Members of the Bennington High School Class of 2026 were recognized for their academic achievements and future plans during the Senior Academic Awards Ceremony held Sunday afternoon.

A total of 180 seniors were honored at the event, which was hosted in partnership with Bennington High School administration, counseling staff and the Bennington Public Schools Foundation. The ceremony celebrated students’ accomplishments both inside and outside the classroom, as well as their post-secondary goals.

Scholarships were a central highlight of the afternoon, with $172,400 in local scholarships awarded to 140 students. Of that total, the Bennington Public Schools Foundation distributed $142,400 to 132 graduating seniors.

The Foundation’s contributions reflect decades of support for local students. Since awarding its first $300 scholarship in 1998, the organization has facilitated 854 scholarships totaling more than $1 million.

In addition to foundation awards, students received approximately $30,000 in scholarships from local community organizations. Recipients were selected based on a combination of academic performance, extracurricular involvement, community service and post-graduation plans.

Several students were also recognized for academic honors, including placement on the Academic Wall of Honor, earning academic letters, and achieving President’s and Dean’s List distinctions during their first semester.

Among the top scholarship categories were the Merit ACT/GPA awards, which included Platinum, Gold and Silver levels. Additional honors included Merit GPA awards, career and workforce scholarships, and a variety of endowed and memorial scholarships supported by community members and local organizations.

Local groups, from service organizations and booster clubs to community associations, also played a significant role in supporting students through scholarship opportunities, underscoring the community-wide investment in education.

The ceremony served not only as a recognition of academic excellence, but also as a celebration of the Class of 2026’s next steps as they prepare to enter college, the workforce and other post-secondary paths.

For more information about scholarship opportunities or how to support future students, visit the Bennington Public Schools Foundation website.

BPS FOUNDATION MERIT BASED SCHOLARSHIP RECIPIENTS INCLUDE:

Merit ACT GPA Platinum $1,750: Alima Adekunle, Anna Langel, Ava Singh, Baylee Schmaderer, Braden Moller, Brenden Anderson, Caden Ritonya, Carson Kortan, Colton Archer, Davis Hartley, Dylan Rapp, Elise Roth, Emily Wareham, Evan Warner, Grace Hoffmann, Jack Holtorf, James Gordier, Jasleen Singh, Kaleb Fahnholz, Kallie Brunson, Kate Miller, Liam Doan, Margaret Tefft, Natasha Winter, Noah Hall, Olivia Minturn, Rease Pearson, Samuel Knott, Zoe Nelson.

Merit ACT GPA Gold $1,500: Adalynn Wareham, Ava Terkelsen, Isabella Dick, Kellen Mann, Norah Haley, Zoey Vermeer. 

Merit ACT GPA Silver $1,250: Abby Joons, Addison Foltz, Addison Yates, Alyssa Schroeder, Anna Apala, Ariana Juddi, Ava Houser, Brady Nichols, Camryn Kinworthy, Connor Reiss, Hunter Christiansen, Jacob Sanger, Maren Fuller, Mckayla Isham, Mia Korth, Noah Nichols, QAI Kroeker, Reese Almquist, Tobin McGuire.

Merit GPA Platinum $750: Abby Galley, Abigail Rychly, Alea Chipperfield, Alyssa Anderson, Autumn Christiansen, Ava McDermott, Brekhna Shah, Brennan Laible, Brooke Lilleskov, Brynlee Hansen, Callie Smith, Carley Smith, Charlie Swoboda, Colby Dean, Dominic Gillett, Eden Boardman, Emma Christiansen, Ericka Matthews, Gabriella Nocita, Hanifa Mahamane Kosso, Hannah Theilen, Isaac Blomenkamp, Jackson Rezac, Jessica Neumann, Julia Dunning, Kailey Perkins, Kate Sebree, Keira Roth, Lainey Lym, Maggie Cottam, Makena Ladenburger, Maysen Holdorf, McKinley Clark, Meredith Finigan, Morgan Douan, Myles Gifford, Pierce Baumann, Pressley Rogge, Regan Bluhm, Reid Thornburg, Rihanna Rodriguez, Sabryn Kaufmann, Sadie Fisher, Samantha Ocampo, Zander Hanish.

