PELLSTON EDUCATION FOUNDATION AWARDS NEARLY $30,000 IN SCHOLARSHIPS
Thu. May 29, 2025
CONTACT: Carlin Smith, President, Pellston Education Foundation Board of Trustees, 231-838-9174, carlin.smith@cmsenergy.com
The Pellston Education Foundation (PEF) distributed $29,765 in scholarships among eleven high school seniors recently. The scholarships were presented at Pellston High School’s Senior Awards Night.
The scholarship total is more than $10,000 above what the foundation was able to disperse last year. The PEF is in just its fourth year and according to the President of their Board of Trustees, Carlin Smith, they continue to see tremendous growth.
New to this year’s scholarship list are the Calvin and Thelma Gardner Ball Family Scholarship. Don Ball and Nancy Higley made a generous donation to the foundation to support these gifts to students in honor of Don’s parents who were Pellston Graduates. One of the scholarships is valued at $7,500 and the second at $2,500. They were presented to Scarlett Mang and Brach Taylor respectively. Mang plans to study veterinary science at Grand Valley State University and then Michigan State University. Taylor plans to study Physical Therapy at GVSU.
The Schreier Valedictorian Scholarship was awarded to the valedictorian of the class of 2025 Sophie Coatta who plans to pursue a career in Early Childhood Education and then Psychology. This is the third year the Schreier Family has presented this $5,000 scholarship. The Schreier Family had two generations of valedictorians and wishes to honor that legacy.
Two young men received the Blake Anthony Wagenschutz Trades Scholarships. These were the very first scholarships ever given by the foundation back in 2021 and this tradition continues. Wagenschutz was a 2011 graduate of Pellston who loved his building and trades classes and worked in that profession as a young adult. He passed away in April of 2021 and his passing was the genesis of the foundation. This year, Francis Schansema and Austin Balcom-Downey each received $1,000 in Wagenschutz’ honor. Schansema also received an additional $500 from the George Hayes Career Tech Ed Scholarship.
Two additional scholarships supporting Career Tech Ed students are the Crystal Jutson Memorial Scholarships. These scholarships valued at $750 each were contributed by the family of Crystal Jutson in her memory. Jutson was a 2008 graduate of Pellston High School who passed away in 2011. The awards reflect Jutson’s love for hands-on work, creativity and purpose. This year scholarships were presented to Haleigh Bohn and Harmony Crawford.
The PEF presents its own scholarships to honor well-rounded graduating seniors. The scholarships are valued at $2,500 each and were presented this year to Hailey Davis and Madison Jutson. Davis plans to pursue a career in Art Education at Grand Valley State University, and Madison Jutson plans to pursue a business degree and will be starting at North Central Michigan College.
Another new scholarship was presented this year in honor of June Passino who passed away recently. Passino was a long-time teacher at Pellston Elementary School and had given a gift to the PEF. Combined with memorial contributions in her honor, the PEF was able to award $1,265 to Kira Wichlacz who plans to study Pre K-6 Education at Northern Michigan University. Wichlacz also received the John (Dean) McLarty Family Scholarship of $1,000.
Alivia Broman will also be pursuing a career in education via North Central Michigan College and Lake Superior State University. She received a $1,000 scholarship from the Edward and Mary Cadwell Educational Opportunity Scholarship. Broman also received an additional $500 from the Pellston Alumni Fund that now resides with the PEF. Other Alumni Fund recipients were Haleigh Bohn and Harmony Crawford.
Crawford also received a $1,000 scholarship from the Richard and Lottie Hayes Family Fund. She plans to become an airplane mechanic while working on her pilot’s license. She one day wants to fly mission trips delivering food and supplies to areas in need.
The PEF is an independent, non-profit organization that supports the students and teachers at Pellston Public Schools. In addition to providing scholarships to students, the foundation also provides grants to teachers to purchase classroom items and programs that would be outside of their traditional budgets. Learn more at www.pellstoneducation.org.