In July 2024, Rotary District 6460 awarded $3,000 Rotary District Scholarships to four outstanding college students from west-central Illinois.
The scholarships will help cover university expenses for tuition, university fees, and text books during the coming fall and/or spring semester. This year, students applied online through the District website, which greatly facilitated the application and review process. The Rotary scholarship committee selected eight finalists from the applicant pool, and interviewed these students.
All eight finalists were deserving of scholarships, making the selection of awardees a difficult process. The four awardees stood out as outstanding students and leaders, are committed to their chosen field of study, and are all pursuing careers that help others. They embody the Rotary ethic of service above self.
Payton Heise was raised in Springfield, IL and went to Springfield High School. She is an excellent student with a long record of being on the Straight A Honor Roll and was an active participant in the National Honor Society (NHS) in high school.
She received a Student of the Year Award in 2019 and later was recognized as an AP Scholar with Honor and an Illinois State Scholar. She was the captain of the Springfield High School cross-country and track teams and also played basketball. She worked as a lifeguard during high school and college and is certified for CPR and AED. She participated in numerous volunteer projects with the NHS, and also volunteered for the Special Olympics, St. John’s Breadline, and Toys for Tots.
She started as a student at Murray State University in Murray, Kentucky in August 2023, where she continues to excel as a student and is serving as the lifeguard at the University Wellness Center. She is majoring in exercise science and is working to be an occupational therapist with a specialization in pediatrics.
After getting her bachelor’s degree, she would like to pursue a master’s degree and doctorate in the field. Her inspiration to pursue occupational therapy stemmed from helping a young relative who was born with spina bifida and autism. She is devoted to helping others to be able to perform the functions needed to live and enjoy normal and rewarding lives. She continues to excel as a student and volunteer and has already job-shadowed three occupational therapists.
Reaghan Henrichs is from Highland, IL. As a middle child of divorced parents, she noted during her interview that she has been through a lot. She helped raise her siblings and has worked hard, sometimes three part-time jobs at a time, to get where she is today. Throughout her life, she has loved and done well in school, and loves helping people, especially children.
A high school anatomy class stimulated her interest in how the brain and body work together. Serving as an aide for special education students in a high school physical education class and helping with her brother’s best friend, who had Down’s Syndrome, reinforced her interest in these issues. These experiences increased her desire to be able to help children with special needs and their mothers.
She has volunteered for her communities in high school and college, including assisting children with special needs, helping with the Special Olympics, helping with individuals experiencing homelessness, and helping maintain a local garden in Lebanon, IL where she goes to college.
She chose to go to a small university, McKendree University in Lebanon, where professors do most of the teaching and chances of receiving financial aid, which she needs, might be better. She is majoring in biopsychology as preparation for graduate coursework and a career in occupational therapy. Her references, resume, and college transcripts reinforce that she is a hard-working, straight A student with a strong passion for helping others. When she finishes her biopsychology degree in May 2026, she would like to go to SIU-C to pursue a master’s degree in pediatrics and a doctorate in occupational therapy with a specialization in pediatrics.
Breanna Fox was raised in Pittsfield, IL and went to Pittsfield High School. She relayed that the great English teachers in the Pittsfield schools instilled her love of English and writing and inspired her to want to become a teacher and to ensure that students have a safe place and the help they need in school.
She was very active in high school as a member of the National Honor Society, secretary for her senior class, vice president of the Art Club, and president of the Book Club. In 2021, she received the Danforth Award and was named the Saukee Citizen of the Month at her high school. She received an Academic Excellence Award and was a member of Phi Theta Kappa and a member of Pittsfield Leo’s Club. While in high school, she volunteered with the National Honor Society and with the Lion’s Club. She attended and received her Associate’s Degree in May 2024 from John Wood Community College in Quincy, IL. While at John Wood Community College, she had as many as three part-time jobs and served as the Rotaract Club President for two academic years.
The Rotaract Sponsor for John Wood Community College noted, “She lives the motto ‘Service Above Self’ every day.” For the past two years she has worked as a High Impact Tutor for Pittsfield students in grades 6-8. She has received numerous scholarships because of her academic and community achievements, but still has to work three part-time jobs.
She will begin work on her Bachelor’s degree in English Education at Illinois State University in Normal in August 2024. She is an English Education major and her dream is to be a high school English teacher in Pittsfield.
Alexa Kerley is from Manito, IL and attended Midwest Central High School. She was very active in high school in the National Honor Society, Science Club, and Student Council and served as an officer in each of these organizations. She was vice-president for her class during her sophomore and junior years. She also participated in Spanish Club, band, school musicals, and basketball, serving as team captain in her senior year. She was a member of the Interact Club and participated in volunteer service with them. As a member of the History League, she helped organize a yearly Veterans Breakfast. She was a member of the Tazewell County Youth Board for four years. An excellent student, she graduated in the top 5 of her high school class. She received awards for her scholarship and citizenship.
She has volunteered with many organizations and events, including with the Manito-Forest City Rotary Club, the local food pantry, the Park District’s Youth Basketball Program, Salvation Army, her church, and more.
Alexa has completed the first year of her exercise science (pre-physical therapy) major at Indiana Wesleyan University in Marion, Indiana. Alexa has a long-term interest in learning about the human body and a passion for helping others. During the summer of 2023, she worked for a family with a five-year-old boy who was a patient at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. This experience increased her desire to pursue physical therapy and to work with children who need physical therapy. Her dream is to obtain a doctorate in pediatric physical therapy and to work at St. Jude Research hospital.
