Seniors awarded over $30,000 in scholarships

The annual Seniors Awards Night produced over $30,000 worth of scholarship money to Minneota seniors.

American Legion Commander Jim Fink told the seniors they were, “All No. 1 by someone.”

He called Legion members John Engels and Harold DeSmet to the podium to award the American Legion awards to Engels’ daughter Sarah and DeSmet’s grandson Kyle Banks.

“These are for your No. 1’s,” he told the two post members.

The prestigious Andersen-Christianson Music Award was given to senior Noel Swedzinski by band director John Voit.

Director Voit said Swedzinski has been involved in nearly all aspects of the music department at Minneota High School.

The Donny Belaen Memorial Scholarships, honoring the memory of former 4.0 Bus Manager Donny Belaen, went to T.J. Esping, Skylar Gilbertson and Tristan Sorensen.

Belaen’s sister Rose said her brother’s legacy was as a “friend” to everyone in the school.

The Minneota Rotary gave out three scholarships to Cole Bot, Isaac Hennen and Laura Knutson.

The late Virgil Ufkin, who made it to 100 years old before passing away, has a family scholarship and it was given to Allison Citterman, Victoria Neyens and Hannah Kopitski.

Alison Ufkin awarded the annual “Emily Ufkin Memorial Scholarship,” to Jennifer Krog.

The local Dollars for Scholars committee handed out scholarships to several of the seniors. Here is the complete list of awards: Minneota Seniors Scholarships & Awards

•American Legion School Awards — Post 199: Kyle Banks and Sarah Engels.

•Roland “Doc” Kotowski Educational Scholarship: Brooklynn Downing,Cora Engels and Jennifer Krog.

•Andersen-Christianson Athlete Award: Carolyn Hoffmann and Isaac Hennen.

•Andersen-Christianson Music Award: Noel Swedzinski.

•Educator of Tomorrow Scholarship: Stephanie Kimpe.

•Minneota Wrestling Booster Club Scholarship: Brant Buysse.

•Marjorie A. Pesch Teacher’s Scholarship: Stephanie Kimpe.

•Curt Breyfogle Memorial Scholarship: Riley Yost.

•Knights of Columbus Scholarship: Cole Bot.

•Minneota Family Dental Health Science Scholarship: Sarah Engels and Carly Van Keulen.

•Prairie Winds Wellness Scholarship: Tyler Myhre.

•HUB Educational Scholarship: Kira Gifford.

•Lyon County Farm Bureau: Brittany Kimpe.

•Donny Belaen Memorial Scholarships: T.J. Esping, Skylar Gilbertson and Tristan Sorensen.

•Minneota Rotary Educational Scholarships: Cole Bot, Isaac Hennen and Laura Knutson.

•Farmers Co-op Association Education Scholarship: Lucas Bot.

Joseph Fischer Memorial Scholarship: Carolyn Hoffmann.

•PEO Chapter AS Scholarship: Brooklynn Downing.

•Ufkin Family Memorial Scholarships: Allison Citterman, Victoria Neyens and Hannah Kopitski.

•Emily Ufkin Memorial Scholarship: Jennifer Krog.

•Franz Nelson Scholarship (Swede Home Lutheran Church) and Nels & Junina Nelson Scholarship (Swede Home Lutheran): Kira Gifford and Gared Moorse.

•Friends of Swede Home Lutheran Church Scholarship: Grace Brewers.

•Rev. Richard & Mavis Erickson and Family Scholarship in Memory of Mark and Mary Ann Full: Baily Kaas. •Minneota Manor Scholarships: Emily Buysse and Tyler Myhre.

•Dale Yost Memorial Baseball Scholarship: Alex Pohlen.

•Bank of the West Employees Scholarships: Noel Swedzinski.

•Ruth M. Pryzmus Memorial Scholarships: Cora Engels and Ethan Krier.

•Eagles Scholarship: Brant Buysse and Alyssa Regnier.

•State Bank of Taunton Scholarship: Kyle Banks.

•Musser Environmental Consulting Inc. Scholarships: Emily Buysse and Brooklynn Downing.

•4.0 Bus Service Scholarship: Hidie Moorse.

•Thurmond T. Thurmond Scholarships: Landon Abraham, Sarah Engels, Laura Knutson, Hunter Fier and Alex Pohlen.

•Minneota Dollars for Scholarships: Kyle Banks, Brant Buysse, Allison Citterman, Cora Engels, Hunter Fier, Kira Gifford, Carolyn Hoffmann, Hannah Kopitski, Ethan Krier, Jennifer Krog, Tyler Myhre, Victoria Neyens, Alex Pohlen, Alyssa Regnier, Noel Swezinski and Carly Van Keulen.