Alcona High School Class of 2008 Starts Non-profit: Alcona Schools Alumni Scholarship
As the school year draws closer to its end, the Class of 2025 is preparing to leave high school and looking ahead to the future. This is an exciting time full of possibilities, and scholarships can expand the options available to students. The Class of 2008 was once facing those same challenges and opportunities, and in 2022, launched the Alcona Schools Alumni Scholarship to help today's Alcona seniors achieve their goals. They are excited to announce that this year, their scholarship has become a nonprofit organization. The class motto was “Our past holds our accomplishments, our future holds our dreams, today is our day to go forth and succeed,” and the alumni are hopeful that this new nonprofit will enable the Class of 2025 and beyond to reach the future of their dreams.
The Alcona Schools Alumni Scholarship was created by former Alcona High School graduates from the Class of 2008 who wanted to give back to their alma mater. The idea began with alumna Helen-Ann Cordes, who works at Alcona Community Schools. She noticed that of all scholarships given at the Senior Awards Night, only the Class of 1979 had an alumni-run award for students. She reached out to her graduating class, and soon a scholarship board was collecting and distributing funds. Current board members joining Helen-Ann include Logan DeJarlais, Lauren Kowalewsky, Justin Blohm, Shannon McNichols, John Hefferon, Nikole Hampton, Kevin Hart, and Ryan Parrott.
The 2008 alumni value all paths that students might take to better themselves, start their careers, or complete a formal education. Therefore, the scholarship is available to students attending four year colleges, community colleges, apprenticeship programs, trade schools, or even taking job training courses. Since its inception, the Alcona Schools Alumni Scholarship has awarded $2,250 to five different Alcona High School graduates, and is looking forward to supporting more students in the future.
A benefit of gaining nonprofit status is the ability to house funds for other alumni groups interested in starting their own scholarships. To learn more about this opportunity, please contact Justin Blohm at: Blohm1js@gmail.com. To donate to the scholarship, please send a check payable to “Alcona Schools Alumni Scholarship” to Attn: Helen-Ann Cordes, Alcona High School, 51 North Barlow Road, Harrisville, MI 48740. The nonprofit is working toward launching a more convenient digital platform for donations that will allow them to expand their reach and impact. Scholarship applications for the Class of 2025 will be accepted until March 10th at 12pm. If you would like to celebrate the accomplishments of the seniors at Alcona Community Schools, please attend the Class of 2025 Senior Awards Night on Wednesday, May 14, 2025 at 7pm.
The Class of 2008 would like to thank the Class of 1979 for their dedication to the students at Alcona Community Schools and being an inspiration for future alumni. Additionally, the Class of 2008 would like to thank Alcona Community Schools for their support and to all the donors that have made their scholarship possible.