St. Charles American Legion Post 342 picks scholarships for scholars

American Legion Post 342 in St. Charles presented three local graduating seniors with monetary scholarships in awards ceremonies at each school.

Josh Forni from St. Charles North High School, Jessica Mueller from St. Charles East High School and Alicia Schooley from Geneva High School were the graduating seniors honored

"The most important criteria is that a relative be in the VFW (Veterans of Foreign Wars)"

"The most important criteria is that a relative be in the VFW (Veterans of Foreign Wars), but we’re looking for well-rounded kids with good grades and outside activities," said American Legion member Jake Wyatt.

Forni was a football player for all four years of high school who graduated in the top quarter of his class. The head varsity football coach, Mark Gould, wrote a strong letter of recommendation praising Forni’s leadership skills, including a football leadership award he won. He was the only applicant out of 20 from North awarded a scholarship. Wyatt said Forni plans to attend Augustana College in Rock Island, Ill, in the fall.

Mueller was involved in extracurricular activities throughout high school, including the volleyball team, Spanish club, and National Honor Society. She was the only East graduate to receive a scholarship from Post 342, out of 13 who applied. She said she will attend Coe College in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, in the fall.

"I think they chose me because of how long my grandpa was in the VFW, like 50 years," Mueller said.

Most years, Post 342 selects only two students to receive scholarships, one from East and one from North. But this year, the group had enough funds to create a third, all-area, scholarship.

That all-area scholarship was awarded to Geneva High School graduate Alicia Schooley. She is a straight-a student who finished number 12 in her class out of 483 students. Schooley is a National Merit Honor student, an Illinois State Scholar, co-captain of varsity track team, and received several math awards. Wyatt said she plans to attend Kenyon College in Gambier, Ohio, in the fall.

"Now she is a scholar, just the type of student we created our scholarship for," Wyatt said.

Both students will receive $1,250 for each of four years they attend the four-year university of their choice, for up to $5,000. The scholarship will renew each school year if the student sends a note from his or her guidance counselor at end of year verifying that the scholarship winner is still a full-time student in good academic standing.

"We don’t put a specific GPA requirement for them to keep the scholarship, but usually the schools say they have to have a C average or better to be in good standing," Wyatt said.

The scholarship money comes from an investment fund Post 342 set up more than a decade ago.

Post 342 also recognized several local graduating eighth graders with certificates and medals. They are: Olivia Cesarone and Zachary Kirby from Haines Middle School; Kimberly Smith and Angelo Carbonara from St. Patrick’s Catholic School; Erin Gautille and Nicholas Binetti from Thompson Middle School; and Britney Williams and Elliot Welter from Wredling Middle School.