Post Messenger Recorder -

The Board of Directors of The Monticello Foundation, Inc. met October 16, 2019, and voted to award sixteen scholarships in the amount of $2,000 each to Monticello grads currently in college. Congratulations to these deserving students: Maddie Bartels, Jordan (Zweifel) Tiede, Madalyn Holtz, Marissa Peterson, Megan Lehr, Jessie Garrison, Emily Koch, Ashley Risley, Alyssah Kubly, Courtney Leuzinger, Evan Schultz, Clare Gietzel, Jordan Garrison, Veronica Blumer, Alaya Hummel, Emilie Gietzel. This brings the total amount awarded in 2019 to $52,000 and the total amount awarded since 1995 is $433,750! Thanks to everyone who applied and to our generous community for their continued support to help make this possible!

Selection is based on criteria such as academics, activities, leadership, community activities, citizenship, work experience and financial need. We hope you enjoy reading about these fine young people and agree that these students are very deserving and well on their way to much success!

Clare Gietzel

Class of 2014

I am excited to have begun the third semester of my Master’s studies at the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities this fall. I am earning a Master’s Degree in Applied Plant Science on the plant breeding and molecular genetics track. After earning my Bachelor’s Degree in Agronomy from the University of Wisconsin-Madison in 2018, it is exciting to focus more specifically on the molecular aspects of crop improvement. My thesis projects involve studying pollen travel and seed quality in native grass Zizania palustris. While I am kept very busy in the lab, I also spend time working with the Applied Plant Science Graduate Club as well as our Plant Sciences Symposium Planning Committee and the Department of Agronomy and Plant Genetics Social Committee. I am grateful to have so many opportunities through these organizations to help educate others, both with agricultural backgrounds and not, about agriculture and plant science! After earning my MS in the summer of 2020, I look forward to starting a PhD in plant breeding and genetics next fall. Thank you so much to the Monticello Foundation and the community of Monticello for the continued support! I am incredibly grateful to have grown up in such an amazing small town.

Courtney Leuzinger

Class of 2015

I would like to thank the Monticello Foundation committee for selecting me as a recipient for the Monticello Foundation Scholarship.

During my four years at Edgewood College, I had the opportunity to be a practicum student at Edgewood Campus School, Wingra School, and Horizon Elementary. During these practicums I worked with grades 1-8 teaching different subjects, being a helper in the classroom and helping with homework. Edgewood Campus School not only let me be a practicum student but they also hired me as an after-school employee, where I met a lot of students and worked with some great teachers. During my time there I helped students from Pre-K-8th grade with homework, played games, did different projects/activities and always had a lot of fun with them.

For the 2018-2019 school year I was a nanny for a wonderful family with three kids. I watched them grow as learners and dancers throughout the year. This past summer, I was a nanny for another wonderful family, and I was with 13-year-old twin girls. I was watching soccer, ice skating, swimming, and dive practices/competitions. I had so much fun with both of these families watching them compete, practice, learn, and grow as awesome students, athletes and people.

Right now, I am wrapping up my final semester as a student teacher in the 1st grade classroom at Monticello Elementary. I was very grateful for this opportunity to return home and have Monticello welcome me back not as a student, but as a teacher. I’m also beyond thankful for Mrs. Golembiewski for opening up her classroom to me and having me with her and her class for a whole semester. I was also blessed with being asked to assist the Middle School Girls Basketball team this season with Mr. Gustafson. After playing the game for so long I was very excited to finally step into the coaching spot and get a whole new perspective at the game. I love being the girls coach - we have a lot of fun together and they’re a great team.

Again, I want to thank the Monticello Foundation committee for the scholarship - it means so much to me. Go Ponies!

