April 28, 2024
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$41,000 in scholarships awarded to 17 students at Starved Rock Country Community Foundation reception

Awards given throughout La Salle, Bureau, Putnam, Grundy counties region

By Shaw Local News Network
Scholarship recipient Zoey Dye (middle) of Wenona with her father Chris (left) and mother Annie at the recent Starved Rock Country Community Foundation Scholarship Reception in Ottawa. Zoey received the Robert J. and Ellen G. Moore Scholarship for Fieldcrest High School graduates.

Scholarship recipient Lily Keutzer and her parents from Princeton at the recent Starved Rock Country Community Foundation Scholarship Reception in Ottawa. Keutzer received the $10,000 Mac-Aero Scholarship for Aeronautics and Aviation. (Photo provided by Fran Brolley)

Starved Rock Country Community Foundation awarded more than $41,000 in scholarships to 17 students at a reception Sunday in Ottawa.

The event was emceed by Pamela Beckett who founded the organization in 2015 with her husband Chuck.

“We are pleased to honor scholarship recipients and the generosity of local donors who care deeply enough to invest in the education of local youth,” Beckett said.

Scholarships and recipients include:

The $5,000 Rising Star Scholarship established by retired Ottawa and Marseilles elementary school teacher Ethel McConnell went to Maggie McDonald of Seneca. The daughter of Mark and Carrie McDonald will pursue degrees in early childhood education and elementary education at Illinois State University.

The $10,000 Mac-Aero Scholarship for Aeronautics and Aviation, also established by McConnell, went to Lily Ann Keutzer of Princeton. The daughter of Steve and Michelle Keutzer plans to major in professional aviation flight technology at Indiana State University. The award honors Ethel’s husband Ed, a farmer, veteran, and owner of Mac-Aero in Seneca where he rebuilt and repaired light planes.

Isabella Caciatorri, of Spring Valley, (middle) with parents Justin and Amy, was one of four recipients of the Carol and Dick Janko Scholarship for Promising Entrepreneurs. The Janko family was represented at the reception by Jason and Amy (Janko) Gahan.

Isabella Caciatorri, of Spring Valley, (middle) with parents Justin and Amy, was one of four recipients of the Carol and Dick Janko Scholarship for Promising Entrepreneurs. The Janko family was represented at the reception by Jason and Amy (Janko) Gahan. (Photo provided by Fran Brolley)

The Carol and Dick Janko Scholarship for Promising Entrepreneurs awarded $7,500 total to four students: Madelyn Torrance of Granville, Jacksen Ortgiesen of Dixon, Isabella Caciatorri of Spring Valley and Grace Carroll of Ottawa. Madelyn, the daughter of Dean and Theresa Torrance, will study chemical engineering at Auburn University. Jacksen, the son of Shawn and Angie Ortgiesen, will major in business at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Isabella, the daughter of Justin and Amy Cacciatori, will major in interior design and minor in construction management at ISU. And Grace, the daughter of Doug and Paula Carroll, will major in interior design, architecture and business at ISU.

The Advantech Internet of Things (IoT) Scholarship for Science, Engineering and Technology, awarded a pair of $1,500 scholarships to Torrance and Mason Sterling, of Streator. Mason, the son of Rebecca and Joseph Sterling, will major in mechanical engineering at U of I.

The Thomas “Tucker” Tillman Scholarship, established by his niece Shalanda Rabadan, went to Alex Graham of Ottawa. The son of Mike and Beth Graham will major in criminal justice and play football at McKendree University in Lebanon.

The $1,000 Pie It Forward Scholarship created by Tangled Roots Brewing Company went to Jayce Ladzinski of Peru. The son of Tom and Angela Ladzinski just completed his first year in marketing at Bradley University.

The $3,000 Women Inspired Network Young Women Leaders Scholarship established by SRCCF, went to Corinne Francis, of Ottawa. The daughter of Kevin and Heather Francis will major in art/illustration at Northern Illinois University.

The $2,500 Charles H. Beckett Scholarship for the Culinary Arts, also created by the SRCCF board, went to Madelynn Guilinger, of Morris. The daughter of Brad and Keri Guilinger will major in culinary arts management at Joliet Junior College.

The $1,220 Stephen Charles Vogler Memorial Scholarship established by Starved Rock Media President and General Manager John Spencer went to Eric Lockwood, of Peru. The son of Kirk and Dawn Lockwood is completing an AA in communications at IVCC.

The $5,000 Finish Line Scholarship created by philanthropist David Eller, of Ottawa, went to Illinois Valley Community College’s Rosevelia Rocha, of Mendota. The daughter of Anzurio and Rosario Rocha will major in bilingual elementary education at U of I.

The $8,000 Robert J. Moore and Ellen G. Moore Scholarships for graduates of Fieldcrest High School will be split ($4,000 each) between Aralyn McCullough and Zoey Dye, both of Wenona. The daughter of Hilary and Jamie Gott, Aralyn will major in fine arts and graphic design at Illinois Wesleyan University. The daughter of Chris and Annie Dye will major in communication sciences and disorders at Santa Fe College in Gainesville, Fla.

Pamela Beckett also announced the Molly Lenora Yacko Memorial Scholarship created by her cousin Emily Yacko will be awarded in 2024 to help individuals affected by suicide and mental health issues. Yacko has organized the “Run Today for Tomorrow 5K” at 9 a.m. Saturday, June 24 in Ottawa.

For SRCCF scholarship information, visit www.srccf.org or call 815-252-2906.