Two Wauconda High School grads receive $500 scholarships
Submitted by Submitted by Judy Belieff
The Plant and Garden Club of Wauconda recently awarded two $500 scholarships to David Van Alstyne and Zachary Ziemba, both 2013 graduates of Wauconda High School.
David Van Alstyne will be attending Grand Valley State University in Allendale, Mich., majoring in physics. He plans on becoming a high school physics teacher and using his passion for learning to inspire his students to develop a love of science and physics. His sister, Sydney, won this scholarship in 2011.
While at Wauconda High School, Van Alstyne was very active in many areas while maintaining a G.P.A. above 4.0 for all four years making him a Distinguished Honor Student and member of the National Honor Society. Some of his accomplishments include being an Illinois State Scholar, receiving the National Merit Commendation and being awarded the Kettle Moraine Press Association Award.
In addition to those honors, he was a founding member of the vocal group PowerHouse and participated in numerous school musicals as part of the cast and the crew. He was a leader for the Snowball Retreats, yearbook editor-in-chief, competitor in the Worldwide Youth in Science and Engineering Competition, member of the YMCA Aquaduct Swim Club and held offices in the Drama Club.
Zachary Ziemba will be attending the University of Wisconsin at Milwaukee. He plans on majoring in city planning and architecture with a bachelor of science degree in architecture, including landscape design.
Ziemba has been extremely active in volunteering for his school, church and community. His favorite organizations to volunteer at are the Wauconda Food Pantry and Habitat for Humanity. In addition, he helps out at the Wauconda Park District, Messiah Lutheran Church and Wauconda Cares Day. After performing over 100 hours of volunteer service his senior year, he was awarded the Wauconda Mayor’s Service Award for Community Service for 2012.
He was also very involved at school tutoring students in English and French while being a member of the National Honor Society, Scholastic Bowl, Future Business Leaders of America and the foreign travel group, which went to Spain and France. He also participated in recent charity work in St. Louis, Mo.
The Plant and Garden Club of Wauconda offers scholarships to students graduating Wauconda High School with an interest in a science related field. Money for the scholarships is earned through the club’s plant sale, held the Sunday after Mother’s Day at the Cook House located between the high school and library on Main Street.
The public is invited to attend all meetings, lectures and workshops. For more information, call Laurel at (847) 526-8320.
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