Our Program on June 6, 2023 was the STRIVE & MAD Luncheon and Scholarship Awards. The event was held at the Minnetonka Community Education Center. Attending were the STRIVE & MAS Students, parents and Excelsior Rotarians. Also attending was MHS Principal Jeff Erickson and retiring Post-Secondary Counselor Phil Trout. Dick Glover (STRIVE Coordinator) and Jim Cada (MAD Scholarship Coordinator) conducted the program and presented the nine scholarships.
Dick Glover kicked-off the program describing the STRIVE Program and presenting all the STRIVE students with letters of accommodation to colleges and for job references. He then presented the six STRIVE Scholarships and noted to the parents that the scholarships are awarded based on the most academic improvement over the past year. The top scholarship for $2,500 went to Louis Portillo-Torcat. Incidentally his sister Andrea was our top scholarship winner last year! Our $1,500 winner was Devon Schroeder. Because of a tie in grade improvement we gave out four $1,000 scholarships this year to Shahmir Khawaja, Jack Brakemeier, Jacob Baier and Lim Henderson. Dick finished by letting everyone know that our scholarships are matched by Normandale, Hennepin Tech and Dunwoody institute.
Jim Cada then explained the Make A Difference (MAD) Scholarships which go to two students that have achieved academic excellence, involvements, and financial need. The applying students submit an essay that is reviewed and ranked by a group of Excelsior Rotarians. This year’s MAD Scholarship winners were Laiden Lindemann and Matthew Siegwart and each received $1,500.
To finish off the program Don Draayer thanked the club for their involvement in the Deephaven Book Drive and gave T Shirts to the Book Drive Organizing Committee members Tiffany Frazier, Linda Gustafson, Randy Schumacher and Steve Frazier. The program ended by having a group photo of all the students, parents and club members.