STE. GENEVIEVE — Ste. Genevieve High School Class of 2026 graduate and valedictorian Gavin Gegg has been awarded first place in the VFW Auxiliary Department of Missouri Past National Presidents Scholarship competition, earning an $1,800 scholarship.
The scholarship is awarded annually by the VFW Auxiliary Department of Missouri in honor of past National Presidents Mabel Tanner, Glenneta Vogelsang and Brenda Bryant. Two Missouri high school seniors are selected each year, with first place receiving a $1,800 scholarship and second place receiving a $1,200 scholarship.
To be considered, applicants must be the sibling, child, grandchild or great-grandchild of a current or deceased member of the Missouri VFW or VFW Auxiliary. Students submit letters of recommendation, a high school transcript and an essay highlighting their community involvement, volunteer service, honors and participation in school and community organizations.
Gegg qualified for the scholarship through his grandmother, Debra Pfaff, a member of Ste. Genevieve VFW Auxiliary Post 2210.
The son of Wes and Stephanie Gegg, Gavin was selected as the top applicant from across the state of Missouri, recognizing his academic excellence, leadership and commitment to serving his school and community.
Ste. Genevieve County R-II congratulates Gavin on this outstanding achievement and wishes him continued success in his future endeavors.
About Gavin:
Gavin’s scholastic honors include: being distinguished as one of the top academic students in the state through the 2026 Missouri Scholars 100 program, being valedictorian of the Class of 2026; being in the Top 10 Percent of his class all four years; earning Summa Cum Laude and being on the A Honor Roll all four years; earning a superscore of 36 on the ACT; and earning the following class awards: English I, Industrial Woods, Engineering Graphics and ACT Prep. Gavin received the Bright Flight Scholarship, a Missouri merit-based scholarship with a current maximum amount of $3000 per year to qualifying graduating seniors who enroll in a Missouri accredited college or university. Gavin was recognized as the Elks Student of the Month for October for SGHS. Gavin received the College Board Rural and Small-Town Recognition Award for 2024 and the CollegeBoard National Recognition Program Award for 2025. He also attended Missouri