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Bank Iowa Awards Scholarships to 17 Iowa High School Seniors Including Local Seniors Claire Leinen (Denison) and Sophia Schumacher (MVAOCOU)
Pictured Claire Leinen of Denison (Left) and Sophia Schumacher of MVAOCOU (Right)
Local seniors Claire Leinen and Sophia Schumacher among the winners
(West Des Moines, Iowa – June 5, 2024) — Each year, Bank Iowa awards $1,000 scholarships to commendable high school students across the state. This year’s Spirit of Chandy scholarship award recipients totaled 17 seniors in Iowa high schools from as far west as Shenandoah to as far east as New Hampton.
The 2024 Spirit of Chandy scholarship winners:
- Grant Barr of Clarinda High School who plans to attend Northeast Community College in Norfolk, Neb.
- Dairen Castro of Roosevelt High School who plans to attend The University of Iowa
- Mia DeWinter of Humboldt Community School District who plans to attend Iowa State University
- Abby Jager of Eddyville-Blakesburg-Fremont High School who plans to attend The University of Iowa
- Claire Leinen of Denison Community Schools who plans to attend Grand View University in Des Moines.
- Joshua LeRette of Red Oak High School who plans to attend Central College in Pella, Iowa
- Ava McIntire of Humboldt Community School District who plans to attend South Dakota State University
- Grace Moore of Oskaloosa Senior High School who plans to attend Olivet Nazarene University
- Jana Meyer of Sumner-Fredericksburg High School who plans to attend The University of Northern Iowa
- Morgan Dawn Powers of Newton Senior High who plans to attend William Penn University in Oskaloosa, Iowa
- Jacob Anthony Rystrom of Shenandoah High School who plans to attend Central College in Pella, Iowa
- Treyton Schaapherder of Clarinda High School who plans to attend Fort Lewis College in Durango, Colo.
- Sophia Schumacher of MVAOCOU High School who plans to attend South Dakota State University
- Felicity Faith Severs of Southeast Polk High School who plans to attend Moody Bible Institute in Chicago, Ill.
- Cassidy Smith of Colfax-Mingo Jr/Sr High School who plans to attend Minnesota State University
- Courtney Sweet of Johnston High School who plans to attend Washington University in St. Louis, Mo.
- Marshall Zeien of New Hampton Community School who plans to attend North Iowa Area Community College in Mason City, Iowa
The Spirit of Chandy scholarship honors Bank Iowa co-founder Harry Barr’s daughter, Chandy Barr Clanton, who passed away in 2009. Students are selected based on academics, character, leadership, honors/awards received and participation in school and community activities, including swimming, biking, running and flying — activities Chandy was passionate about.
To commemorate Chandy’s life, Harrison Clanton, son of Chandy, shared a piece of her story to students at the beginning of the application process. That story can be found here.
As part of the application process, students were encouraged to listen to Chandy’s story and complete an essay describing their personal strengths, as well as their education and career goals.
“The quality of applicants just keeps getting better with every passing year,” said Bank Iowa President/CEO Jim Plagge. “You can’t help but feel incredibly optimistic when you read the stories and then understand the ambitions of our next generation of leaders. The Bank Iowa team is honored to shine a spotlight on these 17 exemplary young Iowans.”
