Wednesday, May. 21, 2025
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VW independent staff
The Howell Memorial Scholarship Program has announced Nate Gearhart of Van Wert and Makenna Siefker of Ottawa-Glandorf as the 2025 recipients of its two scholarships.
The objective of the Howell Memorial Scholarship Program is to provide a one-time assistance to two students who have displayed excellence in the classroom and in extracurricular activities (sports, performing arts, community projects etc.). Scholarship money may be applied to the cost of tuition, room/board or books.
Every year, two separate scholarships of $1,000 each are awarded to one boy in memory of James Howell and one girl in memory of Kathleen Davis.
Nate Gearhart, a senior at Van Wert High School, is a four-year scholar athlete in football, basketball and baseball and a two-year member of the National Honor Society. He’s spent all four years on the honor roll and has earned the following awards through athletics: The Ohio Basketball Coaches Association Silver Academic Award, The Ohio Basketball Coaches Association Gold Academic Award, Western Buckeye League Honorable Mention (football), Cougar Pride Award (basketball), Rookie of the Year (baseball), and PBIS Student of the Month (2023).
Gearhart plans to attend the University of Toledo, where he has been accepted into the Jesup Scott Honors College. He plans to major in communications with the goal of entering the sports media industry as a broadcaster.
Makenna Siefker, a senior at Ottawa-Glandorf High School and an all-state soccer player, has spent all four years of her high school career on the honor roll and the last three years as a member of the National Honor Society. Her list of academic awards includes the Outstanding Student of the Year for PEC Science, English I and Geometry (2021-2022), the Outstanding Student of the Year for Human Body Systems, Algebra II, General Business, American History and American Sign Langauge Honors (2022-2023). She was also the president of the Junior Optimist Club, Secretary of Key Club (2024-2025) and served on the Junior Board of Directors for First National Bank (2023-2024).
Siefker plans to attend The Ohio State University and focus her studies on physical therapy. Her career path was inspired by the role physical therapists played in her recovery from two ACL surgeries.
POSTED: 05/21/25 at 9:37 pm. FILED UNDER: News
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