The scholarships will help cover university expenses for tuition, university fees, and text books during the coming fall and/or spring semester. This year, students applied online through the District website, which greatly facilitated the application and review process. The Rotary scholarship committee selected eight finalists from the applicant pool, and interviewed these students.
All eight finalists were deserving of scholarships, making the selection of awardees a difficult process. The four awardees stood out as outstanding students and leaders, are committed to their chosen field of study, and are all pursuing careers that help others. They embody the Rotary ethic of service above self.
Payton Heise was raised in Springfield, IL and went to Springfield High School. She is an excellent student with a long record of being on the Straight A Honor Roll and was an active participant in the National Honor Society (NHS) in high school.She received a Student of the Year Award in 2019 and later was recognized as an AP Scholar with Honor and an Illinois State Scholar. She was the captain of the Springfield High School cross-country and track teams and also played basketball. She worked as a lifeguard during high school and college and is certified for CPR and AED. She participated in numerous volunteer projects with the NHS, and also volunteered for the Special Olympics, St. John’s Breadline, and Toys for Tots.
She started as a student at Murray State University in Murray, Kentucky in August 2023, where she continues to excel as a student and is serving as the lifeguard at the University Wellness Center. She is majoring in exercise science and is working to be an occupational therapist with a specialization in pediatrics.
After getting her bachelor’s degree, she would like to pursue a master’s degree and doctorate in the field. Her inspiration to pursue occupational therapy stemmed from helping a young relative who was born with spina bifida and autism. She is devoted to helping others to be able to perform the functions needed to live and enjoy normal and rewarding lives. She continues to excel as a student and volunteer and has already job-shadowed three occupational therapists.
Reaghan Henrichs is from Highland, IL. As a middle child of divorced parents, she noted during her interview that she has been through a lot. She helped raise her siblings and has worked hard, sometimes three part-time jobs at a time, to get where she is today. Throughout her life, she has loved and done well in school, and loves helping people, especially children.A high school anatomy class stimulated her interest in how the brain and body work together. Serving as an aide for special education students in a high school physical education class and helping with her brother’s best friend, who had Down’s Syndrome, reinforced her interest in these issues. These experiences increased her desire to be able to help children with special needs and their mothers.
She has volunteered for her communities in high school and college, including assisting children with special needs, helping with the Special Olympics, helping with individuals experiencing homelessness, and helping maintain a local garden in Lebanon, IL where she goes to college.
She chose to go to a small university, McKendree University in Lebanon, where professors do most of the teaching and chances of receiving financial aid, which she needs, might be better. She is majoring in biopsychology as preparation for graduate coursework and a career in occupational therapy. Her references, resume, and college transcripts reinforce that she is a hard-working, straight A student with a strong passion for helping others. When she finishes her biopsychology degree in May 2026, she would like to go to SIU-C to pursue a master’s degree in pediatrics and a doctorate in occupational therapy with a specialization in pediatrics.
Breanna Fox was raised in Pittsfield, IL and went to Pittsfield High School. She relayed that the great English teachers in the Pittsfield schools instilled her love of English and writing and inspired her to want to become a teacher and to ensure that students have a safe place and the help they need in school. She was very active in high school as a member of the National Honor Society, secretary for her senior class, vice president of the Art Club, and president of the Book Club. In 2021, she received the Danforth Award and was named the Saukee Citizen of the Month at her high school. She received an Academic Excellence Award and was a member of Phi Theta Kappa and a member of Pittsfield Leo’s Club. While in high school, she volunteered with the National Honor Society and with the Lion’s Club. She attended and received her Associate’s Degree in May 2024 from John Wood Community College in Quincy, IL. While at John Wood Community College, she had as many as three part-time jobs and served as the Rotaract Club President for two academic years.
The Rotaract Sponsor for John Wood Community College noted, “She lives the motto ‘Service Above Self’ every day.” For the past two years she has worked as a High Impact Tutor for Pittsfield students in grades 6-8. She has received numerous scholarships because of her academic and community achievements, but still has to work three part-time jobs.
She will begin work on her Bachelor’s degree in English Education at Illinois State University in Normal in August 2024. She is an English Education major and her dream is to be a high school English teacher in Pittsfield.
Alexa Kerley is from Manito, IL and attended Midwest Central High School. She was very active in high school in the National Honor Society, Science Club, and Student Council and served as an officer in each of these organizations. She was vice-president for her class during her sophomore and junior years. She also participated in Spanish Club, band, school musicals, and basketball, serving as team captain in her senior year. She was a member of the Interact Club and participated in volunteer service with them. As a member of the History League, she helped organize a yearly Veterans Breakfast. She was a member of the Tazewell County Youth Board for four years. An excellent student, she graduated in the top 5 of her high school class. She received awards for her scholarship and citizenship. She has volunteered with many organizations and events, including with the Manito-Forest City Rotary Club, the local food pantry, the Park District’s Youth Basketball Program, Salvation Army, her church, and more.
Alexa has completed the first year of her exercise science (pre-physical therapy) major at Indiana Wesleyan University in Marion, Indiana. Alexa has a long-term interest in learning about the human body and a passion for helping others. During the summer of 2023, she worked for a family with a five-year-old boy who was a patient at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. This experience increased her desire to pursue physical therapy and to work with children who need physical therapy. Her dream is to obtain a doctorate in pediatric physical therapy and to work at St. Jude Research hospital.
Editors Note: This article by Bonnie Styles, District Grants Chair, appeared in the September issue of the Rotary District 6460 Newsletter