District Announces Winners Of College Scholarship

PLAINFIELD, IL — The Plainfield School District in a news release Thursday announced the names of 15 graduating seniors who received college scholarships last month from the Plainfield Foundation for Excellence and the CAPE organization, recognizing their academic achievement and community service.

The Foundation for Excellence is a private fundraising organization that has been supporting District 202 schools, students, staff and the community since 1983 with grants, scholarships and financial support for special programming.

The Foundation also administers the Martens Family Science Scholarship on behalf of the Martens family, and the Chief John Eichelberger Public Safety Scholarship on behalf of the Plainfield Fire Protection District.

Community Service Scholarship

The Foundation for Excellence Community Service Scholarship is given to graduating seniors based on their involvement and active participation in school and volunteer community activities. This year’s winners each received $2,000.

This year’s recipients were:

Plainfield High School – Central Campus

• Natalie Heye

Plainfield South High School

• Ariana Jimenez

Plainfield North High School

• Abigail Rausch
• James Vu

Plainfield East High School

• Kayla Rissman

Martens Family Science Scholarship

The Martens Family Science Scholarship awards $2,500 to one student from each of District 202’s traditional high schools who plan to major in a STEM-related science field at an accredited university offering a doctorate degree in their chosen major.

The Martens family gives the scholarship in memory of former Plainfield resident Fred Martens, who was a nuclear engineer at Argonne Labs.

This year’s recipients were:

Plainfield High School – Central Campus

• Lillian Bruno, who plans to major in biochemistry and Illinois State University

Plainfield South High School

• Hannah Kostelz, who plans to major in physical therapy at Maryville University

Plainfield North High School

• Madison Muell, who plans to major in industrial engineering at Ohio State University

Plainfield East High School

• Jessica Ho, who plans to major in petroleum engineering at University of Oklahoma

Chief John Eichelberger Public Safety Scholarship

The Chief John Eichelberger Public Safety Scholarship awards $1,000 to four students from the three high schools in the Plainfield Fire Protection District (Plainfield South High School is in the Joliet Fire Protection District.)

Students must plan to major in the fire service, public safety, medical or emergency services at an accredited state or private university or college preferably in Illinois.

The Plainfield Volunteer Fire Department gives the scholarship to honor former Fire Chief John Eichelberger who retired in 2015 after 40 years of dedicated service to the fire department.

This year’s recipients were:

Plainfield High School – Central Campus

• Austyn Craft
• Ryan Krueger

Plainfield North High School

• Emma Daniels
• Lexus Schmalholz

The CAPE Scholarship

The CAPE organization presents $500 scholarships to one student from each District 202 traditional high school to well-rounded students who have demonstrated academic achievement, leadership and community service.

This year’s recipients were:

Plainfield High School – Central Campus

• Valerie Knight

Plainfield South High School

• Hannah Kostelz

Plainfield North High School

• James Vu

Plainfield East High School

• Katherine Sisto

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