Rotary Scholarship Winners Announced

The Sedalia Rotary Club honored several area high school seniors on Monday at Best Western State Fair Motor Inn, 32nd and Limit.

Rotary Scholarship Chairman Dr. Dave Limbaugh presented the nominees for the Leon Moore Scholarship. Moore, now deceased, was a member of Sedalia Rotary for many years, and a scholarship in his name was established by his wife Judi.

Nominees for the scholarship included Emanuel Martinez from La Monte, Hannah Lentz from Green Ridge, Cheri Williams from Smithton, Ashlyn Gerlt from Smith-Cotton, Sarah Hill from Sacred Heart, and Allison Ballenger from Northwest.

Williams won the Leon Moore Scholarship. She is originally from Windsor, but transferred to Smithton in fifth grade.

“I plan to go to State Fair and getting my RN. I also plan to get my Associate of Arts so I can transfer over to University and get my BSN,” Williams told KSIS after the luncheon was over.

Williams is the daughter of Angela Williams, who is a retired nurse who worked at Bothwell for 20 years. Cheri has two older brothers – Jacob and Nick, one older sister – Kayla. She also has three younger sisters – Alecia, Brooklyn and Bailee.

Nominees for Most Outstanding Student included Laysha Lopez from Sacred Heart, Miley Hayes from Green Ridge, Bailee Spencer from Smith-Cotton, Emily Trelow from Smithton, and Ivy Elwell from La Monte.

Lopez won the Most Outstanding Student Award. She has attended Sacred Heart since first grade. “My whole life, basically,” she said.

“I’m really thankful,” Lopez told KSIS. “I’m really proud of everyone, because I think it’s never just about you.  So I’m thankful for the Rotary for doing this and supporting so many young, great minds. I look around and see so many young bright women and it makes me excited for the future.”

Get our free mobile app

Lopez said she either wants to study journalism and marketing at Loyola University in Chicago, or University of Missouri in Columbia, “because I know they have a great program.”

Laysha’s mom Arrianna and dad Vladimir were in attendance Monday. She has one older brother Vlad and and one younger brother Allen.

Lopez will receive $4,000 ($1,000 per year) while the second place winner will receive $1,000.

The same applied for the winner of the Leon Moore Scholarship.

Limbaugh noted that a total of around $10,000 was handed out in scholarship money by Sedalia Rotary.

The club meets every week downstairs at Best Western and has a total of about 55 members. Visitors are welcome.

Sedalia Rotary's 49th annual auction takes place Saturday, April 25 starting at 6 p.m. Doors open at 5:30 p.m. The public is invited to attend.