Madalyn Holtz

Class of 2017

I first want to say that I am honored to be a recipient of the Monticello Foundation Scholarship. I cannot thank the Monticello Foundation and the Monticello community enough for their dedication to their students and alumni. I am currently a junior, with senior standing, attending the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh, majoring in Kinesiology with an emphasis in Exercise Science. The Oshkosh campus and community has opened so many new doors and opportunities in which I am very thankful, along with what the campus offers me, allowing me to grow! I am currently an active member in the UWO Kinesiology Club, the UWO American Red Cross Club and have contributed to various volunteer opportunities. Hands on Oshkosh, a campus program, providing my services to local 5K runs in Oshkosh, volunteering at the American Red Cross Blood Drives are a few worth mentioning, along with working at my local student recreation center as an on-campus job for two semesters. I have also gained my First Aid/CPR/AED certification from the American Red Cross and am going to be taking the ACSM Personal Trainer exam this coming winter to earn my personal training certificate. Since I am a year ahead of schedule, I will be graduating with my degree in Kinesiology this coming spring and this summer will be completing my internship. With graduation one semester away and a summer internship to complete, I hope to work in a Corporate Wellness setting once everything is completed. I am extremely proud to have completed a four-year degree in only three years, and am looking forward to what my future holds for me.

Genuinely, I would like to thank Monticello Public Schools for everything they have offered me, from guidance, great teaching, and for always encouraging me to push myself! I am proud to say I graduated from Monticello High School and will continue to embrace my roots.

Jordan (Zweifel) Tiede

Class of 2013

I am currently attending UW-Platteville, majoring in Accounting and will graduate in December 2020. I plan to go on to get my CPA license. I am a member of the accounting club Beta Alpha on campus. I enjoy spending time with my husband and two dogs. I am currently employed at the Glarner Stube and will be an intern for a CPA office during tax season. My plans for after graduation will be to seek employment in public accounting. I am so glad to be back home in Wisconsin. I appreciate the overwhelming support that the community of Monticello and the Monticello Foundation has given me to achieve my dreams.

Emilie Gietzel

Class of 2016

I would like to start out by saying thank you to the Monticello Foundation for this opportunity to receive such a generous scholarship. As a senior at UW-Madison, I have a lot of exciting memories to look back on but even more exciting opportunities to look forward to. I am majoring in Agricultural Business Management with plans to graduate in spring 2020. During my time in Madison, I have been involved in the Association of Women in Agriculture, an organization built upon three pillars – professional development, service to our community, and promotion of fellowship – helping women in agriculture to improve communication and help them achieve their goals. Through AWA, I have had many opportunities to serve my community, including volunteering at Second Harvest Food Bank and our Rally to Fight Hunger event, which involved packaging thousands of meals for people in Wisconsin and beyond. I have also recently joined the Badger Crops Club, where I am learning about different crops and their importance to Wisconsin Agriculture. I also keep busy with my job on campus at the Center for Dairy Research, where I get to learn about and enjoy cheese and other dairy ingredients. I am excited to take these experiences to my future career after graduating this spring. I know I will be better able to serve those in the vast agriculture industry because of the interactions I’ve had on campus, as well as the upbringing I have had in our small agricultural community. Thank you again for your continued support!

Marissa Peterson

Class of 2017

I would like to thank the Monticello Foundation for rewarding me with the scholarship to continue my education at Madison College. I’m extremely fortunate to have grown up in a community that strives for student success. If it wasn’t for all the opportunities Monticello provided, I wouldn’t be where I am today. I currently work as a full-time Dental Assistant at Carter and Eckdhal Family Dentistry, where I assist Dr. Eckdhal in various dental procedures. I am also taking classes through Madison College to finish my general education requirements that will be used to earn a Bachelor’s Degree through Madison College, and an online program or a four-year university in Dental Hygiene. By working with Dr. Eckdhal and attending Madison College, I have gained many experiences that will be beneficial for my future career as a Dental Hygienist.

Megan Lehr

Class of 2017

My name is Megan Lehr and I am currently a junior at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, majoring in Agricultural Business Management. As an undergraduate, I have achieved academic success by becoming a Renk Scholar, a Wisconsin Academic Excellence Scholar, and by making the UW-Madison Dean’s List. I stay busy outside of class with involvement in the Association of Women in Agriculture (AWA), the Renk Agribusiness Institute, and the Agricultural Business Management Club. In AWA, I am currently serving as the Secretary and have had the opportunity to serve on multiple committees and volunteer through activities like Rally to Fight Hunger, where we package over 30,000 meals for families in need in our area. These clubs allow me to further my own experiences and knowledge in the agriculture industry and have helped me grow through leadership, service, and professional networking activities.

