamber of Commerce Scholarships. Making the presentation was Jeremy Blechle, CHS Principal
Chester Rotary Club: Crystal Lance presents Lucas Thompson with the 2024 Chester Rotary Scholarship. Jim Beers Photo
Chester High School senior Mabry Wingerter, daughter of Chris and Nicki Wingerter of Chester, received several scholarships and awards at the 2024 CHS Honors Night, including, The Koeneman Scholarship, Schaffner Masonic Scholarship Foundation Scholarship, American Legion Post 487 Scholarship, Buena Vista National Bank Scholarship, Chester VFW Post 3553 Scholarship, Chester Women’s Club Scholarship, The Alice and Elmer Eggemeyer Scholarship, as well as the Illinois Principal’s Association Principal’s Award for Leadership, and a CHS Senior National Honor Society Recognition. Jim Beers Photo
Chester High School senior Garret Hopkins, son of Ryan and Christy Hopkins of Chester, received several scholarships and awards at the 2024 CHS Honors Night, including, DAR Good Citizen Award, Thomas R. and Pauline G. Evans Scholarship, Chester Knights of Columbus Scholarship, Marion Eye Center Scholarship, Schaffner Masonic Scholarship Foundation Scholarship, Chester Women’s Club Scholarship, The Dick Roth Sportsmanship Award, and a CHS Senior National Honor Society Recognition. Jim Beers Photo
Terri Bryant’s Youth Advisory Council: Emma Diskey, Jordan Buskohl, Garret Hopkins, Lucas Thompson, and Mabry Wingerter (left to right) received recognition at the 2024 CHS Honors Night for serving throughout the 2023-2024 school year the Senator Terri Bryant Illinois Youth Council. Jim Beers Photo
Senior Scholarship recipients. The prestigious group of Chester High School Class of 2024 seniors received college scholarships at the 2024 CHS Honors Night Wednesday May 8. There were a total of 26 people that were available for this photo. (Row 1, left to right): Lucas Thompson, Kinsli McCartney, Mabry Wingerter, Amanda Kennon, Haley Hoskin, Cailey Bainter, Rylie McDonough, and Jacob Pfieffer. (Row 2, left to right): Chase Gilbert, Libby McCormick, Grace Welborn, Bethany Baughman, Alexis Eggemeyer, Hannah Kaempfe, Camryn Luthy, Jordan Buskhol, and Emma Diskey. (Row 3, left to right): Isaiah Roth, Jessica Ixcoy Sica, Chloe Miller, Anarosa Ruiz Huerta, Korbin Jany, Garret Hopkins, Ms. Casey Hawkins, School Counselor and Coordinator of Honors Night, Dyson Helmers, and Kaylie Springston. Not Pictured: Kaci Trost Jim Beers Photo
Jeff Brown Memorial Track Award: Jennifer Cartwright (right) presents Jasmine “Jazzi” Merideth (left) with the Jeff Brown Memorial Track Award. Jim Beers Photo