LCF Awards $35,000 in College Scholarships to Local Students

Lyons Middle Senior High School celebrated the accomplishments of graduating seniors at an awards ceremony on May 10th. During the ceremony, seven students were awarded a total of eight scholarships from the Lyons Community Foundation. These students have shown extraordinary leadership and meaningful work in the local community in addition to their academic and extracurricular achievements.

This year, thanks to the generous donations given by our financial supporters, LCF was able to substantially increase the amount of money awarded in scholarships. Instead of the $21,500 originally budgeted, the LCF Advisory Board voted to award a record-breaking $35,000 in scholarships for 2023. 
Gwydion Winkelmeyer, chair of the LCF Scholarship Committee, said of the scholarship program, “The Lyons Community Foundation is proud to support the young people of Lyons as they continue their journeys into higher education. Scholarships such as those endowed by the LCF Board and generous families in our community act to give students some well-deserved support to undertake the challenges of going to college and beginning their careers. Scholarships are also excellent indicators of the hard work and dedication to their future success that these young people have displayed.” 
The Lyons Community Foundation Mission Scholarship was awarded to Maya Caplan. This $5,000 scholarship recognizes a student from the greater Lyons area who embodies LCF's mission of improving the quality of life, building a culture of giving, and encouraging  positive change for the greater Lyons area.
The Lyons Community Foundation 2-Year Study Scholarship was awarded to Lochlan Osborne. This $5,000 scholarship recognizes a student who plans to attend a two-year program at college / university,  trade school or other technical / vocational training. The scholarship was also designed to recognize a student who embodies LCF’s mission.
The Uncle Louis “Bud” Winkler Memorial Scholarship was awarded to Hunter Powell. Honoring the memory of businessman Louis Winkler, this $5,000 scholarship is intended for a student who plans on majoring in business or finance.
The Janet Orback Memorial Scholarship was awarded to Samantha Rickman.  Established in 2018, this $5000 scholarship honors the memory of lifelong Lyons resident Janet Orback, who along with her husband Dave, tirelessly helped to provide support and friendship to her neighbors whose homes and lives were destroyed in the 2013 floods, as well as being stewards of the Lyons Cemetery for over 15 years. 
The Gerald Boland Memorial Scholarship, in the amount of $5,000, was awarded to Cambria Burton by Amy Hoh. This scholarship was created to honor the memory of Gerald Boland, a 54 year resident of Lyons who taught in Lyons Schools for 31 years. Mr. Boland was a coach, Boy Scout Leader, and mentor who had a passion for learning and the outdoors. This scholarship is awarded to a graduating senior who shares these passions. ​
The Scholarship in Memory of Steve Ralston was awarded to Cole Thomas. Created in 2009 to honor the memory of Lyons resident, businessman, and community supporter Steve Ralston, this scholarship is awarded to a graduating senior who best expresses their passion for learning and sharing their interests, skills and joyful life experiences with their community.

​The CEMEX Environmental Stewardship Scholarship, which is brand new for 2023, was awarded to Keara Ping by Michael Clausen of CEMEX. This $1,000 scholarship is open to students with a planned field of study in natural resources, engineering, wildlife biology or geology. 
The Lyons Garden Club Scholarship, in the amount of $4,000, was also awarded to Keara Ping by Sara Erickson of the Lyons Garden Club. This scholarship, which is new in 2023, is open to students who intend to study horticulture, agriculture, landscaping, botany, plant ecology, forestry, plant pathology, or any field of study involving plants.

Student scholarships have been an area of focus for LCF since its inception in 2006, and in that time approximately $110,000 has been awarded to Lyons-area students. 

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