During the summer, I’m active in Monticello as a coach for the Junior League Softball Team. This past summer I also broadened my experiences with agribusiness-related work as a Customer Service Representative at Wisconsin Cheese Group. After graduation, I plan to utilize my education and experiences in a marketing or sales position with an agribusiness company. I am honored to be a recipient of the Monticello Foundation Scholarship and grateful for their continued support of my education. I am so fortunate to receive amazing support from a great community!

Alyssah Kubly

Class of 2015

I am extremely grateful to be receiving this scholarship and given the opportunity to apply! I am currently at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee and attending my last semester in the Nursing Program. My clinical rotation this semester is on a maternal newborn floor where I am taking care of mothers and their newborns post-delivery, as well as getting to assist in active labor as well as Cesarean sections, which is an amazing experience! My passion for sports has not changed as I am still active in working out, basketball leagues, and volleyball leagues. Nursing school is pretty much a full-time job, but I do squeeze in some time to work at the Monroe Clinic on some weekends as a Nursing Assistant on the inpatient unit as well as working with developmentally delayed adults in homecare in Milwaukee. My goals are to finish nursing school and obtain my Bachelor of Science in Nursing. After that, I have always found an interest in trauma and eventually obtain my flight nurse certification, but recently had an interest in maternal newborn from my experiences during clinical. I am very excited to start my career as a nurse because this last semester is going by very fast, and I cannot wait to see what my future holds! I cannot thank the teaching/administrative staff, the community members, as well as my family, for all their support and guidance to make me who I am today! I would also like to give a huge appreciation to the Monticello Foundation for giving me and others their extra support by rewarding us with this generous scholarship. I will continue to work hard and make my family and the community proud!

Madeline Bartels

Class of 2015

My name is Madeline Bartels and I am currently enrolled at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, completing my Master’s Degree in School Psychology. I first became interested in the practice of school psychology as a student at Monticello High School. From there, I received a Bachelor of Science in Psychology from the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh. Throughout my undergrad career, I have served on the board of the Psychology Club and participated in many volunteer opportunities and services to the community. Additionally, I completed an internship at an out-patient mental health clinic where I was able to have a wide range of experiences. My future plans are to work in a local school as a school psychologist, and advocate for students’ mental health and their overall academic well-being. In my graduate career I will be completing clinic hours to give free mental health care and academic intervention services to the students in the Madison area. As a future school psychologist, I will be able to give a voice to children that otherwise might not have been heard and work to fully support their needs. Thank you to the Monticello Foundation for providing this great opportunity.

Veronica Blumer

Class of 2018

I attend the University of Wisconsin-LaCrosse. Last semester, I changed my major from Microbiology to Psychology because I fell in love with the field while taking an Introduction to Psychology class. I am also pursuing a minor in Spanish. In terms of careers, I am considering Genetics Counseling or Neuropsychology.

I am currently taking two psychology courses, a Spanish course, and a communications course. I love both of my psychology courses. In one course, we are studying physical, cognitive, social and emotional changes throughout the life span, and, in the other course, we are studying symptoms, treatment and theories of psychological disorders. My Spanish course covers the history, geography, cultural and language aspects of Spain. This course is incredibly interesting and fun. All of the professors are amazing!

Next semester, I will be taking an Introduction to Neuroscience class, a Health, Wellness and Disease class, a Spanish culture course, a Social Psychology course and a Cross-Cultural Psychology course. I am very excited about these classes, and I am looking forward to continuing to focus on my major and minor fields of study.

During my time at the University of Wisconsin-LaCrosse, I have participated in four psychology-related research studies. I am currently participating in a research study that is looking at deception and how often people lie. Last semester, I participated in a study that encouraged the use of a meditation app before a test and analyzed how that affected our scores. Another study that I took part in showed participants the best ways to make and study flashcards and looked at test scores to analyze the impact those methods have on test scores.

