Paton-Churdan seniors and their parents didn’t have a traditional senior mentor banquet due to the Covid-19 pandemic, but mentor essays and recipients of scholarships and other awards were announced through a virtual presentation on May 27.
The senior mentor banquet has always served a two-fold purpose. First, each senior chooses a mentor to recognize. This is a person who has had a significant influence on his or her life to date. Secondly, seniors receive their local scholarships and awards.
Even though students, parents and mentors were not able to meet in person, the virtual presentation included both purposes. Every senior submitted a video of themselves addressing their mentor by reading an essay regarding the impact this particular person has had on their life and as a surprise this year, their mentor submitted a personal message to the mentee. Interspersed between essay videos were presentations of scholarships and awards.
School counselor Libby Towers said, “While we so dearly wished we could have had this special, sometimes emotional evening in person, we are thankful we were still able to have students acknowledge their mentor and present awards to students.”
The presentation is available for viewing on Paton-Churdan’s YouTube page.
Seniors and their mentors were Kalyssa Baker and mentor Libby Towers; Kyla Beyers and mentor Stephanie Pace; Kaleb Fisher and mentor Paul Baumgartner; JJ Gannon and mentor John Gannon; Jacob Geisler and mentor Greg Geisler; Jesse Knowles and mentor Chris Stimson; Madi Minnehan and mentor Stephanie Pace; Berry Moore and mentor Jerrica Lowe; Ian Schmitt and mentor Sam Schmitt; Gage Smith and mentor Regina Suhrbier; and Jon Thede and mentor Jay Thede.
The Iowa Bar Association American Citizenship Award was presented to Jacob Geisler.
Scholarships were presented as follows:
- American Legion auxiliary and Phyllis Wiederin Memorial Scholarship – Kyla Beyers
- American Legion Duane & Carolyn Towers Memorial Scholarship – Kaleb Fisher
- Beta Tau Delta scholarship – Kaleb Fisher
- Des Moines Area Community College Foundation scholarship – Kalyssa Baker
- Higgins/Hoyle Memorial Scholarship – Kyla Beyers
- Home State Bank scholarship – Kaleb Fisher
- Lyle Graue Memorial Scholarship – Kyla Beyers, Kaleb Fisher, Jacob Geisler, Madi Minnehan
- Morning Star Masonic lodge scholarship – Kyla Beyers, Kaleb Fisher, Madi Minnehan
- Paton-Churdan Education Association scholarship – Kyla Beyers, Madi Minnehan
- United Bank of Iowa scholarship – Madi Minnehan
- Wayne State Music Achievement Award and Wayne State Presidential Award – Madi Minnehan
