From left, seated are Payton Galli, Abram Hicks, Owen Laue, Dade Aldred, Ra’Kiya Amos, Gabriel Anderson, Kalleigh Gale, Armando Cortez and Dalton Bender. From left, standing are Abigail Wyant, London Pettis, Paige Polowy, Jaxon Janey, Ava Laue, Jack Anderson, Griffin Hicks, Carver Neulieb and Caleb DeMuynck
From left, seated are Emma Motley, Govany Paredes, Hailey Lampe, Taylor VanWinkle, Katlyn Carton, Hunter Vancil, Kaiden Goffrier and Dustin Watson, Jazlyn Dearing. From left, standing are Teagan Nebinger, Hallee Murphy, Emmalee Kilstrom, Breanna Hampton, Kendyl DeBlieck, Dontel Wommack Jr, Alan Saucedo Vasquez, Anna Chabanenko and Anthony Padilla.
From left, seated are Esmeralda Martinez, Oswaldo Sanchez, Claire Taylor, Azucena Cabada, Jorden Anderson, Brooklyn Schiltz, Casey Johnson, Cameron Bates and Jaime Radilla. From left, standing are Douglas Swearingen, Maelie Jermenc, Alondra Vizcarra, London Currie, Airies Simmons, Landon Weir and Sophie Raes.

The 2026 Kewanee High School commencement ceremony was held Sunday, May 17, in the Brockman Gymnasium, during which the following awards and scholarships were presented to graduating seniors.

GABRIEL ANDERSON
The Frank and Fannie Lay Kewanee High School Award
The Harriet McCarthy Math Scholarship

BREANNA HAMPTON
The Frank and Fannie Lay Kewanee High School Award
The Caring Spirit Award

ESMERALDA MARTINEZ
The Elk’s Trophy
Kathryn L. Kirley Memorial Scholarship
Heidi Heinrich Memorial Scholarship
James John Kostadelos Scholarship

JAZLYN DEARING
The Chamber of Commerce Award
Dr. Ronald Thompson Memorial Scholarship
The Good Neighbor Award
Judy Huggins Memorial Scholarship

BROOKLYN SCHILTZ
The Mary Lee and H.T. Mercer Fine Arts Award
Heidi L. Goodbar Memorial Art Scholarship
The Bradley & JoAnne Waugh Family Memorial Award
Patricia (Snider) Sullens Cheerleading Award

CAMERON BATES
The Mary Lee and H.T. Mercer Fine Arts Award
Dean L. Bates Scholarship
Richard Schieler Performing Arts Scholarship

ABIGAIL WYANT
The National Arion Foundation Award – Choir
Ruth and Edmond Beauprez Memorial Scholarship
James L. Golby – Kenneth W. Sullens Scholarship
Kewanee High School Theater Scholarship
Norma Barto Memorial Scholarship
Blake/Zarvell Memorial Music Scholarship
Christiansen Family Education Scholarship
Richard Schieler Performing Arts Scholarship

DADE ALDRED
The National Arion Foundation Award – Band
The Susan Smith Memorial Plaque

JORDEN ANDERSON
The national Arion Foundation Award – Band
American Legion Post #31 Scholarship
Wayne and Hazel Zang Memorial Scholarship
The Albert DeConinck Family Scholarship

EMMALEE KILSTROM
The Agriculture Advisory Council Plaque
FFA Alumni Scholarship
The Bernie VanWassenhove-Johnson Scholarship Award
Robert E. Breedlove Scholarship
Gold Star FS Scholarship
KHS Class of 1972 Scholarship

JAXON JANEY
Industrial Education Award and Galen and Mary Landis Plaque
Matthew Scott Memorial Award
Kewanee High School Class of 1975 Scholarship

DANIELA CHAVEZ
Pauline Scott Memorial Award
John Jagers Memorial Award

JAIME RADILLA
Doctor Smith Loyalty Award

AIRIES SIMMONS
The David Hepner Football Memorial Plaque
The Martin Rapczal and Rodney Rogers Memorial Patriotism Award

DONTEL WOMMACK
The Joe Hill Memorial Award

KATLYN CARTON
The Lions Club Plaque
Rumbold Valley Farms Award
Edwin F. Peterson Free Enterprise Memorial Scholarship Award
FFA Alumni Scholarship
Glidden Family Scholarship
Patricia (Snider) Sullens Cheerleading Award

LONDON PETTIS
John Philip Sousa Band Award
The Katie Woods Creative Spirit Award
The Harriet McCarthy Math Scholarship
P.A. Hinderliter Scholarship
The Carol J. (Reno) Baldwin Memorial Scholarship

ALAN SAUCEDO VASQUEZ
Barry Lee Ensley Memorial Award
The Harriet McCarthy Math Scholarship

KENDYL DEBLIECK
The Lions Club Plaque
The Laurence Horler Scholarship
Brian P. Murphy Memorial Scholarship

GRIFFIN HICKS
Tom Blake Basketball Memorial Award
Hilding Beck Scholarship
The Marvin Damron Memorial Scholarship

