Colfax High School Graduation

Members of the Colfax Class of 2013 recieved a total of $860,000 in scholarships and awards, Supt. Michael Morgan announced when presenting the class of 41 seniors at Saturday’s commencement.

The awards presentation night was May 28. Many of the awards listed in the program were valued over a four-year duration at college. Brandon Gfeller, who graduated with highest honors, received a University of Montana athletic scholarship to play basketball with a $112,400 value over four years.

Twenty-six award recipients were listed in the program insert for the Saturday commencement service in the CHS gym.

Highest academic award listed was a $102,000 University of Virginia Access Scholarship received by Ryan Christopherson, one of five 4.0 valedictorians in the class.

Christopher Appel, another of the valedictorians, received a WSU Distinguished Regents Award valued at $49,200 over a four-year college term.

Valedictorians Appel, Christopherson, Hannah Knaack, and Rachel Robinson all gave short talks to the commencement crowd in the gym. All earned all-A grades during their high school careers. Their valedictoran medals were presented by their parents. Salutatorian Ciara Becker also received her medal from her parents.

The Washington State Honors award, which goes to students in the top 10 percent of the state’s class of seniors, was presented to Appel, Becker, Christopherson, Knaack, Robinson, class president Deanna Aeschliman, Amelie Bruya, Emma Gingerich, Joshua Huber and John Mellor.

The Colfax class of 2013 is believeed to be the smallest on modern day record for the district. Supt. Morgan has records on class sizes dating back to 1994, and classes before then were generally much larger.

Saturday’s commencement service took just under an hour with school board directors Brian Becker and Laura Johnson presenting the diplomas.

Early years of the school’s history, which date back to days when high school classes competed with the burden of early settlement, probably turned out smaller classes.

Awards listing are included below in alphabetical order:

Deanna Aeschliman: Colfax Fraternal Order of Eagles & Auxiliary - $1,000, Colfax PEO Scholarship - $500, Colfax Schools Foundation Scholarship - $1,000, Clarence Hines Fund Scholarship - $1,000, Washington State University Regents Award - $16,000*, Washington State University Future Cougars of Color - $4,000*, DYW 2013 First Alternate - $600, DYW 2013 Fitness Award - $150, DYW 2013 Preliminary Talent Award $100, DYW 2013 Preliminary Self Expression Award $100, DYW 2013 Spirit Award - $200, Palouse Empire Fair Royalty Awards - $430.

Christopher Appel: Don & Edna Appel Scholarship - $450, Colfax FFA Alumni Scholarship - $600, Thrifty Grandmothers Scholarship - $750, Clarence Hines Fund Scholarship - $ 1,000, Colfax Schools Foundation, Scholarship - $1,000, Whitman Community Hospital Auxiliary Scholarship - $1,000, Colfax Knights of Columbus Scholarship - $1,000, Nordstrom Cares Scholarship - $10,000*, WSU Distinguished Regents Award - $49,200*, Washington State Opportunity Scholarship - $12,000*, Cougars of the Desert WSU Leadership Award - $1,500, WSU College of Engineering & Architecture Award - $2,000

Justin Aucutt: Colfax Schools Foundation Scholarship - $500

Ciara. Becker: Colfax Rotary Scholarship - $500, Colfax Masonic Lodge Scholarship - $500, Washington State University Achievement Award - $8,000.

Amelie Bruya: Colfax Rotary Scholarship - $500, Thrifty Grandmothers Scholarship - $750, Classic All-Star Games Scholarship - $125.

Ryan Christopherson: Clarence Hines Fund Scholarship - $1,000, University of Virginia Access Scholarship - $102,000*, Wells Fargo Team Members Scholarship - $3,000.

Brooke Davis: Colfax Schools Foundation Scholarship - $500.

Kayla Davis: Colfax Rotary Scholarship - $500, Thrifty Grandmothers Scholarship - $750.

Bradyn Ellis: Colfax Fraternal Order of Eagles & Auxiliary - $500, Classic All-Star Games Scholarship - $125, Melvin & Josephine Ripley and Francis & Sabina Schreiber, Scholarship - $1,000, Corban University Academic Scholarship - $32,000*, Herb Anderson Leadership Scholarship - $1,000.

