2016 West Central High School Senior Awards

 

Distinguished Awards

Academic Honors Diplomas - Ariel Barlow, Sara Bernal, Gretchen Blackburn, Sarah Fox, Jon Gudeman, McKenzie Kopka, Rob Lovely,Vanessa Murray, Alisha Oliver, Mackenzie Pfledderer, Jerod Putt, Riley Schultz, Brooke Shepperd, Alex Tauber, Savannah Yerion

Technical Honors Diplomas - Laura Faler, Nate Neeley, Tiffany Scheffer, Tanner Wuethrich

D.A.R. Good Citizen Award - Jerod Putt

Girls’ State - Vanessa Murray

US Marine Corp Awards:

          Scholar - Vanessa Murray/Jerod Putt

          Semper Fi - Evan Hasek

          Athlete - Jonathan Gudeman/Mackenzie Pfledderer

President’s Education Awards - McKenzie Kopka, Vanessa Murray, Jerod Putt, Savannah Yerion

Senior Leadership Award - Jerod Putt

Principal’s Leadership Award - Alisha Oliver

Salutatorian - Vanessa Murray

Valedictorian - Jerod Putt

 

Honor Roll Awards

High Honor Roll: Gretchen Blackburn, McKenzie Kopka, Vanessa Murray, Jerod Putt, Savannah Yerion

Honor Roll: Megan Bradley, Gage Conley, Sarah Fox, Rob Lovely, Alex McKay, Jackie Wettstein, Jayla Wettstein

 

Perfect Attendance Awards

Sarah Fox

 

Departmental Awards

Athletic: Four-Year Awards - Sara Bernal, Gretchen Blackburn, McKenzie Kopka, Nate Neeley, Mckenzie Pfledderer

Band: Outstanding Senior Band Student - Sarah Fox; John Phillip Sousa Award - Tristianne Wireman

Business: Outstanding Senior Business Student - Jerod Putt

Economics: Outstanding Senior Economics Student - Vanessa Murray

English: Outstanding Senior English Student - Savannah Yerion

Health Careers: Sara Bernal, Brittany Conkel, Jon Gudeman, Salome Huber, McKenzie Kopka, Nate Neeley, Alisha Oliver, Mackenzie Pfledderer, Tiffany Scheffer, Brooke Shepperd, Jackie Wettstein

Industrial Technology: Outstanding Construction Student - Jaxon Mayhew

Math: Senior Calculus Award - Gretchen Blackburn

Science: Outstanding Anatomy & Physiology Student - Gretchen Blackburn

Spanish: Senior Spanish Award - Laura Faler

National Honor Society Members: Sara Bernal, Gretchen Blackburn, Laura Faler, McKenzie Kopka, Vanessa Murray, Eli Nielsen, Randi Nine, Mackenzie Pfledderer, Jerod Putt

 

Scholarships

Health Careers Scholarship - Sara Bernal, Jon Gudeman, Tiffany Scheffer

American Red Cross Scholarships - Brittany Conkel, Salome Huber

North Central Co-Op Scholarship - Gretchen Blackburn

West Central Athletic Scholarships - Sara Bernal, Gretchen Blackburn, McKenzie Kopka, Mackenzie Pfledderer

Pulaski County Community Foundation:

          Carneal Scholarships - Sara Bernal/Mercy Birch

          PCCF Scholarship - Jerod Putt

          Rausch Scholarship - Gretchen Blackburn

          Senn Family Scholarship - Gretchen Blackburn

Street Family Scholarship - Savannah Yerion

Jasper County Community Foundation:

          Pampel Scholarship - Savannah Yerion

          John/Violet Wuethrich Scholarship - Tanner Wuethrich

          Barbara J. Drone Scholarship - Laura Faler

Pulaski County Soil & Water Scholarship - Gretchen Blackburn

Farm Builders Scholarship - Gretchen Blackburn

Alliance Bank Scholarship - Tanner Wuethrich

Koster Family Scholarships - Gretchen Blackburn, Sarah Fox, McKenzie Kopka, Vanessa Murray, Jerod Putt, Savannah Yerion

Farm Bureau Scholarship - Tanner Wuethrich

Retired Iron Workers Scholarship - Gretchen Blackburn

Galbreath Scholarship - Quinton Young

West Central National Honor Society Scholarships - Sara Bernal. Gretchen Blackburn, Vanessa Murray

