Touchstone Energy® Cooperatives in eastern South Dakota and western Minnesota honored some of the area’s most impressive high school seniors Saturday, April 29, during the 21st annual Touchstone Energy Scholar of the Year banquet and recognition on the campus of Mitchell Technical College.
The event honored the 32 high school students who were chosen each week throughout the school year as the Touchstone Energy Scholar of the Week. It’s a program which recognizes students for academic achievement, co-curricular involvement, and community service. The students are featured in weekly segments which air on Dakota News Now television and each student receives a $250 scholarship for being chosen as the Scholar of the Week.
Sydney Boersma, a senior at Elkton High School within Sioux Valley Energy’s service territory, was selected during the banquet as the Touchstone Energy Scholar of the year and received a $1,000 award. Juliann Seeley, a senior at Beresford High School, and Alison Nankivel, a senior at Parker High School, both within Southeastern Electric’s territory, were chosen to receive $500 awards.
The keynote speaker was U.S. Representative Dusty Johnson. Dakota News Now news anchor Alexandra Todd served as the master of ceremonies.
Touchstone Energy is a network of over 720 electric cooperatives from around the country – including the electric cooperatives in our region – who are united in the four touchstone values of integrity, accountability, innovation, and commitment to community. Touchstone Energy Cooperatives are local, active members of their communities, dedicated to building our communities, and improving our way of life. The cooperatives have sponsored the Scholar of the Week program since 2002. In that time Touchstone Energy Cooperatives have awarded over $100,000 in scholarships to over 600 students as part of the Scholar of the Week program.