2023 RECIPIENTS

Connor Andresen 

Connor Andresen is the recipient of the scholarship for MHS seniors on the professional/technical school track. He plans to study at the prestigious Culinary Institute of America in New York to pursue a career as a chef. He had the opportunity to study restaurant management at MHS, and he competed in many state and national culinary arts events, earning third place with his knife skills in a national competition. Connor began working at Manhattan restaurants the summer before his sophomore year, advancing from busser to dishwasher to line cook. During his senior year, he earned an internship at K-State, working in the kitchen of a residential dining hall. He also is an Eagle Scout, and he already holds numerous professional certifications; he graduated with a 3.99 GPA on a weighted scale. “I still have many things to work on,” he wrote in his application essay, “but seeing it all only adds to my determination to improve because I know I can learn and grow.”
 

Grace Bannister 

Grace Bannister is the recipient of a college-track scholarship, and she plans to study biology at the University of Kansas to prepare for a career in medical science, human health, and/or public safety. Grace’s community involvement in high school was unstinting. As president of the MHS Student Council, she planned an array of service projects, including numerous drives for blood, toys, and clothes. As president of the Civic Engagement Club, she led efforts to host community conversations and to educate students on the importance of civic duty. She also worked as an election volunteer and a youth court member, and she served as an honor lawyer and Supreme Court justice at Sunflower Girls State. Grace is the recipient of the local DAR Good Citizen Award, an MHS Distinguished Service Award, and she was named an AP Scholar with Distinction; she graduated with a 4.39 GPA on a weighted scale.“Through my service to the community,” she wrote in her application essay, "I’ve really taken to heart the importance of civic engagement and the mutually beneficial effects that volunteerism spreads.” 

Edouard (Eddie) Bruegger 

Edouard (Eddie) Bruegger is the recipient of a college-track scholarship, and he plans to study business administration at California State University in Fullerton, where he has already been accepted into its business honors program. Eddie served as class treasurer from his freshman to junior year and as class president his senior year. As a member of the student media team, he was the play-by-play announcer at MHS football games, a role that led to a senior internship at Manhattan Broadcasting Co. During summers, he volunteered at the Manhattan Public Library, helping with its children’s reading program, and he was a teacher’s aide for the school district’s summer STEM program. A member of the National Honor Society, Eddie was also a high school debater, and he performed in the school orchestra. He graduated with a 4.24 GPA on a weighted scale. In her letter of recommendation, MHS’ gifted facilitator Lisa Julian wrote about Eddie: “I work with a lot of highly successful students, and few people his age are as disciplined, focused, and kind as Eddie Bruegger. He stands out as a student who will not only succeed, but also ensure he helps others achieve, as well.”