KALLEIGH GALE
The Lions Club Plaque
FFA Alumni Scholarship
Leo A. Saey Memorial Award
Robert L. Petersen Memorial Award – The last year to be awarded after 30 years.
The Harriet McCarthy Math Scholarship
DeKalb Agricultural Accomplishment Award
Anna L. Sheahan Memorial Scholarship
The Reeser Family Scholarship
Patricia (Snider) Sullens Cheerleading Award
P.A. Hinderliter Scholarship
Derek Hodge Memorial Scholarship

ITZEL MOSSO RAMOS
The Chris R. Ketridge Memorial Journalism Award

TEAGAN NEBINGER
The Bradley Wessels Memorial Award

AVA LAUE
Belle Alexander Dennis Scholarship
P.A. Hinderliter Scholarship

RA’KIYA AMOS
Adela Wesebaum Award
Dr. Ronald Thompson Memorial Scholarship

TAYLOR VANWINKLE
The Kiwanis Cup
Lions Club Plaque
D.A.R. Good Citizen Award
Margaret Ririe Memorial Award
Richard Mautino Memorial Government Service Learning Award
Kewanee Park District Scholarship
Harriet McCarthy Math Scholarship
Loraine Lambert Memorial Nursing Scholarship
Tyanda Thomas Kindness Award
Joan L Kempin Nosal “Tender Heart, Gentle Hands” Nursing Scholarship
Detective Sergeant James Ramon Mock Memorial Scholarship
Patricia (Snider) Sullens Nursing Scholarship
Kewanee Schools Foundation – Video Scholarship

AZUCENA CABADA
Rodney Rogers Memorial Medical Arts Award
Hilding Beck Scholarship

MAELIE JERMENC
Ethel C. Tillman Scholarship

DOUGLAS SWEARINGEN
Gary L. Zarvell Memorial Scholarship

KAIDEN GOFFRIER
National School Choral Award
Louis Armstrong Jazz Award
Kewanee High School Theater Scholarship
Kewanee Music Boosters Scholarship
Richard Schieler Performing Arts Scholarship
Cambridge Lodge #49 Masonic Scholarship

JACK ANDERSON
Woody Herman Jazz Award
Dean L. Bates Scholarship
Ken Fristad Memorial Golf Scholarship
Mattingly Student Council Leadership Award

CLAIRE TAYLOR
Jerry Nell Memorial Award
Patricia (Snider) Sullens Cheerleading Award
Kewanee High School Class of 1957 Scholarship
K.H.S. Athletic 3×4 Scholarship

ABE HICKS
Hilding Beck Scholarship
Shaune Lewis Memorial Basketball/Football Scholarship
K.H.S. Athletic 3×4 Scholarship
The H.F. Brockman Memorial Athletic Award

HUNTER VANCIL
Jerry Nell Memorial Award
Dr. Robert Breedlove Scholarship
Joan L. Kempin Nosal “Tender Heart, Gentle Hands” Nursing Scholarship

OSWALDO SANCHEZ
Dean L. Bates Scholarship

CALEB DEMUYNCK
Dean L. Bates Scholarship

EMMA MOTLEY
Dean L. Bates Scholarship

LANDON WEIR
Dean L. Bates Scholarship

CARVER NEULEIB
Dean L. Bates Scholarship
Ken Fristad Memorial Golf Scholarship

SOPHIE RAES
Dean L. Bates Scholarship

ANTHONY PADILLA
Richard A. Ruzas, Jr. Memorial Track Award
Geoffrey R. Schmidt Memorial Scholarship

GOVANY PAREDES
George Cernovich Auto Service Scholarship

PAYTON GALLI
R. Lynn Saey Memorial Scholarship

OWEN LAUE
Ken Fristad memorial Golf Scholarship
Christiansen Family Healthcare Scholarship
P.A. Hinderliter Scholarship
Jerry and Sharon Gustafson Family Award

LONDON CURRIE
Geoffrey R. Schmidt Memorial Scholarship

ARMANDO CORTEZ
Robert A. Grabbe Memorial Award

HAILEY LAMPE
Robert A. Grabbe Memorial Award

CASEY JOHNSON
Kewanee ReBekah Lodge #512 Scholarship

DALTON BENDER
John B. Heartt Memorial B.H.E. Mechanics Scholarship

JUSTIN GURNSEY
John B. Heartt Memorial B.H.E. Mechanics Scholarship

HALLEE MURPHY
Jim and Alice Golby Empathy Award
Kewanee High School Class of 1975 Scholarship

ANNA CHABANENKO
Kevin L. Yepsen Excellence in Math Scholarship
Margo Eastman Berry Memorial Scholarship

DUSTIN WATSON
John Spets Family Memorial Award

ALONDRA VIZCARRA
The Kyle and Mary Kay (Kazlowski) DeJaerger Scholarship

PAIGE POLOWY
Jack A. Koepke Foundation Scholarship