Storm Lake Dollars for Scholars awards $68,900 to seniors

Storm Lake seniors split $68,900 in scholarships this spring, a boost that turns local fundraising into tuition help, book money and a softer landing for families facing college costs.

Storm Lake Dollars for Scholars announced the awards at the high school auditorium, where 59 Chapter Scholarships and 31 Sponsored Scholarships were handed out to students from Storm Lake High School and Storm Lake St. Mary’s High School. The chapter said the awards are meant to cover about the first semester’s book fees, and to recognize more than just top grades by weighing achievement, school and community involvement, activities and school-year employment.

The total marked another year of growth for the local chapter, which said it is part of Scholarship America and has operated with local, non-salaried adult and high school volunteers since it was founded on February 5, 1985, as the Citizens Scholarship Foundation of Storm Lake. Its board includes representatives from business, education, administration, homemakers, parents and students, and the scholarships are funded by individuals, families, local organizations, businesses and interest from trust funds.

The size of this year’s awards also showed how the program has expanded its reach. In 2025, Storm Lake Dollars for Scholars reported $62,100 in scholarships, including 48 Chapter Scholarships and 30 Sponsored Scholarships. This year’s $68,900 total added to that base, with more dollars flowing directly to graduates as they prepare for college or training.

One of the clearest examples came from Warren VerPloeg, who doubled his first-generation scholarship giving this year from five $1,000 awards to 10. The retired veterinarian, now 97, has spent the last several years supporting students who are the first in their families to attend college, a group that often faces the steepest financial and informational hurdles. In a previous profile, VerPloeg said each morning he thinks about, “What can I do to help others today?”

VerPloeg grew up poor in Pella, attended Iowa State University’s College of Veterinary Medicine, served two years in the Army, and then spent the rest of his veterinary career in Paullina. His generosity reaches beyond the first-generation awards, and a 2024 profile noted that 24 students benefit from his giving each year.

Among the recipients was Eh Nay Tha Sher, who said $1,000 would help with books and supplies as she sorted out the best path for education and family finances. She plans to attend Buena Vista University and study computer science, a field the university says can lead to careers in software development, computer security, robotics and information technology.

For families in Storm Lake and Buena Vista County, the scholarship program offered more than a ceremony. It put money in students’ hands before fall bills arrive, and it showed how a community of 11,428 in Storm Lake and 20,449 in Buena Vista County can still rally around its own graduates, one scholarship at a time.