The 2024 Hegrenes Family Foundation Scholarship of $5,000 was awarded to Joel Wang on May 20 at the HHS Senior Honors and Awards Program. Joel was a 4.4 (weighted) student and very ambitious. Maybe a little too ambitious some of his teachers might say, as he tried to initiate several new programs at school. He immigrated here from China when he was 4 years old and – through blood, sweat, and tears – worked nearly his entire life at his parents’ restaurant. Joel will be the first in his entire extended family to go to college and will be attending the Wharton School of Business at “Penn” where he’ll focus on finance with a dedication to entrepreneurship in disadvantaged communities. Impressive! You’re gonna do great things, Joel!

The 2023 Hegrenes Family Foundation Scholarship of $5,000 was awarded to Rachel Visser on May 22 at the HHS Senior Honors and Awards Program. Rachel was a 4.0 student and active in many other activities. She was a tutor for younger students and was very involved in 4-H and FFA, even though she did not live on a farm. In fact, she was the 4-H president and held leadership positions for FFA. She intends to continue her dedication and passion for agriculture as she attends the University of Minnesota - Twin Cities to major in Agriculture and Food Business Management, and plans to focus on Ag policy.

The 2022 Hegrenes Family Foundation Scholarship of $5,000 was awarded to Rowan Kilian on May 23 at the HHS Senior Honors and Awards Program. Rowan was an outstanding student, earning a 4.2 GPA. But our scholarship isn’t all about academics. He was also active in several clubs, was a hurdler on the track & field team, and had other interests outside of school – especially during the COVID years – such as biking and a very analytical approach to journaling. And at his job at a gas station, he enjoyed interacting with the many customers who came through the door. Rowan will be attending the University of Wisconsin-Madison in the fall and plans to pursue a degree in biology/pre-med so he can one day become a doctor.

The 2021 Hegrenes Family Foundation Scholarship of $5,000 was awarded to Hannah Ladwig on May 24 through virtual HHS Senior Honors and Awards Program. The virtual event is just another example of how the pandemic has disrupted the lives high school seniors. But Hannah has remained positive through it all and fully embraces (in her words) … “the silver linings and lessons to be learned even in the darkness of a pandemic.” She was a 3-sport athlete, earning all-conference and academic all-state honors in two, and was named HHS’s senior academic athlete of the year. Add to that her time dedicated to working with disabled adults, and we’re sure we found a most deserving recipient of the scholarship. Hannah will be attending Creighton University in Omaha to pursue a major in biology/pre-med. 

The 2020 Hegrenes Family Foundation Scholarship of $5,000 was awarded to Sarah Skrove on May 18 during the virtual HHS Senior Honors and Awards Program. Thanks coronavirus! Sarah was a self-professed “band nerd” in high school (marching band, pep band, jazz band, etc.) but was also plenty involved in other school clubs, including the theater program. Outside of school she volunteered her time for various causes, including the hospital. She’ll be attending the College of St. Benedict to study biochemistry. Maybe she’ll one day find a way to avoid another virus pandemic! (Oh, and if you see her, ask to see her double-jointed thumbs ;-)

The 2019 Hegrenes Family Foundation Scholarship of $5,000 was awarded to Jacob Lipke on May 20 at the HHS Senior Honors and Awards Program. Jacob is a high academic achiever and was named a Commended Student in the 2019 National Merit Scholarship Program. Outside the classroom, Jacob was a runner and swimmer for HHS, and he volunteers his time at church, nursing homes, youth sporting events, and other charity activities. Jacob loves to travel, especially to National Parks. He has been to 10 of them and plans to cross three more off his list as he travels this summer after graduation. Then it’s off to St. John’s University in the fall where he intends to double major in mathematics and physics. Good luck at SJU, Jacob!

The 2018 Hegrenes Family Foundation Scholarship of $5,000 was awarded to Margaret Kleiman on May 21 at the HHS Senior Honors and Awards Program. Maggie is an exceptional student and a bit of a music nut. She plays five instruments, including the violin and saxophone. Her favorite is the ukulele because she says it’s fun to play on camping trips or leading nursing home residents in a sing-a-long of “Ring of Fire.” She also has a knack for remembering song lyrics - even the golden oldies. Maggie will attend University of South Dakota to study data analytics, hoping to one day use her analytical skills to help solve some of the serious problems plaguing our planet. For example, discovering data-driven solutions that can help maximize crop yields and minimize food waste as a way to reduce world hunger. You go girl!

The 2017 Hegrenes Family Foundation Scholarship of $5,000 was awarded to Haley Burgart on May 15 at the HHS Senior Honors and Awards Program. Haley impressed us with her perseverance and compassion. Around the time Haley’s high school career began, her father unexpectedly passed away. But “hardship does not have to define a person’s life,” Haley says. So she persevered, dealing with the tragedy while not only excelling academically, but also becoming captain of the Lacrosse team, speech team, and President of the National Honor Society. Her compassion shines through in her love for animals. She plans on going into pre-veterinary medicine at North Dakota State University (Dr. Bob’s undergraduate alma mater). Good luck at NDSU, Haley!

The 2016 Hegrenes Family Foundation Scholarship of $5,000 was awarded to Josie Myers on May 16 at the HHS Senior Honors and Awards Program. Not only is Josie an exceptional student (see her honor cords?) but she also has shown leadership skills as a captain on the swim team, mentoring younger swimmers on the team. She remembered others doing the same for her when she was younger, and was intent on paying those same small deeds forward to make a difference for others. That forward thinking is also evident in her passion for protecting our Earth from environmental threats. In fact, Josie plans to minor in Environmental Studies as she pursues a Political Science degree at the University of Wisconsin – Eau Claire.

The 2015 Hegrenes Family Foundation Scholarship of $5,000 was awarded to Ben Jenum on May 18 at the HHS Senior Honors and Awards Program. Merit was heavily weighted on how the applicant's deeds have made a difference in the lives of others. Ben has been volunteering at nursing homes since he was 12 years old, and was named “Ecumen’s 2012 Volunteer of the Year.” Ben says, “visiting the homes is never a chore, and never will be. Seeing the residents’ smiling faces make every visit worth it.” Ben will attend the University of Minnesota-Morris and plans to be a K-6 teacher, hoping to instill the same good values and morals into his students by encouraging them to serve in their community and to always be grateful and thankful for what they have.