When I come home for semester and summer breaks, I work at Buffalo Wild Wings as an order expeditor and certified trainer. I have worked at Buffalo Wild Wings for almost three years.

I want to thank the Monticello Foundation for supporting my education. It is truly an honor to be selected to receive one of the Monticello Foundation’s scholarships. The financial assistance from this scholarship allows me to focus my time and energy on my studies.

I am grateful for the strong foundation and support that the community of Monticello has given me. I am fortunate to be part of such a wonderful community. Thank you!

Jessie Garrison

Class of 2017

I am very grateful to have been selected as one of the recipients for the Monticello Foundation Scholarship. I have a lot of gratitude for the Monticello Community and their continuous support in helping me get my Bachelor’s Degree. I am currently a junior at the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater. I am studying General Business and plan on majoring in Business Management, with an emphasis in Sports Management and a minor in Spanish. On top of going to school, I work three part-time jobs throughout the year. I am the lead of students for the University Police Station and University Housing Desk on campus, I work at Duluth Trading Company, and work at T&D’s Bar and Grill Monticello House on the weekends. Here on campus, I have joined a club called Enactus. Enactus stands for entrepreneurial action and us. We are a social innovation organization that focuses on building sustainable business models to tackle the United Nations seventeen sustainable goals. Some of these goals include ending poverty, having zero hunger, and creating a quality education. Thank you again to the community and the Monticello Foundation Scholarship for all of their support in helping get one step closer to graduating from the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater.

Jordan Garrison

Class of 2015

Thank you to the Monticello Foundation for selecting me as a recipient for the scholarship. I am very grateful for the continuous support of the Monticello community in helping me pursue my Bachelor’s Degree. I am currently student teaching in Evansville, WI, in a first grade classroom. I will be graduating from the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater in December, with a degree in Elementary Education and a minor in Special Education. After graduation, my goal is to find a job in a local school to teach. During the summer, I worked at Kids World in New Glarus and also coached the Senior League Softball team in Monticello. Thank you again to the Monticello Foundation and the community for their generous support.

Evan Schultz

Class of 2012

Up to this point I have graduated Magna Cum Laude from UW-Oshkosh, with a Bachelor’s of Science. To further my education I am currently a Senior in the Radiography Program at Blackhawk Technical College in Janesville. My clinical rotations have brought me to the Monroe Clinic and Hospital where I have met a lot of amazing people. I enjoy what I do very much and can’t wait to be a licensed technologist. I will graduate in May of 2020. From radiography, I plan to expand my licensing to MRI and CT. I have been involved at BTC as a student government representative and a senator for the Medical Imaging Club. I have had four 4.0 semesters so far. I currently have four part-time jobs. I work as a CNA at Pleasant View Nursing Home where I have been since 2015. I work for Witt Farms during the hay and corn silage seasons. I recently started working as a lock-smith technician for Monroe Lock, and this winter I will be returning to Tyrol Basin as a Ski and Snowboard Instructor. Every day I seem to have less free time, and I love it. I have always believed in a strong work ethic and never wasting life’s moments. I have direction and purpose in my life and it’s all thanks to scholarship programs like the Monticello Foundation Inc. I can’t imagine growing up in a different community and I can’t see myself anywhere else but Monticello in the future. Thank you so much!

Emily Koch

Class of 2016

Thank you for selecting me to be a recipient this year for the Monticello Foundation Scholarship! I am currently a senior at the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire, with a double major in Special Education Learning Disabilities and Elementary Education. This summer, I also plan on taking courses to get a certificate in Emotional Behavioral Disorders. This fall semester has been a busy one for me. I am placed within a fourth-grade classroom in Augusta, WI. During this placement I am tasked with creating and teaching lessons for every content area, and then reflecting on these experiences to grow as an educator. When I am not in the schools I am working as a Style Consultant and Team Trainer at the Super Target store in Eau Claire. When I complete my student teaching in the Fall of 2020, I plan on becoming a Special Education teacher within a rural school, just like Monticello and Augusta, Wisconsin. The close-knit atmosphere and support that I have received from these two communities has made me appreciate even more what a small town has to offer. Thank you again for selecting me for this scholarship!