Brandon Gfeller: University of Montana Athletic Scholarship - $112,400*.

Emma Gingerich: Colfax Honor Society Scholarship - $100, Colfax CREW Scholarship - $,250, Melvin & Josephine Ripley and Francis & Sabina Schreiber, Scholarship - $1,000, Eastern Washington University Presidential Award - $12,000*, DYW 2013 Preliminary Interview Award - $ 100.

Cacey Hall: Colfax Schools Foundation Scholarship - $500, Roland & Maxine Watts Scholarship - $500, Thrifty Grandmothers Scholarship - $400, Colfax DYW 2013 Second Alternate - $499, Northwest Nazarene Univ. Riley Academic Scholarship - $28,000*, Colfax Teens of the Nazarene - $9,800*, Athenaeum Poetry Scholarship - $50, Whitman County Library Teen Advisory Board - $200, P & E Leinweber, Church of the Nazarene - $175, C B & Mae Mylander Scholarship - $542.

Joshua Huber: Colfax Honor Society Scholarship $100, Melvin & Josephine Ripley and Francis & Sabina Schreiber Scholarship - $1,000, Thrifty Grandmothers Scholarship - $750, Whitworth University Presidential Scholarship - $70,000*.

Sidney Huber: Jim Hedlund Memorial Scholarship - $500, Colfax Honor Society Scholarship -$100, Colfax Schools Foundation Scholarship - $750, Thrifty Grandmothers Scholarship - $750, Grand Canyon University Chancellor’s Scholarship - $56,000*, Grand Canyon University Early Decision - $8,000*.

Cole Klaveano: Edward F. Harter & Sadie Doyle Harter Scholarship - $500, Washington State University Future Cougars of Color - $4,000*.

Hannah Knaack: Colfax Fraternal Order of Eagles & Auxiliary - $500, Colfax Schools Foundation Scholarship - $1,000, Harvey S Mudd Merit Award - $40,000*, National Merit Scholarship - $2,500.

Rebekah Kraut: American Legion Post #41 of Colfax Scholarship - $1,000.

Taylor Lange: Colfax Honor Society Scholarship - $100, Duane & Lori Stueckle Scholarship - $750, CoAg Scholarship - $1,000, Washington State University Future Cougars of Color - $4,000*, Washington State University Academic Institutional Grant - $4,366, DYW 2013 Preliminary Fitness Award - $100.

Paige Mackleit: Lewis-Clark State College Warrior Link - $250, Lewis-Clark State College WT.JE - $29,680*, CHS League Scholarship - $200.

Dalton McNeilly: Whitman Wrestling Booster Club - $150.

John Mellor: Southern Virginia University Academic Scholarship — $32,000*, Southern Virginia University Campus Resident Grant — $8,000*.

Brock Morgan: Les Schwab Scholarship - $500.

Rachel Napier: Class of ‘52 Scholarship - $750, Thrifty Grandmothers Scholarship - $750, Southwestern Assemblies of God Univ. Presidential Award - $8,000*, Southwestern Assemblies of God Univ. Engage My Life Program, $6,000.

Rachel Robinson: Melvin & Josephine Ripley and Francis & Sabina Schreiber Scholarship - $1,000, Steptoe Fire Department Scholarship - $500, Whitman Community Hospital Auxiliary Scholarship - $1,000, Lewis-Clark State College WUE - $29,680*, Lewis-Clark State College Warrior Link Award - $250, LCSC Robert (Jack) Bowler Endowed Scholarship - $11,472*.

Lindsay Webber: Jesse Persons Memorial Scholarship - $500, Colfax FFA Alumni Scholarship - $600, Clarence Hines Fund Scholarship - $ 1,000, Baylor University Deans’ Gold Scholarship - $12,000*, Baylor University School of Music Scholarship - $56,000*, Baylor University Scholarship - $34,800*, Distinguished Young Woman 2013 - $1,000, DYW 2013 Talent Award - $250, DYW 2013 Interview Award - $250, DYW 2013 Self Expression Award - $150, Washington State Distinguished Young Woman Award - $250.

Justin Williams: American Legion Post #41 of Colfax Scholarship - $1,000.

*Total over four years