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 In addition to the many departmental honors and awards handed
out, several scholarships were also presented making the evening
even more outstanding.
Mount Pulaski High School Principal Mr. Terry Morgan and Honors
Night Coordinator Melanie Hinson kept the events of the evening
running smoothly and quickly. Each teacher was introduced and
allowed time for a short speech and presentation.
Several area community and business leaders were also in attendance
to present scholarships. It is worth noting a few of the highlights
from the two-hour event. Members of the community who have dedicated
their time and money by investing in the community’s youth gave
speeches honoring scholarship recipients. In fact, the kindness and
generosity of those folks who strongly support the future education
of these students appeared to be quite overwhelming.
Perhaps the most overwhelming was the Iva Mae Blaum Trust
Scholarship that was awarded to Kamryn Aylesworth by Gail Nunnery of
the State Bank of Lincoln. Aylesworth is the first recipient of the
scholarship that was open to any graduating senior in Logan County
who wishes to pursue a bachelor’s degree in Nursing or Agriculture.
 Other highlights of the evening included a speech by Mr. Bo Girn of
the local G-Mart. Girn spoke of his parents, who immigrated to this
country from India and who had very little education. He said that
his parents were very disciplined people and because of their
encouragement, he was a big believer in education himself. Girn
presented Lauren Anderson with the G-Mart Scholarship for Business.
Mrs. Barbara Maske also took the podium to award scholarships on
behalf of the Zonta Club of Lincoln and another scholarship in
memory of JoEllen Maske.
Kamryn Aylesworth and Elizabeth Siebert were each awarded a Zonta
Women’s Career Scholarship.
Maske, a teacher in the Mount Pulaski School District, mentioned
that “the committee, past and present, is always impressed with our
Mount Pulaski students.”
Maske also gave a very nice speech about her late mother-in-law,
JoEllen, who was a beloved English teacher in the Mount Pulaski
School District.
Elizabeth Siebert, who plans to pursue a degree in education, was
awarded the first JoEllen Maske Education Scholarship.
It was nice to see so many new scholarships among the list. Even
Hinson commented that as she had looked at some old honors programs,
the number of community scholarships has doubled in recent years.
It’s worth repeating that the kindness and generosity of those folks
who strongly support the future education of these students is
overwhelming. Many of these students who were rewarded for their
hard work and dedication to academics were also simply shocked and
surprised to hear their names called.
As you scroll through the list of students recognized Tuesday night,
you will see that several names appear on the list multiple times.
Therefore, the announcement of Brian Batchelder as Senior of the
Year was not a complete shock, as that young man made trip after
trip to the podium. Overheard following the ceremony was “he nearly
swept every senior category.” Batchelder plans to attend Southern
Illinois University in Edwardsville.
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Finally, a light-hearted moment of the evening came when Mrs. Mary Hamilton took
to the podium to present the Mount Pulaski Women in Business Scholarship.
Hamilton, a long-time bus driver in the school district, mentioned that she had
attended events in the gymnasium for over 30 years and looking in the crowd for
Superintendent Todd Hamm, she said “I see the air-conditioning is still not
fixed.” That drew laughter from the crowd and then applause, as once again a
familiar name was called and Kamryn Aylesworth was presented with that award.
Congratulations to all of the winners!
[Teena Lowery]
Well worth noting:
As Gail Nunnery gave a speech about the Iva Mae Blaum Trust Scholarship I was
intrigued. First, I knew Iva Mae as the little lady who drove a convertible and
lived in Mayfair. In fact, I delivered many catalogs to her mail slot throughout
the years. Secondly, I had no idea of Iva Mae’s past but I was about to learn.
She was a native of Middletown who married a farmer named Arthur from Emden.
As I searched her obituary from last August, I learned she was a nurse at
Abraham Lincoln Memorial Hospital for 46 years and was even the Director of
Nursing at ALMH upon her retirement in 1985.
Blaum passed away in 2015 at the age of 95 but what a legacy she leaves.
Kamryn Aylesworth is the first recipient of this scholarship and I cannot help
but think that Iva Mae is smiling down from Heaven at this perfect choice. I
also cannot help but think how this generous gift will change the life of this
young woman and give her an opportunity that I know she is more than ready to
meet with dedication and hard work. Just like I picture Iva Mae’s life.
The following was received from Gail Nunnery via email:
The Iva Mae Blaum Trust is a testamentary trust. The trust arose upon Iva Mae’s
death and is specified in her Last Will and Testament.
Iva Mae was a graduate of Deaconess Hospital of Lincoln and retired from Abraham
Lincoln Memorial Hospital in 1985 after 46 years of service. She was the
supervisor of medical surgery on the first floor of the Deaconess Hospital and
the 4th floor of Abraham Lincoln Memorial Hospital. Iva Mae was also the
Director of Nursing at Abraham Lincoln Memorial Hospital from 1958 to 1985. Her
husband, Arthur, was a Logan County farmer.
The Iva Mae Blaum Trust scholarship is given in memory of Arthur B. Blaum and
Iva Mae Blaum and for the benefit of Logan County residents who are graduating
high school seniors who declare and pursue bachelor degrees in agriculture or
nursing.
The scholarship award is to be available for each year up to four years total if
the recipient continues to pursue a bachelors degree in agriculture or nursing
and carries a total cumulative ‘B’ average or better at the end of each academic
year. The yearly “award amount” is equivalent to the cost of tuition for the
upcoming school year for a full academic load at the University of Illinois,
Champaign campus, but it will be adjusted if it will be more than the recipient
will require for the cost of tuition, books, fees and room and board at the
school the recipient will attend and considering other scholarships and awards
the recipient receives.
This is the first year the scholarship has been awarded, and as you know the
first recipient is Kamryn Aylesworth.
Ironically, the scholarship was awarded on what would have been Iva Mae’s 96th
birthday, and today would have been Arthur’s 100th birthday. |