West Central Student Council Scholarship - Jerod Putt

West Central FFA Scholarships - Corey Crase, Salena Leman, Eli Nielsen, Andrew Wagner

West Central Sunshine Society Scholarship - Megan Bradley

Francesville Legion Auxiliary Scholarship - Sarah Fox

Walter John & Wanda Joan Buczek Memorial Scholarship - Sara Bernal, Eli Nielsen

Deb Haring Memorial Scholarship - Laura Faler

Dr. Mike Gutwein Memorial Scholarship - Gretchen Blackburn

PCCF Scholarship - Jerod Putt

Rausch Scholarship - Gretchen Blackburn

Senn Family Scholarship - Gretchen Blackburn

John/Violet Wuethrich Scholarship - Tanner Wuethrich

Barbara J. Drone Scholarship - Laura Faler

Mike Rishel Memorial Scholarship -Ariel Barlow

Sharron McGee Memorial Scholarship - Sarah Fox

Dean Lowry Memorial Scholarship - Alex McKay

Mellon Family Scholarship - Jonathan Gudeman

West Central Educational Foundation Scholarship - Jonathan Gudeman

Ralph Harris Memorial Scholarship - Moriah Rayburn

Lerch Family Scholarship - McKenzie Kopka

Fulmer Seeds/Service Scholarship - Jerod Putt

Martha Timm Memorial Scholarship - Alex McKay

Dickinson Family Scholarship - Sarah Fox

Getz Family Scholarship - McKenzie Kopka

Doris Petra Scholarship - Laura Faler

Overmyer Family Scholarship - Tanner Wuethrich

Jeff Moncel/Phil Pixey Memorial Scholarship - Quinton Young

Jeanette Moncel Memorial Scholarship - Moriah Rayburn

William J. Hubbard Memorial Scholarship - Sarah Fox

Angie Huber Memorial Scholarship - Savannah Yerion

Betty Rebeck Memorial Scholarship - Laura Faler

Freshour Scholarships - Sara Bernal, Laura Faler, Vanessa Murray, Jerod Putt

Rosenberg Scholarship - Ariel Barlow

Gutwein Dairy Consulting Scholarship - Eli Nielsen

Miles William Allen Scholarships - Ariel Barlow, Gretchen Blackburn, Vanessa Murray

West Central Scholarships - Sara Bernal, Gretchen Blackburn, McKenzie Kopka, Vanessa Murray, Eli Nielsen,

Jerod Putt, Moriah Rayburn, Savannah Yerion

 

Senior Departmental and Distinguished Award Recipients
Scholarship Recipients

Senior Honor Roll

Certificate Recipients

Salutatorian Vanessa Murray

and Valedictorian Jerod Putt

 

  
Pulaski Health Care Center
Pulaski Health Care Center - Parkview
FNB Monterery
Habitat
Ace Hardware
WKVI Side

Local News Briefs

County Memorial Day Service May 26

The annual county Memorial Day Service will begin at 11 a.m., Monday (May 26), in front of the courthouse, Winamac.

The event is organized by the Winamac American Legion Post 71 and VFW Post 1728. Guest speaker will be Captain Casey Stephens. Dr. Robert Klitzman will serve as master of ceremonies.

Indiana Election Division to perform voter list maintenance

In the absence of an election in 2025, the Indiana Election Division will perform routine voter list maintenance in an effort to maintain accurate voter rolls, reports Pulaski County Clerk JoLynn Behny.

 Beginning mid-May, registered voters with an “active” voter status will receive the first in a series of two postcards to verify the registered voter’s correct address. If the information on the post card is correct, the registered voter does not need to take any action.

I-65 to have overnight lane closures near State Road 14

 JASPER COUNTY - Indiana Department of Transportation contractor Rieth-Riley Construction will have overnight lane closures on I-65 from mile marker 217 to 223 (between SR 10 and SR 114) beginning on or after Monday, May 12.

I-65 will be reduced to one lane in the area where work is occurring during the overnight hours of approximately 8 p.m. to 8 a.m. Work will be ongoing through mid-October.

PCPL lists activities, programs for May

The Pulaski County Public Library has listed its programs and activities for May. They include restorative yoga classes, adult canvas painting, and the opening celebration of the Story Trail at the park.

