Scholarships total $4.73 million

Graduating seniors received more than $4.73 million -- including $695,762 in local scholarships -- during the 43rd annual Scholarship Awards Program on Thursday evening.

A total of 198 students were awarded 584 local and Arkansas Challenge scholarships on Thursday, according to Amber Carter, scholarship director. The numbers do not include college, technical school and military scholarships, she said.

Students received $3.28 million in college, technical and military scholarships, Carter said. The Arkansas Academic Scholarships totaled another $765,000, although Carter said the deadline for the scholarship is not until June 1 so the number will likely grow. Students must be Arkansas residents for 12 months, score a 19 on the ACT and attend an Arkansas college to receive the funds, she said.

The local scholarship donations were the second highest in the program's history, just shy of the $717,255 brought in in 2017. Over the past 43 years, the program has awarded $13.1 million to Siloam Springs High School students.

"These donors chose these students because they believe in them and they recognize the achievements that they have made and they want to see them succeed," Carter said. "They know these kids can do anything they set their minds to and they want to be a small part of that."

The local scholarship program was formed by parents Nancy Van Poucke and Leah Houston, and Principal Burton Elliot during the 1967-77 school year. Van Poucke and Houston noticed that their students didn't receive any scholarship money and wanted the opportunity to be available for future students, Carter said.

Since then, individuals, businesses, organizations, foundations and even alumni groups give to the program. This year, 29 new scholarships were added, Carter said.

One of the new scholarships was presented in honor of Superintendent Ken Ramey, who is retiring at the end of the school year. High school faculty and staff raised the money to fund the scholarship in honor of Ramey's spirit, dedication and determination, according to Principal Anne Martfeld.

The inaugural scholarships of $400 each were presented to Oliver Reid and Malia Martin.

School faculty and staff will continue to raise the money to present in his name in coming years, Martfeld said.

Another highlight of the evening was the presentation of the 25-year donor award to Moss Insurance Group.

"This award signifies the continued support of the educational goals and of the students of Siloam Springs High School," Martfeld said.