By Jane Welch- Maiolo
Special to the Sentinel-Tribune
A dozen seniors spent the 2024-25 school year at Penta Career Center participating in the Students Taking a Renewed Interest in the Value of Education (STRIVE) program through a collaborative effort between the Perrysburg Rotary Club and Penta.
Their reward for successful completion of the program were scholarships totaling $4,930 from the Rotary. Recipients were recognized April 17 at the career center.
Earning the top scholarship of $550 was Sam Farrell, Northwood Schools, a marketing education student.
Other recipients, their home school, program in which they enrolled, and their scholarship levels are:
• $360–Jeremiah Boyd-Reyes, North Baltimore, construction electricity; Wade Chio, Swanton, information technologies academy; Random Davis, Perrysburg, medical technologies; Elysa Oman, Bowling Green culinary arts; Jaylynn Shinaver, Lake, medical technologies; Elijah Smith, North Baltimore, information technologies; Landon Lowrey, Elmwood, firefighter, and Apple Williams, Maumee, digital arts and design.
• $500– Madalynn Bickelhaupt, Bowling Green, small animal care; Kaden Frail, Maumee, digital arts and design, and Katerina Wiemken, Swanton, digital arts and design.
In addition to the scholarship, each student was presented with a Cross pen. Rotarian Walt Celley explained the pen is a special graduation gift recognizing each student’s significant accomplishments. He displayed a Cross pen that is at least 50 years old and was handed down in his family through the years.
Fellow Rotarian and mentor Janel Haas commended the students, noting she enjoyed working with the students. “You really are a good group,” Haas said.
Fellow Rotarian Susan Nelson agreed, “Congratulations to all of you.” She pointed out that by working with Rotary, they are now part of an international organization and encouraged them to consider becoming member of a service organization in the years to come.
STRIVE is a program of Rotary International which has been adopted by the Perrysburg Rotary Club. The mission is to provide educational assistance and encouragement to high school students with the goal of improving their grades, attitudes and attendance during their senior year.
Penta students attended monthly meetings with club members and participated in mentoring activities.
Since 2001, the Perrysburg Rotary Service Foundation has awarded 394 scholarships totaling more than $123,900 to Penta students through the program.

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