Supporting students after high school with scholarship awards
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NEF administers various scholarships, ranging from $500 to $7,000, each year to graduating seniors from Naperville North and Naperville Central High Schools. Most NEF administered scholarships are nomination only and candidates will automatically be considered. Scholarships that require an application will be posted on SchooLinks.
Awarded to Naperville Central Seniors
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Alexandra Grace Piepho Memorial Endowment Scholarship
The recipient of this scholarship has been accepted to a community college or four-year college/university. The student will also possess a passion for learning, curiosity for life and a definitive willingness to learn. Additionally, the winner is one who always shows respect to their teachers as well as other students and displays an uncommon and irresistible energy.
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Dan Shanower Memorial Endowment Scholarship
The recipient of this scholarship has been accepted to a four-year Liberal Arts college/university and should emulate Dan’s spirit as a patriotic senior who has enriched the lives of others by his or her enthusiasm, curiosity about life and sharp sense of humor. This scholarship honors Commander Shanower, 40, a Navy intelligence officer, who had just begun gathering information on the 9/11 World Trade Center attacks to brief his superiors. He lost his life in the Pentagon when the third hijacked plane struck. Dan grew up in Naperville and graduated from NCHS in 1979.
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David Carleton Hagen Endowment Scholarship
This scholarship is for a senior who has been accepted to a trade or vocational school, college or university with the intention of majoring in business or the trades. Mr. Hagen graduated from NCHS and was an entrepreneur who, along with his wife, started his own business developing and managing real estate properties.
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Gregory Vasich Memorial Endowment Scholarship
The Greg Vasich Memorial was established at Naperville Central High School as a lasting way of preserving Greg’s memory, and as a testament to the incredible value and fullness of his life. Greg loved learning, graduating with honors from NCHS in 1999 and from the University of Illinois in 2003. He played trombone throughout high school with the Wind and Jazz ensembles, and in college as an active member of the Marching Illini. Greg loved the adventures of life; he was an optimist, a team player, a supportive friend, a fine musician and a motivated and successful student. Most importantly, Greg was a man of upstanding character and moral courage. He was loyal, kind, patient, loving, and always willing to put others before himself. This award recognizes a graduating senior band or music student who exemplifies these characteristics of good personhood, and plans to pursue higher education.
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Hannah Paulsen Photography Legacy Scholarship Fund
Information coming soon
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Jane Latshaw Scherer Education Scholarship
This four-year scholarship is awarded to a member of NCHS’s graduating class who enrolls in a degree-granting program leading to becoming a certified teacher.
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Matt McCallum Memorial Endowment
This scholarship is awarded to a graduating senior member of the NCHS Varsity Baseball Team that has been accepted at either a two or four-year college/university. Winners must exemplify Matt’s spirit as a team player, supportive friend, accomplished athlete and successful student.
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Matthew Richard Voss Memorial Scholarship
This scholarship is awarded to a NCHS senior art student who intends to pursue a four-year visual arts degree. It is named in memory of Matthew Voss who attended Scott Elementary in first, second, and third grade. Matthew was a sensitive and fun-loving child who appreciated art in nature and in his world.
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Matt Skowronski Skronkstrong Memorial Scholarship
This scholarship is awarded to one member of NCHS’s men’s or women’s volleyball or basketball teams who has been accepted to a four-year college/ university or a community college. Matt was an athlete, full of life and a great friend to many and the winner should emulate these characteristics.
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Naperville Woman’s Club Scholarship
The Naperville Woman’s Club Scholarship is awarded to a graduating female senior who plans to enroll in a program which will lead to a career in education or in the trades.
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John Pearce Performing Arts Scholarship
This scholarship is awarded to an outstanding performing arts graduating senior from either Central’s band, choir or orchestra programs. John Pearce served as NCHS’s Choral Instructor, Music Director and Music Department Chairman from 1965‑1985.
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Steven J. Koek Theatre Scholarship
The Steven J. Koek Theatre Scholarship is awarded to one NCHS graduating senior who shares Steve’s love of all things theater. Steve was a patron of the arts. He was passionate in his participation, which ranged from behind the scenes to the pit to center stage. His love of performing started in high school, and he returned to it as an adult with his involvement in community theater.
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Tom Ulbrich “Welcome Home” Scholarship
This scholarship has just been created in honor of Tom Ulbrich who retired after 39 seasons of theatre excellence at NCHS. The award will be made to one student based on a combination of student achievement, dedication to the organization, GPA of at least 2.75 and a completed essay.
