Alexandra Higbee has been awarded $12,000 over four years from the Richard R. and Karen Bertrand Charitable Fund of the Oconomowoc Area Foundation. The daughter of Kristina and Michael Higbee of Oconomowoc has been accepted to Valparaiso University in Indiana to pursue a degree in Nursing.

Ally earned her CNA license before her junior year. She has been in Girl Scouts since 2011, and a member of National, Math, Science, English, Computer Science, and Business Honor Societies, FBLA, and Future Health Professionals of America. Ally earned the Academic All-State Award for cross country, and competed in ski racing, track and field, and tennis.

Brett Mitchell will receive $12,000 over four years through the M. Jane Hartnett Scholarship. The son of Alison Avery and Michael Ridgeman of Oconomowoc, and Dan Mitchell of Helenville will attend Boston University to major in Film and Television.

Brett is a member of Junior Sate of America, and National, Computer Science, Math, English, International Thespian, and Tr-M Music Honor Societies. He also participated in the OHS Players theater and Gold Vibrations choir groups all four years, and was a member of the track and field team. Brett’s passion for creating a bridge between technology and the arts inspired him to help create the Computer Science Honor Society at OHS.

Carson Klamert will receive $12,000 over four years from the Oconomowoc Scholarship Fund. The son of Brenda and Daniel Klamert of Oconomowoc will attend the University of Wisconsin-Madison to major in Mechanical Engineering and minor in Film.

Carson’s Theater Technician Internship led to his role as Student Theater Technician at the Oconomowoc Arts Center in 2022. He has helped design and build many theatrical sets on the OAC’s stage and has also worked as freelance video editor since 2023. Carson is Adobe Premiere Pro Certified, and a member of OHS Robotics and Digital Design Teams, DECA, National, Computer Science, Science, English, Social Studies, and International Thespian Honor Societies.

Chloe Ninmann, daughter of Neal and Sara Ninmann of Oconomowoc, will receive $12,000 over four years as the recipient of a Hilbert Scherffius Scholarship on behalf of the Oconomowoc Area Foundation. She has been accepted at Milwaukee School of Engineering where she plans to major in Business Marketing. Chloe is a three-sport scholar athlete and currently holds the role of the President of the Varsity Lacrosse team. She also had a successful career on the OHS basketball and golf teams.

When she wasn’t on the field, court or course, Chloe could be found in the stands leading the Game Day Squad. She is the President of the Student Council, the Director of Community Outreach for the Athletic Leadership Council, and a member of FBLA. She also holds various positions with the National, Business, Science and German Honor Societies.

Dylan Finger has been awarded a $12,000 scholarship over four years from the Debbink Family Foundation. The son of Polina and Thomas Finger of Oconomowoc plans to attend the University of Wisconsin-Madison to pursue a degree in Molecular and Cellular Biology.

Dylan is the OHS Class of 2024 Valedictorian. He is also a candidate for the IB Program, an AP Scholar, earned the Global Scholars Program Certificate, held leadership positions in DECA and Student Council, a Scholar Athlete and captain for the Varsity basketball team. In July 2022 Dylan started his own business called It Won't Build Itself where he assisted senior citizens with furniture assembly and repair services at no cost.

Ellery Wochele is the daughter of Andrea and Brian Wochele of Summit. She will receive a four-year scholarship for $12,000 from the Oconomowoc Scholarship Fund to pursue a BSA in Musical Theatre and minor in American Sign Language at the University of Wisconsin- Milwaukee.

Ellery volunteers teaching music lessons to students at Nature Hill Intermediate and can be heard singing the National Anthem at OHS sporting events. She is a member of the Golden Gal s and Gold Vibrations acapella groups, and International Thespian Society. Additionally, Ellery is a teen advisory board member with the Oconomowoc Public Library, tutors students in English, and is a member of the National and Tri-M Music Honor Societies.

Eloise Slipper, daughter of Jay and Kathryn Slipper of Oconomowoc, will receive $12,000 over four years as the recipient of a Hilbert Scherffius Scholarship on behalf of the Oconomowoc Area Foundation. Eloise plans to attend the University of Wisconsin-Madison to pursue degrees in English and Theater. During her time at OHS, she was a member of the Creative Writing Club and mentored students on Creative Arts Writing Day. She held various positions with the OHS Players and Box Theater Co. and is a member of the International Thespian Society.

Additionally, she held leadership positions with Junior State of America, Global Scholars Program, Students for Unity, Link Crew, and the National English, Spanish, Social Studies, and Science Societies. Eloise works at Mathnasium as an instructor and volunteers with the Oconomowoc Public Library summer reading program.

Emma Nelson is the inaugural recipient of the Sarah Debbink Langenkamp Scholarship. She is the daughter of Michael and Jennifer Nelson of Oconomowoc and will receive $12,000 over four years to pursue her studies in International Studies at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Emma was chosen as the Benjamin Franklin Transatlantic Fellowship Delegate and the State of Wisconsin Representative for the Gilder Lehrman Student Advisory Council. She represented OHS at Badger Girls State and served on the Guatemala Service Projects Student Advisory.

Emma plans to focus on public service and the various roles she has held in FBLA, Global Scholars Program, Students 4 Service and the Rho Kappa Social Studies, National, Science, English, Spanish and Business Honor Societies will serve as wonderful experiences.

Hailey Moskalik will receive $12,000 from the Richard R. and Karen Bertrand Charitable Fund of the Oconomowoc Area Foundation. The daughter of Katrina and Jason Moskalik of Oconomowoc plans to pursue a degree in Engineering at Purdue University in Indiana.