For more information on any program, call the library at 574-946-3432 or visit the library’s website at www.pulaskicounty.lib.in.us. 

Stop signs to be added to two county intersections

The Pulaski County Highway Department will add stop signs Monday (April 28) to two county road intersections – one in southeast Rich Grove Township, and the second in northwest Monroe Township.

The new stop signs were approved April 14 in an ordinance adopted by the county commissioners.

  

Indiana News

Mitch Frazier, AgriNovus Indiana president and CEO, to step down

INDIANAPOLIS (May 16) - AgriNovus Indiana announced Friday it is launching a search for a new chief executive officer following the resignation of its current CEO Mitch Frazier who will depart from the organization June 6.

Frazier, who has served as president and CEO of AgriNovus since June 2020, will become president of IBJ Media Corporation June 16.

61 Pulaski County students earn Ivy Tech degrees, certificates

KOKOMO (May 9) - Ivy Tech Community College Kokomo Service Area, which includes campuses and instructional sites in Kokomo, Loganspor and Peru, celebrated the Class of 2025 with three commencement ceremonies Friday, May 9.

The events, divided by schools, honored 1,128 students who are expected to have completed work on 1,432 degrees and certificates by the end of the Fall 2024 and Spring and Summer 2025 terms.

Northwest Indiana Forum hosts legislative wrap-up

CHESTERTON (May 2) – The Northwest Indiana Forum welcomed over 90 members for its annual Legislative Wrap-Up event Friday featuring bipartisan legislators from Northwest Indiana.

An engaging and informative panel discussion with the six key state lawmakers reflected on the 2025 Indiana General Assembly session and its impact on the region.

Pulaski County March unemployment rate drops to 3.1%

Pulaski County's unemployment rate dropped to 3.1 percent in March, down from 4.3 percent in February, the Indiana Department of Workforce Development reported Monday, (April 21). The rate was 3.7 percent a year ago.

The county had 6,586 employed persons in a labor force of 6,795 in March. In February those numbers were 6,533 of 6,830. A year ago the numbers were 6,302 of 6.546.

 

Indiana Health News

Measles outbreak in 29 states continues to be of concern

The U.S Center for Disease Control continues to monitor the growing outbreak of measles in the U.S. which is approaching 1,000 cases in 29 states.

Eight cases have were reported in the Indiana last month, all in Allen County. No additional cases have been reported in the state since that time.

  

Post News

Missing Winamac teen found safe

WINAMAC - The Pulaski County Sheriff’s Office reports the 14-year-old juvenile who was reported missing earlier this week has been located safe and reunited with her family.

The teen, Summer Campbell, 14, a freshman at Winamac Community High School had been missing since early Sunday morning (May 11), Officers followed multiple leads in over five days, both in and out of state.

PCELN works to build infrastructure for quality childcare in Pulaski County

Pulaski County Early Learning Network (PCELN) is working to ensure families in Pulaski County have access to affordable, quality childcare.

The network notes that many different groups in the county community must come together to address this critical need. Access to high-quality early childhood education means that children are more likely to build a foundation for success in school and life.

West Central School Board honored by Indiana School Boards Association

FRANCESVILLE - The West Central School Corporation School Board has been recognized by the Indiana School Boards Association (ISBA) with an Exemplary Governance Award (EGA) for calendar year 2024 for demonstrating an outstanding commitment to student success and professional learning.

Only 124 school boards in the State of Indiana earned awards through the EGA program this year.

Economic Summit addresses county's financial health, state budget

'Making a place where we choose to live'
With a major restoration of the county courthouse nearing completion and a host of additional business and community projects under development, the mood was upbeat at the annual Pulaski County Economic Development Summit Tuesday (April 29). The event is hosted by the Pulaski County Community Development Commission.

CDC executive director Nathan Origer gave updates on projects and county economics, while keynote speaker Stephanie Wells, president of the Indiana Fiscal Policy Institute, reviewed legislation from this year's session of the Indiana General Assembly.

BraunAbility to expand Winamac facilities with new product line

WINAMAC - BraunAbility has announced a $3.8 million investment in its Winamac operations to support production of the new BraunAbility Ram ProMaster.

This funding will cover land acquisition, land work, fencing, drainage and building improvements. Construction, utilizing local contractors, will continue through Spring 2026.