Kewanee High School celebrated its graduating class on May 18, 2025, with $150,950 awarded in scholarships and honors. Outstanding seniors were recognized for achievements in academics, arts, athletics, and community service. Among the many recipients, Hailey Fairbrother received the Frank and Fannie Lay Award, while Aaliyah Duarte was honored with multiple accolades, including the Kiwanis Cup and Rotary Scholars Award. Benjamin Taylor collected an array of distinctions, such as the Elks Trophy and Lions Club Plaque. The event reflects both the commitment of Kewanee’s youth and the strong support from local organizations and memorial funds.
Group 1 – left to right
Row 1: Brady Schiltz, Benjamin Taylor, William Ly, Lauryn Padilla, Jacie Hinton, Veronica Murillo, Elizabeth Pratt, Aaliyah Pickering, Emma Brants, Julia Pendergrass, Nayeli Leon, Claire Olalde, Emily Witte, Riley Gibson
Row 2: Dillon Price, Ivan Ruiz Sanchez, Paola Morado Mendoza, Adrianna Zepeda Sanchez, Chase Palm, Payton Ouart, Kashen Ellerbrock, Gabriel Dominguez Guevara, Colson Welgat. Tyler Johnston, Garrett Komnick, Waylan Lambert, Marcus Guzman
Group 2 – left to right
Row 1: Alejandra Martinez, Addyson Hicks, Aaliyah Duarte, Stardeja Jordan, Faith Frykman, Hailey Fairbrother, Adrienne DeSmit, Rebeca Corral, Amelia Hutchinson, Tejhiana Amos, Tessa Mitchell, Marlee Bates, Trivian Massens, Tyson Currie
Row 2: Adrian Buss, Joey Janey Jr, Amos Campbell, Brayden Conley, Brennyn Ford, Miguel Gamez, Leocadio Gandarilla, Alejandro Duarte, Davontae Jordan, Robert Burgess Jr, Quentin Bloome, Aiden McClay, Shawn Roller
Congratulations to all the award winners and graduates for 2025:
HAILEY FAIRBROTHER
THE FRANK AND FANNIE LAY KEWANEE HIGH SCHOOL AWARD
DAVONTAE JORDAN
THE FRANK AND FANNIE LAY KEWANEE HIGH SCHOOL AWARD
HILDING BECK SCHOLARSHIP
THE KYLE AND MARK KAY (KAZLOWSKI) DEJAEGER SCHOLARSHIP
AALIYAH DUARTE
THE KIWANIS CUP
DOCTOR SMITH LOYALTY AWARD
ROTARY SCHOLARS AWARD
ADELA WESEBAUM AWARD
MARVIN DAMRON MEMORIAL SCHOLARSHIP
THE LAURENCE HORLER SCHOLARSHIP
P.A. HINDERLITER SCHOLARSHIP
BENJAMIN TAYLOR
THE ELKS TROPHY
THE LIONS CLUB PLAQUE
BARRY LEE ENSLEY MEMORIAL AWARD
ROTARY SCHOLARS AWARD
JERRY NELL MEMORIAL AWARD
CHRISTIANSEN FAMILY HEALTHCARE SCHOLARSHIP
TYANDA THOMAS KINDNESS AWARD
THE HARRIET McCARTHY MATH SCHOLARSHIP
3 X 4 ATHLETIC SCHOLARSHIP
REBECA CORRAL
THE LIONS CLUB PLAQUE
THE MARY LEE AND H.T. MERCER FINE ARTS AWARD
ROTARY SCHOLARS AWARD
THE HARRIET McCARTHY MATH SCHOLARSHIP
THE KATIE WOODS CREATIVE SPIRIT AWARD
HEIDI L. GOODBAR MEMORIAL ART SCHOLARSHIP
