The Pursuit Of EXCELLENCE
To define it is difficult. It is far easier to notice it than to describe it, yet there is little doubt that a person recognizes it as soon as one sees it. But we are not willing to pass by this dilemma so easily. We feel the need to show you that it can be read, can be clarified, can be explained. It should be the goal of every person, every life, every school: Excellence.
So how does a school not only display excellence but provide tangible examples to you, the reader? We think the best way to accomplish that is to have you see concrete details of the excellence that some of our past students have achieved at the high school level (especially at Heritage HS).
Read the list below and ponder the excellence attained by those students whose lives and education were impacted greatly by a place of learning.
Class of 2020
Ranked #1 (Valedictorian) at Bellmont HS– JoLyn Hockemeyer
Ranked #5 at Heritage HS– Katelyn Sebring
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Class of 2019
#2 Salutatorian HHS– Emmett Niemeyer
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Class of 2018
#3 HHS– Cal Springer
#5 HHS– Katie Buuck
Class of 2017
#1 Valedictorian HHS – Sidnie Bienz
#2 Salutatorian HHS– Emily Buuck
Concordia Lutheran High School Top Ten-- Alaina Stellwagen
Class of 2016
#4 HHS– Jessica Franke
#6 HHS– Jenna Niemeyer
#8 HHS– Mackenzie Fry
Class of 2015
Concordia Lutheran High School Top Ten-- Kayla Stellwagen
Class of 2014
#1 Valedictorian HHS– Kayla Copper
#2 Salutatorian HHS– Stephanie Cenko
#5 HHS– Rachel Griebel
#6 HHS– Rachel Witte
#7 HHS– Amanda Stinson
It is impossible to look at that list and not be amazed. Those students achieved a remarkably high level of excellence in their high school careers and the foundation of that excellence can be traced back to both their parents and the school that they all attended: St. John-Emmanuel Lutheran. And yet there is more.
Look at another list, a list that contains what some of those students noted above won in scholarship money---- funds received in part due to their education and quality of effort.
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Class of 2018
Cal Springer– $12,000 (Steel Dynamics, Metal Service Center)
Katie Buuck– $41,500 (Provost, Sara, Pell Promise)
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Class of 2017
Emily Buuck– $20,000 (Provost, Kroger)
Alaina Stellwagen– $260,000 (Lilly Endowment)
Class of 2016
Jessica Franke– $39,000 (Farm Bureau, Marquis, Purdue engineering, etc.)
Mackenzie Fry– $18,200 (PFW deans, Kilbourne, Krick, Weitzman)
Class of 2015
Kayla Stellwagen– $42,400 (Martin Fischer, Kilbourne, etc)
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Class of 2014
Rachel Griebel– $90,000 (Bepko, Dean of Science)
Amanda Stinson– $32,000 (Chancellors)
Just in case you do not have a calculator handy, the scholarship totals for those nine students add up to almost $560,000.
Who says hard work and the pursuit of excellence doesn't pay off?
But here's the thing- at St. John-Emmanuel we focus on more than just providing an incredibly high level of education. We focus just as much on instilling in our students high moral character, to be people who understand the value of serving others, and who come to the understanding that learning is a lifetime activity.
Excellence. We teach it. We practice it. We emphasize it.
Who wouldn't want to be a part of such a place?