The Cissna Park Education Foundation partners with local individuals, families, and businesses to present awards and scholarships to graduating students every year.  This year, four were presented at the graduation ceremony.

The Ristow / Ziegenhorn Scholarship was created to honor the ancestors of these 2 families who have lived in this community for over a hundred years. It is presented to a student with the ideals of citizenship and character with the hope they will carry on this legacy into the future.  The recipient of the Ristow / Ziegenhorn Scholarship was Noah Phelan

The Michael Gorman Award is provided to a male and female student in his honor by the Gorman Family.  Michael was a 2001 graduate of Cissna Park High School. Despite the obstacles of his Muscular Dystrophy, Michael became class valedictorian, a graduate of the University of Illinois, and had a successful career with an insurance firm.  In 2019, Michael passed away from complications of his disease.  This year’s recipients of the Michael R Gorman Memorial Award were Tricia Karas and Noah Phalan

The Jacob Rose Award was presented to a student of what would have been Jacob’s graduating class as in the summer of 2017 a fatal accident cut his life short.   As a young boy with autism, Jacob’s smile lit up the room, he was enthusiastic about baseball and wrestling, and like many children, enjoyed puzzles and books.  In his honor, Addison Wachtor was presented this award.  

The foundation independently administers these scholarships.  If you or your business would like to sponsor a scholarship, please contact a foundation board member to make arrangements.