Alaya Hummel

Class of 2018

I am a second year student at UW-Platteville, majoring in Soil and Crop Science with the hopes of working in the Soil Conservation Department within the USDA after graduation. I currently work for the local Bargain Nook in Platteville and do side work at home on weekends. I am very grateful to live in a loving and generous community like Monticello. I can’t wait to be able to repay the community someday. Thank you!

Ashley Risley

Class of 2016

This fall semester was the start of my fourth and final year of my undergraduate degree at Edgewood College. I will be graduating in May of 2020, with a major in Nursing and a minor in Spanish. I intend to continue with my education by going to graduate school with the intent of becoming a Family Nurse Practitioner in the future. I was able to have the option of taking a graduate school class this semester that also satisfied an undergraduate class I was scheduled to take. The class gave me a lot of good insight as to what my graduate school classes will look like next year and helped me to confirm my decision to continue on with my education.

This semester in Edgewood’s nursing program we are focusing on learning about pediatrics and obstetrics. I primarily work with older adult patients at my work, so focusing on children and birth has definitely been a shift in my usual nursing focus. My clinical placement this semester has been at a variety of Group Health Cooperative clinic locations, which has allowed me to see more of what it would be like to work as a nurse outside of a hospital setting. Having these experiences have further helped me to finalize my decision on working towards becoming a Family Nurse Practitioner in the future.

With this being my senior year, it is also the end of my athletic career. The women’s cross country team at Edgewood once again won our conference championship meet and went on to compete at the regional meet. Following the regional meet, I was acknowledged as one of the Wisconsin National Guard Student Athletes of the Week at Edgewood. With cross country finished, I will be going into indoor track season, with outdoor track season in the spring semester. Last track season I was awarded the Lisa Lubric Courage Award by my coach, for having shown inner strength in the face of adversity. I am thankful to have been lucky enough to be able to compete not only with my current team at Edgewood, but to have been able to represent both NGM in cross country and Monticello in track and field.

This past September marked my third year working at St. Mary’s Care Center. I have been working there as a Nursing Assistant for the past three years, and as of February I have also been able to work as a Nurse Technician. This new position has allowed me to gain more experience in the nursing field, allowing me to become more confident in my skills as a student nurse. With my current semester being focused on pediatrics, I have also been able to volunteer at Gio’s Garden, a non-profit organization that works with children who have special needs. It has been extremely rewarding to be able to work with the children who attend Gio’s Garden and be able to learn more about the different support systems in the community that are available to families who are in need of them.

I again would like to thank the Monticello community, for all the support that has been given to me throughout the years. I am extremely grateful for your generosity and know that without the scholarships I have been awarded, I would not have been able to accomplish all that I have. I am proud to be able to continue representing Monticello as I approach graduation, and move forward towards my future career as a nurse and my continued education in graduate school. Thank you again for everything.

Recent donations have been received from Jeanne Waelchli-Traut; Betty Lemon in memory of John Larson, Leo Kalscheur and Mary Jo Stock; Barry Koca in memory of David Moser; Jim and Lisa Ritschard in memory of Rosanne Paris, Larry Hummel, Paul Luciani, Patricia Garske, and Robert Buehl; and Marilyn Wittenwyler in memory of Patricia Garske.

There’s still time to make your tax-deductible donations for 2019! Donations may be given to any director or mailed to PO Box 636, Monticello, WI 53570. Thank you for your support!

The Monticello Foundation, Inc. Board of Directors includes L. Linn Lederman, President; David Quade, Vice President; Jean McMannes, Secretary; Carol Kubly, Treasurer; Keith Hoesly; Ronda Buchholz; JoAnn Cruse; Melody Flesher; and Jane Lemon Tereba.