At its May 18 meeting, the Jacksonville Rotary Club recognized the accomplishments of three area students by providing them with college scholarships totaling $5,000. Sydney Hembrough and Kalleigh Burke were awarded the $2,000 Rotary Scholarship. Dillon White was awarded the $1,000 Staff Sergeant Matthew Weikert Memorial Scholarship. This is the sixth year of the Jacksonville Rotary Club Scholarship program. The Rotary Scholarships, made possible by Rotary Club fundraising efforts, are designed to not only recognize scholastic achievement, but also leadership, volunteerism and contributions to the community. The Weikert Scholarship, founded to honor the memory of Staff Ssg. Matt Weikert, is funded by an anonymous donor and administered by the Jacksonville Rotary Club.
Sydney Hembrough was awarded a $2,000 scholarship. Her involvement includes Interact Club where she served as President, Role Models Encouraging Freshmen, and J’ettes dance team. She is a Jacksonville High School graduate who plans to attend Illinois College, where she intends to continue in Rotary service by joining Rotaract. She is the daughter of Douglas and Lesley Hembrough.
Kalleigh Burke also was awarded a $2,000 scholarship. Her involvement includes playing on the basketball, softball, and volleyball teams; student Body President; National Honor Society President; and 4-H. She is a Routt High School graduate who plans to attend the University of Notre Dame. She is the daughter of Jim and Laura Burke.
Jacksonville Rotary Club President Ginny Fanning said the scholarships presented to Hembrough and Burke were funded through the Rotary Club’s fundraisers, including its Oktoberfest, Valentine’s Dinner-Dance, and Bass Tournament. Fanning said, “We appreciate the community’s support for our fundraising programs, and we are proud to reinvest these donations as scholarships for future community leaders.”
Dillon White was awarded the $1,000 Staff Sergeant Matthew Weikert Memorial Scholarship. Scholarship Committee Chair Allen Stare said, “Dillon White is an outstanding young man who represents the qualities of leadership and service that will appropriately honor Staff Sergeant Weikert’s memory. His community service and leadership includes nine years of 4-H, where he developed leadership skills by chairing several committees and serving as Secretary, Reporter, Vice President and President. He has been an active volunteer for the Salvation Army. In high school he served as Treasurer for Jacksonville FFA, and volunteered for multiple service projects. He earned his Eagle Scout in 2016 with a project that built the East Side Juniors Patio at the Morgan County fairgrounds. White is a Jacksonville High School graduate who plans to attend John Wood Community College and major in Animal Science. He is the son of Zachary and Tammy White.
In presenting the award to White, Stare said, “This scholarship was established within the Jacksonville Rotary Club Foundation to honor the memory of Staff Sergeant Matthew W. Weikert, who was mortally wounded in 2010 while serving in Afghanistan. Weikert, who was a member of the Jacksonville High School Class of 2000, joined the U.S. Marine Corps in August of 2001 serving three tours in Iraq over four years. He later joined the U.S. Army serving with the 101st Airborne completing a tour in Iraq and was deployed in Afghanistan at the time of his death.” Stare continued, “Matthew Weikert personified the characteristics that Rotary values. He was known for his leadership and his attitude of service above self.”
Stare said, “This scholarship is open to JHS seniors or alumni – including those who may be returning to school after years in the work force – who are interested in pursuing education or training through a community college or vocational program.” An anonymous donor has provided the initial funding to offer the Staff Sergeant Matthew Weikert scholarship for the next two years. The Jacksonville Rotary Club Foundation has and will accept tax-deductible donations from anyone interested in extending the scholarship’s availability.