Hailey is a candidate for the IB Diploma Program, a member of Girl Scouts, and the Gold Vibrations and Golden Gals Choirs, and participated in the OHS Players all four years. She was president of International Thespian Honor Society, and a member of Tri-M Music, National, and German Honor Societies, and ran JV and Varsity track and field.

Jordan Haney will receive $12,000 over four years through the M. Jane Hartnett Scholarship. The daughter of Gina and Paul Haney of Oconomowoc will attend the University of Wisconsin-Madison to double major in Dietetics and Clarinet Performance.

Jordan was chosen as 2024 Distinguished Young Woman of Wisconsin. She played clarinet in the OHS Wind Symphony all four years, performed in Pit Orchestra and Jazz Band, and Marching Band Drum Major. She was also a four-year scholar athlete, captain of the Varsity track team, and member of HOSA, National, Science, English, German, and Tri-M Music Honor Societies. Jordan works at the YMCA as a special needs instructor, and volunteers with the Special Olympics.

Katilin Flood will attend Fox Valley Technical College in Appleton with plans to pursue a Veterinary Technician associate degree. The daughter of Michelle and Steven Flood of Oconomowoc will receive $3,000 over two years from the Oconomowoc Scholarship Fund.

Katilin has been honing her interests for several years, working her way up from a barn hand to an Equine Reproduction Veterinarian Technician at the Wisconsin Equine Clinic and Hospital. The OHS Youth Apprenticeship program has also provided opportunities for Katilin’s interests in the veterinary career field.

Lawrence Gunja will receive $12,000 over four years as the recipient of a Hilbert Scherffius Scholarship on behalf of the Oconomowoc Area Foundation. The son of Angela and James Gunja of Oconomowoc is set to attend the University of Wisconsin-Madison to study Business.

Lawrence completed the IB Career Program for Business Management and Marketing, participated in DECA, National, Business, Science and Spanish Honor Societies, as well as FBLA - holding positions of VP in ‘23 and President in ‘24. The scholar athlete was selected for the Classic 8 Leadership Committee and completed a Youth Apprenticeship as a customer service representative at Bank Five Nine.

Madeline Butschke will receive $12,000 over four years from the Oconomowoc Scholarship Fund. The daughter of Lisa and Chris Butschke of Oconomowoc will attend Carthage College. Earning her CNA license at WCTC solidified Madeline’s passion to pursue a degree in Nursing.

She has participated in the National, Math, Tri-M Music, and International Thespian Honor Societies, DECA, Junior State of America, Gold Vibrations vocal group, and Varsity Math Team. She also spent a lot of time on stage, performing in six theatrical productions with the OHS Players.

Maycee Rodenkirch, will receive $12,000 over four years from the Oconomowoc Scholarship Fund. The daughter of Leesa White-Rodenkirch of Ixonia and Steve Rodenkirch of Oconomowoc will attend University of Wisconsin-Platteville and plans to major in Psychology and minor in Art.

Maycee has been a member of the OHS Wind Symphony for all four years, holding the position of principal flutist and piccolist for the past two years. She has also been a member of the cross country and track teams, the OHS Math Team and the National, French, and Tri-M Music Honor Societies, and maintained a high GPA while working as a cashier at Fleet Farm.

Miranda Sandholm will receive $3,000 over the next two years from the Oconomowoc Scholarship Fund to attend WCTC to pursue her dream of being an x-ray technician and enter the healthcare field.

The daughter of Michael and Kimberly Sandholm of Oconomowoc, Miranda has had a successful academic career at Oconomowoc High School while balancing being a student athlete and working multiple jobs.

Morgan Prifogle, the daughter of Ben and Colleen Prifogle of Oconomowoc, has been awarded $12,000 over four years from the Oconomowoc Scholarship Fund and will attend the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Morgan is a competitive horseback rider, earning the Equitate Sportsmanship Award in 2022. She volunteers her time teaching riding lessons to Girl Scouts and during summer camps. Additionally, she volunteers with DECA’s Adopt-a School Christmas program, food drives and Make-A-Wish fundraising events.

Morgan is the flute section leader in the OHS Wind Symphony, marching and pep bands and participated in the pit orchestra. She is a member of Students 4 Service, a Link Crew leader, the National and Spanish Honor Societies, and is a sprinter and long jumper on the track and field team.

Pascal Rotella, son of Anai Lozano and Mauricio Rotella of Oconomowoc, will receive $5,000 from the George A. Markham Memorial Fund on behalf of the Oconomowoc Area Foundation to study Fine Art at the Milwaukee Institute of Art and Design.

Pascal and his parents emigrated to the U.S. during his junior year and since then he has been involved with the OHS Theater Department. He held lead roles in ‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream,’ summer camp musicals and the student-directed production of ‘Wrong Window.’ Pascal has excelled in his AP Art and Design class where he paints, draws, and sculpts with clay, and participates in community arts events.

Victoria Vazquez has been awarded a $12,000 scholarship from the Oconomowoc Scholarship Fund and will pursue a degree in Nursing at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

The great niece of Connie and Dan Laufenberg of Oconomowoc is currently a Certified Nursing Assistant at Three Pillars Living Community and volunteers regularly with First Congregational UCC of Oconomowoc. Victoria is a Global Scholar and completed the IB Career Program certificate. She is a member of the Health Occupation Students of America organization, the Link Crew, National Honor Society, and Students 4 Service.