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William H. Scherer Athlete of the Year Scholarship
This four-year scholarship named in honor of William H. Scherer, Naperville High School class of 1936, is awarded to a graduating senior who performs at the highest level athletically.
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Susan Stuckey Scholarship
The scholarship is awarded to a graduating senior who plans to pursue a degree in education and has been accepted to a four year college or university. The recipient should emulate the spirit demonstrated by Susan Stuckey of overcoming obstacles with a positive attitude and proactive actions. The recipient should also demonstrate the qualities of leadership and caring about the well-being of others.
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Brian Churchill Memorial Scholarship
Named in memory of Brian Churchill, this scholarship is awarded to an NCHS graduating senior who has been involved in athletics, music and has an interest in pursuing business or entrepreneurial endeavors.
Awarded to Naperville North Seniors
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James T. Albrecht III Memorial Scholarship
Recipients should emulate “James' Spirit” as a senior who has enriched the lives of others through his/her kindness and helpfulness and who has a particular interest in the areas of math or science. James was a member of the NNHS class of 2004.
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Judith Griffiths Mattison Memorial Endowment Scholarship
This NNHS scholarship is also known as the “Outstanding Senior Student Award” and is presented to a senior student who exhibits the highest level of leadership, service and academic achievement.
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Kathleen Williams' HALO (Help And Love Others) Scholarship Fund
The Kathleen William’s HALO Scholarship is a one-year $1,000.00 scholarship awarded to one (1) graduating senior of Naperville North High School who has been accepted to a college or university, community college, or trade school. The applicant(s) should have the following attributes:
Positive attitude and outlook
Goes above and beyond to be inclusive of everyone
Goes out of their way to reach out to help others and motivate them to be their best selves,
A team player with possible future goals in an area of service to others (education, healthcare, etc.)
Demonstrates perseverance/determination through a growth mindset.
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Nancy Bilardello-May 5-Star Scholarship Fund
This scholarship is awarded to a graduating senior of Naperville North High School who has been accepted to a college or university, community college, or trade school.
The recipient of this scholarship should emulate the color that Nancy brought into this world and embrace the following five ideals.
Be fearless when approaching every day
Have strong opinions and act upon them
Reject stereotypes and social labeling
Try to make the world a little brighter each day
Teach others with compassion and energy
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Rinker’s Huskie PAWS Up Scholarship
The Rinker Huskie PAWS Up Scholarship is awarded to two (2) graduating seniors (1 identifying as a male and 1 as a female) of Naperville North High School who have been accepted to a certification program, community college, or trade school.
P = Preparing
A = Achieving
W = Working
S = Succeeding
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Sue Thomas Memorial Endowment Scholarship
Sue would have graduated from NNHS with the class of 1980 had it not been for her untimely passing. Her parents together with many friends established that the recipient of this award should exhibit strong qualities of leadership, service and academic achievement. The winner should also exemplify Sue’s faith, recognition of the importance of friends, respect for and showing respect for teachers, neighbors, parents and adults along with a love and respect for the NNHS community.
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Naperville Woman’s Club Scholarship
The Naperville Woman’s Club Scholarship is awarded to a graduating female senior who plans to enroll in a program which will lead to a career in education or in the trades.
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Arrichiello-Imburgia Scholarship
This scholarship was created in honor of Jim and Sadie Arrichiello and Dominic and Marie Imburgia. They were good, honest, hardworking people who did their best for their family so that their children could work towards their dreams.
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Susan Stuckey Scholarship
The scholarship is awarded to a graduating senior who plans to pursue a degree in education and has been accepted to a four year college or university. The recipient should emulate the spirit demonstrated by Susan Stuckey of overcoming obstacles with a positive attitude and proactive actions. The recipient should also demonstrate the qualities of leadership and caring about the well-being of others.
Endowments
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Richard Brassington Memorial Trust Endowment
Endowment earmarked for Special Olympics.
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Jeanine Nicarico Memorial Literacy Fund
Jeanine Nicarico Memorial Literacy Fund The Jeanine Nicarico Memorial Fund for Literacy, under the auspices of the Naperville Education Foundation, supports grants to individual educators, or entire schools, in an effort to promote a deeper understanding and teaching of literacy, to enrich instructional programs, to provide opportunities to link literacy between the home and the school, and to lay foundations that will develop life-long readers. The Fund was established in 1996 by friends and family of the Nicaricos, faculty members at River Woods Elementary School and other staff members of Naperville Community Unit School District 203.
As the philanthropic arm of Naperville 203, NEF acts as a fiscal agent for scholarships.