Local scholarships award over $124K to Cook County High School Seniors

Kirsten Wisniewski | May 17, 2026

Each yeah seniors from Cook County High School have to opportunity to apply for a host of scholarships through local organizations. This year’s students were awarded a collective total of $124,350 in scholarships. Eighteen graduating seniors also received awards from the Lloyd K. Johnson Foundation to cover the cost of their tuition and books for up to five semesters of schooling at regional community, trades and tribal colleges.

The following scholarships were awarded:

Alworth ($24,000 each) – Georgi Dimitrov, Zoë Kacures, Mary June Wharton
Amy Jordahl Insurance ($500) – Parker Backstrom
Arrowhead Electric ($500 each) – Parker Backstrom, Eddie Larson
Bethlehem Lutheran Church ($1,000 each) – Sofi Boen, Parker Backstrom, Ruby Gulstrand
Birch Grove ($500) – Georgi Dimitrov
Borealis Chorale/NS Music Assoc. ($400) Annabelle Bies
Booster Club ($500 each) – Parker Backstrom, Mary June Wharton
Cook Cty. Business & Civic Partnership ($1,000) – Ben Fitzgerald-Wells
Cindy Nelson (watch) – Georgi Dimitrov, Amber Theiner
Cook County Education Association ($500) – Zoë Kacures, Mikenzie Holaday
Daniel Patrick Riley Memorial ($5,000) – Mary June Wharton
Devil Track Lake Homowners Ass. ($300 each) – Kirra White, Grete Youngdahl
Daniel Hansen Memorial ($1,050) – Juniper Cefalu
Dimitrov Family ($500) – Zoë Kacures
Effie Scott Valedictorian ($2,400) – Georgi Dimitrov
Effie Scott Salutatorian ($1,600) – Mary June Wharton
F Faith Finnberg ($2,200) – Juniper Cefalu
Gary Brumberg ($300) – Alexis Plummer
Grand Marais State Bank ($1,000) – Mary June Wharton
Grandpa David ($500 each) – Amber Theiner, Kirra White, Sofi Boen
Gunflint Trail Fire ($500) – Cole Andrew Martinson
Isak Hansen ($1,000) – Edward Larson
Hovland Fire ($500) – Maya Rodriguez
Bud & Charlet Kratoska In Memory of Mark Waver ($200) – Sofi Boen
Lions ($1,000) – Emma Crook
Masonic Lodge ($2,000 each) Sophia Sheehan, Annabelle Silence
Michel S Beaupre ($500) – Edward Larson
Oscar Sundquist ($500) – Maya Rodriguez
The Range Engineering Council (jacket) – Georgi Dimitrov, Zoë Kacures
Ridge Riders (1,000 each) Oscar Mielke, Landon Sheils, Parker Backstrom, Kallie Anderson, Grete Youngdahl, Nicholas Spry
Russell Ege ($500) – Emma Crook
Tofte Fire Relief ($1,000) – Jack LaBoda
WISE ($2,000 each) Kirra White, Zoë Kacures
Visit Cook County ($1,000) – Mary June Wharton
Zinter ($800 each) – Math: Georgi Dimitrov, Biology: Mary June Wharton, Physics: Lauren Berglund,
Zinter Civic Award ($800) – Ruby Gulstrand
Zinter Junior Math ($800) – Elias Pszwaro

The following students were recognized for graduating with Honors: Hans Mehlhaff, Sofi Boen, Nicholas Spry, Sophia Sheehan, Jack LaBoda, Kirra White, Amber Theiner, Parker Backstrom, Edward Larson, Annabelle Bies, Alexis Plummer, Bailie Young, Juniper Cefalu

The following students were recognized for graduating with High Honors: Zoë Kacures, Grete Youngdahl, Emma Crook, Martina Piazza, Ruby Gulstrand, Maya Rodriguez

Mary June Wharton is the Class of 2026 Salutatorian. Georgi Dimitrov is the Valedictorian.

The following students were awarded with scholarships from the Lloyd K. Johnson Foundation: Aaliyah Jones, Alexis Plummer, Annabelle Bies, AnnaBelle Silence, Cole Martinson, Eddie Larson, Hans Mehlhaff, Jack LaBoda, Juniper Cefalu, Mikenzie Holaday, Nicholas Spry, Oscar Mielke, Parker Backstrom, Sofi Boen, Sophia Sheehan, Tobias Anderson, Tucker Nordman, Landon Sheils