WILLIAM LY
THE LIONS CLUB PLAQUE
JOHN PHILIP SOUSA BAND AWARD
ROTARY SCHOLAR AWARD
LOUIS ARMSTRONG JAZZ AWARD
KEWANEE MUSIC BOOSTERS SCHOLARSHIP
RICHARD SCHIELER PERFORMING ARTS SCHOLARSHIP
KEVIN L. YEPSEN EXCELLENCE IN MATH SCHOLARSHIP
ALEJANDRO DUARTE
THE LIONS CLUB PLAQUE
D.A.R. GOOD CITIZEN AWARD
DR. SMITH LOYALTY AWARD
THE DAVID HEPNER FOOTBALL MEMORIAL
ROTARY SCHOLARS AWARD
ROBERT L. PETERSEN MEMORIAL AWARD
DR. ROBERT BREEDLOVE MEMORIAL ATHLETICS SCHOLARSHIP
RUTH AND EDMOND BEAUPREZ MEMORIAL SCHOLARSHIP
GARY L. ZARVELL MEMORIAL SCHOLARSHIP
REESER FAMILY SCHOLARSHIP
P.A. HINDERLITER SCHOLARSHIP
JOAN L. KEMPIN NOSAL “TENDER HEART, GENTLE HANDS” NURSING SCHOLARSHIP
DILLON PRICE
THE LIONS CLUB PLAQUE
ROTARY SCHOLARS AWARD
DEAN L. BATES SCHOLARSHIP
MARY (BEYER) KEIM MATH/ACCOUNTING SCHOLARSHIP
CHASE PALM
THE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE AWARD
MARGARET RIRIE MEMORIAL AWARD
THE CHRIS R. KETRIDGE MEMORIAL JOURNALISM
EDWIN F. PETERSON FREE ENTERPRISE MEMORIAL SCHOLARSHIP AWARD
KEWANEE SCHOOLS FOUNDATION – VIDEO SCHOLARSHIP
TRIVIAN MASSENS
THE MARY LEE AND H.T. MERCER FINE ARTS AWARD
NATIONAL SCHOOL CHORAL AWARD
KATHRYN L. KIRLEY MEMORIAL SCHOLARSHIP
THE KATIE WOODS CREATIVE SPIRIT AWARD
JAMES L. GOLBY – KENNETH W. SULLENS SCHOLARSHIP
RICHARD SCHIELER PERFORMING ARTS SCHOLARSHIP
AIDEN McCLAY
THE NATIONAL ARION FOUNDATION AWARD – CHOIR
AMERICAN LEGION POST #31 SCHOLARSHIP
GARRETT KOMNICK
THE NATIONAL ARION FOUNDATION AWARD – BAND
ROTARY SCHOLARS AWARD
RICHARD MAUTINO MEMORIAL GOVERNMENT SERVICE LEARNING AWARD
BRADY SCHILTZ
INDUSTRIAL EDUCATION AWARD AND GALEN AND MARY LANDIS PLAQUE
THE BRADLEY WESSELS MEMORIAL AWARD
ROTARY OUTSTANDING VOCATIONAL AWARD
KASHEN ELLERBROCK
THE LIONS CLUB PLAQUE
THE AGRICULTURE ADVISORY COUNCIL CUP
TOM BLAKE BASKETBALL MEMORIAL AWARD
ROTARY SCHOLAR AWARD
FFA ALUMNI SCHOLARSHIP
GLIDDEN FAMILY SCHOLARSHIP
TYSON CURRIE
THE JOE HILL MEMORIAL AWARD
AMELIA HUTCHINSON
PAULINE SCHOTT MEMORIAL AWARD
JUDY HUGGINS MEMORIAL SCHOLARSHIP
QUENTIN BLOOME
THE MARTIN RAPCZAK AND RODNEY ROGERS MEMORIAL PATRIOTISM AWARD
TYLER JOHNSTON
RUMBOLD VALLEY FARMS AWARD
TESSA MITCHELL
THE SUSAN SMITH MEMORIAL PLAQUE
KHS CLASS OF 1972 SCHOLARSHIP
LAURYN PADILLA
BELLE ALEXANDER DENNIS SCHOLARSHIP
HILDING BECK SCHOLARSHIP
THE HARRIET McCARTHY MATH SCHOLARSHIP
ADDYSON HICKS
RODNEY ROGERS MEMORIAL MEDICAL ARTS AWARD
HILDING BECK SCHOLARSHIP
JIM AND ALICE GOLBY EMPATHY AWARD
MARCUS GUZMAN
ETHEL C. TILLMAN SCHOLARSHIP
THE HARRIET McCARTHY MATH SCHOLARSHIP
IVAN RUIZ SANCHEZ
