Top Row, L-R: Hunter Bannick, Della Berg, Andrew Blacker, Payton Budde, Olivia Copple, Zoe Cremens
Second Row, L-R: RyLee Dittamore, Gracie Eaton, Spencer Fox, Jaclyn Frey, Adriana Gordon, Annabelle Habing
Third Row, L-R: Carley Habing, Hadley Hagler, Olivia Hemmen, Matt Herzing, Layne Jones, Sydney Kibler
Fourth Row, L-R: Heaven Kinnison, Charly Kreke, Skylar Lowrance, Hailey McWhorter, Kaela Niehls, Gracie Passalacqua
Fifth Row, L-R: Maria Poston, Macy Rietz, Gavin Runde, Meredith Schaefer, Abby Schmidt, Rebecca Sharp
Bottom Row, L-R: Breanna Shull, Makayla Sidwell, Brady Stortzum, Maria Vahling, Summer Wall, Lillian Wise
(EFFINGHAM, Illinois – June 21, 2024) Southeastern Illinois Community Foundation is pleased to announce the 2024 Ray, Mary, and Tim Niebrugge Scholarship recipients. Scholarships totaling $60,000 have been awarded to 36 high school seniors and graduates from high schools in Effingham County.
Altamont High School: Della Berg, Makayla Sidwell
Beecher City High School: Hadley Hagler, Layne Jones
Dieterich High School: Hunter Bannick, Adriana Gordon, Heaven Kinnison, Hailey McWhorter, Breanna Shull,
Effingham High School: Andrew Blacker, Payton Budde, Gracie Eaton, Spencer Fox, Charly Kreke, Meredith Schaefer, Brady Stortzum, Lillian Wise
St. Anthony High School: Matt Herzing, Sydney Kibler, Gracie Passalacqua, Maria Poston, Macy Rietz
Teutopolis High School: Olivia Copple, Zoe Cremens, RyLee Dittamore, Jaclyn Frey, Annabelle Habing, Carley Habing, Olivia Hemmen, Skylar Lowrance, Kaela Neihls, Gavin Runde, Abby Schmidt, Rebecca Sharp, Maria Vahling, Summer Wall
The Ray, Mary and Tim Niebrugge Scholarship is open to all current students and alumni of high schools in Effingham County. It was established by Tim Niebrugge, the son of Ray and Mary Niebrugge of Green Creek. Ray Niebrugge inherited a tract of land from his father, John, and continued reinvesting in the farm for more than 40 years. Tim farmed the ground after his parents passed away and gifted the farm to help Effingham County students with financial needs to continue their education.
The Niebrugge Farm was the first gift of farmland through the Community Foundation’s Fields of Opportunity program. Fields of Opportunity puts the Community Foundation in a unique position to receive and retain gifts of farmland and use the available income to benefit local charities that make the community a stronger and better place to live. Retaining local ownership of farmland means wealth generated stays with local tenants, circulating throughout the community.
The fund has awarded over $500,000 in scholarships over the past 12 years. The Fields of Opportunity program will ensure that scholarship funds will continue to be made in perpetuity.
Southeastern Illinois Community Foundation manages more than 200 funds for the immediate and long-term benefit of communities in southeastern Illinois. For more information, contact Alex Pleasant, President/CEO of Southeastern Illinois Community Foundation, at 217.342.4988 or alex@southeasternillinois.org.
Top Row, L-R: Maria Poston, Macy Rietz, Gavin Runde, Meredith Schaefer, Abby Schmidt, Rebecca Sharp
Botton Row, L-R: Breanna Shull, Makayla Sidwell, Brady Stortzum, Maria Vahling, Summer Wall, Lillian Wise
