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

 

  
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Local News Briefs

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.

Pulaski County America 250 committee to meet April 28

The Pulaski County America 250 Committee will meet at 6 p.m., Monday (April 28) at the new Pulaski County Historical Society Museum, 110 N. Monticello St., Winamac.

All who are interested in helping to develop county plans to celebrate the nation’s 250th anniversary beginning this summer through 2026 is welcome to attend. Please RSVP to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. to attend the meeting.

Pulaski County Economic Development Summit April 29

The annual Pulaski County Economic Development Summit is set for 6 p.m., Tuesday, April 29, at the Knights of Columbus hall, Winamac. The event is hosted by the Pulaski County Community Development Commission.

The keynote speaker will be Stephanie Wells, president of the Indiana Fiscal Policy Institute. The program will also feature the annual “State of the County Economy” address by CDC executive director Nathan Origer.

PMH seeks community input identifying health needs of local communities

Survey deadline May 17

WINAMAC - Pulaski Memorial Hospital has announced the launch of its 2025 Community Health Needs Assessment, a comprehensive initiative aimed at identifying and addressing the most pressing health needs of our local communities.

“Community feedback is essential” said Hospital CEO Steve Jarosinski. ”PMH will be gathering input from residents, local organizations, community leaders, and even other area healthcare professionals to better understand the health challenges and opportunities across the region.”

PCPL lists programs, activities for April

The Pulaski County Public Library has listed its programs and activities for April. They include a celebration of National Library Week, a kids’ caring for the environment program, a Ladybug Welcome Sign craft, and an Earth Day craft.

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.

  

Indiana News

Southbound I-65 reopens in Jasper County following hazmat fire

ROSELAWN (April 22) - I-65 southbound reopened near mile marker 230 at approximately 6:30 a.m. (ET) Tuesday, almost 17 hours following a spectacular semi-truck fire and hazmat cleanup which included an overnight repaving of a section of the interstate. No injuries were reported.

After assessing the damage to the roadway, the Indiana Department of Transportation determined that the accident scene needed to be resurfaced. INDOT already has a contract in place for this area for pavement patching with Rieth-Riley Construction, and they were able to mobilize to take over the scene once cleanup was complete. A total of 7,700 square feet of asphalt to a depth of four inches (and six inches on the outside shoulder) had to be replaced overnight.

Braun signs package of executive orders to ‘Make Indiana Healthy Again’

INDIANAPOLIS (April 15) – Gov. Mike Braun Tuesday signed a landmark package of executive orders with initiatives to improve Indiana’s health and well-being.

U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and Centers for Medicare and Medicaid administrator Dr. Mehmet Oz were in attendance to support Indiana’s initiative. Indiana now joins a number of states that have embraced, through legislation or executive orders, Kennedy’s “Make America Healthy Again” (MAHA) movement.

Pulaski County unemployment rate up slightly at 4.3 percent in February

Pulaski County's unemployment rate ticked up to 4.3 percent in February, up from 4.2 percent in January, the Indiana Department of Workforce Development reported Monday, (March 31). The rate was 3.8 percent a year ago.

The county had 6,535 employed persons in a labor force of 6,831 in February. In January those numbers were 6,507 of 6,793. A year ago the numbers were 6,381 of 6.645.

 

Update: Avian Influenza continues to affect wild birds across Indiana

INDIANAPOLIS (March 3) - The Indiana Department of Natural Resources (DNR) continues to detect highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) in wild birds throughout Indiana and has currently detected the H5NI virus in 30 counties.

HPAI is also suspected in an additional 32 counties based on reports involving the deaths of raptors, cranes, and waterfowl. Thirteen affected birds have been reported in Pulaski County, with significantly high cases found in neighboring Starke and Jasper counties.

Indiana Health News

Measles cases climb to 800 nationwide; 8 in Indiana

Also: respiratory illness updates

INDIANAPOLIS (April 21) — The Indiana Department of Health is investigating an outbreak of measles and working with local health officials to help stop the spread of infection. The current reported cases are connected to each other but at this time there are no known links to outbreaks in other states.

Eight cases have been reported in the Indiana, all in Allen County.

  

Post News

Pulaski Superior Court appears saved

INDIANAPOLIS (April 24) – Pulaski Superior Court and seven other rural courts have been spared from closure, following revisions made to HB1144 approved by both the state house and senate Thursday evening in the Indiana General Assembly.

The legislation is now pending the approval of Gov. Mike Braun.

Chamber presents Don, Lynn Darda with 2025 Halleck Award

The Pulaski County Chamber of Commerce presented the 2025 Halleck Community Service Award to Don and Lynn Darda of Winamac at its annual award banquet Thursday evening (April 24), at the Winamac VFW.

The Dardas are both retired teachers in the Winamac schools and have been enthusiastic volunteers in a variety of projects throughout the years. 

Community Foundation awards $15,000 in grants

The Community Foundation of Pulaski County (CFoPC) has announced $15,000 has been awarded in grants to local nonprofits and community organizations.

The following projects and organizations have received funding:

  • $5,000 to Pulaski County Historical Society – “We’re Moving!”
  • $10,000 to Pulaski Memorial Hospital – for a Community Health Worker

Alliance Junior Board visits BraunAbility

The Alliance Bank Junior Board of Directors had the opportunity to visit BraunAbility in Winamac in April.

During their visit, the student directors were given a presentation about the company and had the chance to ask questions. They also had a tour of the facility, which allowed them to see the manufacturing process of vehicles equipped to assist individuals with disabilities.

Jury finds Monterey man guilty of attempted murder 

WINAMAC – A Pulaski County Circuit Court jury has found a Monterey man guilty of attempted murder in connection with a July 3, 2023 shooting in downtown Monterey.

Kenneth D. Ketcahm, 41, was also convicted on additional charges of criminal recklessness and pointing a firearm. The verdict was returned Monday (April 14).

Fatal crash on U.S. 421 under Investigation

MEDARYVILLE (April 15) – The Pulaski County Sheriff’s Department is investigating a crash which claimed the life of a Porter County man Tuesday on U.S 421 near the intersection of CR 800N in Cass Township.

The crash involved a dump truck and minivan. Release of the identity of the deceased minivan driver is pending the notification of family.