ROTARY SCHOLAR AWARD
THE HARRIET McCARTHY MATH SCHOLARSHIP
BRIAN P. MURPHY MEMORIAL SCHOLARSHIP
ADRIENNE DESMIT
HILDING BECK SCHOLARSHIP
BRENNYN FORD
WOODY HERMAN JAZZ AWARD
DEAN L. BATES SCHOLARSHIP
MIGUEL GAMEZ
WOODY HERMAN JAZZ AWARD
JOEY JANEY JR
FFA ALUMNI SCHOLARSHIP
MATTHEW SCOTT MEMORIAL AWARD
GOLD STAR FS SCHOLARSHIP
JACIE HINTON
DR. RONALD THOMPSON MEMORIAL SCHOLARSHIP
MATTINGLY STUDENT COUNCIL LEADERSHIP AWARD
CLAIRE OLALDE
THE BERNIE VANWASSENHOVE-JOHNSON SCHOLARSHIP AWARD
NORMA BARTO MEMORIAL SCHOLARSHP
BLAKE/ZARVELL MEMORIAL MUSIC SCHOLARSHIP
TEJHIANA AMOS
JERRY NELL MEMORIAL AWARD
DEREK HODGE MEMORIAL SCHOLARSHIP
JOHN JAGERS MEMORIAL AWARD
STARDEJA JORDAN
LEO A. SAEY MEMORIAL AWARD
ROBERT E. BREEDLOVE SCHOLARSHIP
ELIZABETH PRATT
DEAN L. BATES SCHOLARSHIP
PATRICIA (SNIDER) SULLENS CHEERLEADING AWARD
JOHN HEADLUND SCHOLARSHIP
JULIA PENDERGRASS
DEAN L. BATES SCHOLARSHIP
KEWANEE HIGH SCHOOL CLASS OF 1957 SCHOLARSHIP
FAITH FRYKMAN
DEAN L. BATES SCHOLARSHIP
WAYNE AND HAZEL ZANG MEMORIAL SCHOLARSHIP
EMMA BRANTS
DEAN L. BATES SCHOLARSHIP
SHAWN ROLLER
DEAN L. BATES SCHOLARSHIP
AMOS CAMPBELL
DEAN L. BATES SCHOLARSHIP
LEOCADIO GANDARILLO
RICHARD A. RUZAS, JR. MEMORIAL TRACK AWARD
PAOLA MORADO MENDOZA
KEWANEE PARK DISTRICT SCHOLARSHIP
PAYTON OUART
THE DEKALB AGRICULTURAL ACCOMPLISHMENT AWARD
WAYLAN LAMBERT
THE BRADLY & JOANNE WAUGH FAMILY MEMORIAL AWARD
BRAYDEN CONLEY
GARY L. ZARVELL MEMORIAL SCHOLARSHIP
GEOFFREY R. SCHMIDT MEMORIAL SCHOLARSHIP
SHAUNE LEWIS MEMORIAL BASKETBALL/FOOTBALL SCHOLARSHIP
DETECTIVE SERGEANT JAMES RAMON MOCK MEMORIAL SCHOLARSHIP
3 X 4 ATHLETIC SCHOLARSHIP
ADRIAN BUSS
GEORGE CERNOVICH AUTO SERVICE SCHOLARSHIP
AALIYAH PICKERING
R. LYNN SAEY MEMORIAL SCHOLARSHIP
HEIDI HEINRICH MEMORIAL SCHOLARSHIP
CHRISTIANSEN FAMILY EDUCATION SCHOLARSHIP
MARLEE BATES
GEOFFREY R. SCHMIDT MEMORIAL SCHOLARSHIP
PATRICIA (SNIDER) SULLENS CHEERLEADING AWARD
THE GOOD NEIGHBOR AWARD
EMILY WITTE
ANNA L. SHEAHAN MEMORIAL SCHOLARSHIP
RILEY GIBSON
ROBERT A. GRABBE MEMORIAL AWARD
ROBERT BURGESS
ROBERT A. GRABBE MEMORIAL AWARD
VERONICA MURILLO
PATRICIA (SNIDER) SULLENS CHEERLEADING AWARD
THE CARING SPIRIT AWARD
P.A. HINDERLITER SCHOLARSHIP
ADRIANNA ZEPEDA SANCHEZ
KEWANEE REBEKAH LODGE #512 SCHOLARSHIP
JOAN L. KEMPIN NOSAL “TENDER HEART, GENTLE HANDS” NURSING SCHOLARSHIP
GABRIEL DOMINGUEZ GUEVARA
JOHN B. HEARTT MEMORIAL BHE MECHANICS SCHOLARSHIP
JOHN SPETS FAMILY MEMORIAL AWARD
ALEJANDRA MARTINEZ
P.A. HINDERLITER SCHOLARSHIP
COLSON WELGAT
3 X 4 ATHLETIC SCHOLARSHIP
NAYELI LEON
MARGO EASTMAN BERRY MEMORIAL SCHOLARSHIP
