At the first of five award banquets hosted by the Kohl Foundation, Senator Kohl surprised attendees by announcing a $2,000 increase for each student scholarship award, making each worth $5,000.
“This vigorous increase in the scholarship amount is amazing, especially since it was just increased from $1,000 to $3,000 last year. Now, by going up to $5,000 per student, Senator Kohl is doing even more to help these outstanding students finance their higher education,” said WCRIS Executive Director Sharon Schmeling.
“The student winners and their parents have been left speechless, and jumping for joy, at this unbelievable news. We are so grateful that Wisconsin is home to such a visionary philanthropist, who is calling out and rewarding excellence in education so generously,” Schmeling said.
This brings the 2016 grand total awarded by the Kohl foundation to WCRIS principals, teachers, students, and schools up to $201,000.
Twenty-seven WCRIS students were presented with this scholarship to be used towards their post-secondary education choice. Fourteen received the Student Excellence Scholarship, and thirteen received the Student Initiative Scholarship.
“Senator Kohl’s decision to increase the scholarship shows that he is well-aware of the pressure facing young people to finance their higher education, and he is using the resources at his disposal in a most profound and enterprising way to address that challenge,” Schmeling said.
The student awards increase comes after a wave of good fortune from the Kohl Foundation to WCRIS schools.
Last fall, Executive Director Sharon Schmeling met with the Foundation in order to organize an Excellence in School Leadership Award. For the first time this year, four WCRIS principals will receive $3,000 each and another $3,000 for his/her school.
Annually, WCRIS works with the Kohl Foundation to collect teacher nominations, distribute and collect applications, and assist with the selection committee process.
“We are totally overwhelmed at the generosity and benevolence of the Herb Kohl Educational Foundation,” Schmeling said.
“It’s truly a privilege to facilitate this competition for our members. In collaboration with WCRIS, the Foundation has awarded $1.44 million to WCRIS teachers, students, principals, and their schools since the awards were initiated in 1990,” Schmeling said.
Click here for a list of the 2016 Kohl Award winners.