Merit GPA Gold $500: Ariel Crawford, Brooklyn Hanish, Drake Johnson, Drew Loftus, Emma

Willoughby, Evelynn Maupin, Evynn Olsen, Hannah Wageman, Mackenzie Royer, Mason Mumford.

Merit GPA Silver $250: Alayna Stocker, Aliu Adekunle, Caleb Rawson, Dane Casey, Deseret Coles, Elle Wittland, Giulietta Gonzalez, Gwenyth Howard, Hunter MacLeod, Huy Vo, Katalina Dawson, Marshall Totten, Matthew Andersen, Natasha Gross, Taliyah Carter.

BPS FOUNDATION SUPPLEMENTAL SCHOLARSHIP RECIPIENTS INCLUDE:

Career $1,000: Junaid Shah, Gabriella Nocita, Hannah Wageman, Jessica Neumann

Workforce $1,000: Alyssa Youmans

Forever BPS Legacy Scholarships

• Darrell & Coe Leta Logemann Scholarship $2,500 renewable up to 4 years: Anna Apala, Maren Fuller, Abby Galley, Natasha Gross, Phung Pham, Huy Vo, Adalynn Wareham, Emily Wareham.
• Lee & Kathy Bunz Endowed Scholarship $1,500: Liam Doan
• Gene Baldwin Memorial Scholarship $1000: Reese Almquist
• Larry Saunders Memorial Scholarship $500: Mackenzie Royer
• Jeff Glover Memorial Scholarship: Noah Hall

All Star Kids Employee:

• 1 Year Employee $500: Ashlynn Cappas, Julia Dunning, Leora Hoffman, Logan Howard, Jensen Manz, Samantha Ocampo, Callie Smith, Maggie Tefft.
• 2+ Year Employee $750: Dane Casey, Desi Coles, Madison Olsen, Reid Thornburg.

LOCAL COMMUNITY ORGANIZATION SCHOLARSHIP RECIPIENTS INCLUDE:

• American Legion Auxiliary Scholarship: Mia Korth, Emma Ermaling
• American Red Cross Blood Drive Scholarship: Caden Ritonya
• Badger Art Camp/Stroberg Art Scholarship: Sabryn Kaufmann
• BCF/Dave Clark Memorial Scholarship: Ariel Crawford
• Bennington American Legion Post 266: Liam Doan, Kaleb Fahnholz, Charlie Swoboda, Deseret Coles
• Bennington Athletic League: Colby Dean, Alyssa Anderson
• Bennington Basketball League: Brady Nichols, Myles Gifford, Regan Bluhm, Reese Almquist, Matt Andersen
• Bennington Chamber of Commerce: Abigail Rychly, Adalynn Wareham
• Bennington Education Association: Alyssa Anderson, Kaleb Fahnholz, Alayna Stocker
• Bennington Elementary PTO: Kate Miller, Dylan Rapp, Hannah Theilen, Gwenyth Howard
• Bennington High School Athletic Booster Club: Brady Nichols, Samuel Knott, Margaret Tefft, Myles Gifford
• Bennington High School Music Boosters: Kate Miller, Liam Doan, Jack Holtorf, Dylan Rapp
• Bennington Jaycees: Regan Bluhm, Alyssa Schroeder, Brayden Kreikemeier
• Bennington Lions Club: Hannah Theilen, Hanifa Kosso, Callie Smith, Natasha Gross
• Bennington Soccer Club: Margaret Tefft, Mia Korth, Camryn Kinworthy
• Bennington Sons of the American Legion Post 266: Caleb Rawson, Reese Almquist
• Bennington Wrestling Club: Colton Archer, Evan Warner
• Bennington Youth Football Scholarship: Charlie Swoboda
• Douglas County Farm Bureau: Ty Thomsen
• GEARs Car Club Gary Markmann Memorial: Junaid Shah
• Heart of a Champion: Noah Langford, Will Robinson, Izaac George
• Heritage Elementary PTO: Margaret Tefft, Rease Pearson, Meredith Finigan, Makena Ladenburger
• Pine Creek PTO: Brekna Shah, Hunter Christiansen
• TeamMates of Bennington: Brekna Shah, Caleb Rawson, Makenzie Royer, Brooke Lilleskov, Gabrielle Bray
• West O Chamber: Regan Bluhm