2024 Robins Civic Club Scholarship Recipients
The Robins Civic Club Scholarship Selection Committee has named Scholarship Winners 2024 Zachariah Carolan, Rachel Dunnwald, Gabrielle Mercure and Kade Popenhagen as their 2024 Scholarship recipients. Each of these students receives a $1000.00 award sent to their chosen college. The scholarship committee looked heavily at the Academic rigor /excellence and community service endeavors of the applicants. There was a large group of very qualified applicants this year and the committee was very happy to see that Robins has such involved and engaged youth. Here is a short synopsis of the four selectees’ backgrounds and future plans.
Zachariah J. Carolan
alburnett high School Zachariah J. Carolan, a senior attending Alburnett High School, was selected for the Honor roll and a choir leadership award. Zach maintained a 4.02 GPA all while he actively engaged in a myriad of activities. He was a National Honor Society officer and Vice President of the Future Business leaders of America (FBLA) and a Fellowship of Christian Athletes, (FCA) leader. Zach, a three-sport athlete in Football, Track and Cross Country, also participated in the weightlifting club. He sang in the Chamber Choir, played his instrument in the Jazz, concert and Marching bands. Zach was fully engaged in many summer long church missions as far away as Honduras and El Salvador and near as here in Cedar Rapids area and Chicago, Illinois. Zach’s specialty on the teams with all his overseas mission trips was working with the children and providing positive programming. He additionally provided support emotionally and worked on acquiring, or creating shelters and covering other immediate basic needs. In the US missions, Zach’s works were geared for assisting with homeless populations by preparing and distributing meals and providing spiritual encouragement. Here in Cedar Rapids, he worked with the Adopt A Block program which served food /clothing to needy in downtown every other week. Zach has discovered his passion and continues to work towards improving his understanding and ability to help others in need. He participates in several mentoring programs for elementary school kids assisting with homework. He worked on various youth ministry advisory teams, coordinated other Church community outreaches that also provided yard work and gathering and packing personal items bags. Zach, expanding his educational experiences for a future in missionary work, learned some framing and carpentry construction employed by a construction company. Other service he did was for neighbors clearing snow and yard upkeep. Zachariah plans to attend Kirkwood Community College to earn an Associate’s degree in Nursing and then attend a state college to continue and earn his bachelor’s degree. Zachariah’s goal is to increase his knowledge base in pursuits that will further benefit his work as a registered missionary. Zachariah is the son of Sean & Brenda Carolan. |
Rachel Dunnwald
Linn Mar High School Rachel Dunnwald, is a senior at Linn Mar High School. She excelled Academically earning Academic letters with distinction for the past 3 years. Rachel earned All-Conference Academic two years. Rachel co-created the Mental Health Matters club at Linn-Mar to help provide resources and reduce the stigma of students having concerns. She held other leadership positions to include being selected as a class representative for the Student Council. For three years, she provided feedback to the administration and shared the information with her classmates. She was an active member in both the award-winning Varsity Show Choir, 10th Street Edition and Cheer team groups. Either of which require a huge time management plan for any one of those activities alone. She was an impassioned member in SODA – (Students against drugs and alcohol, TRY and Lean on ME. All three organizations speak to improving awareness and peer support of improving quality of life and making better lifestyle choices. Rachel continued to undertake these activities while maintaining over a 4.04 cumulative GPA and challenging herself with Advanced Placement (AP) courses that are geared towards her goals of being a social worker to assist those in the prison system on their reentry into society. Rachel performed a variety of community service including but not limited to preparing FLY lunches the program that packs and distributes food for food insecure school age children during the summer; making items for Gems of Hope, a non-profit for support of local cancer patients. Rachel was a safety monitor for the Kid zone festivities for the Robins Round Up for a couple years; assisted with the Robins Easter Egg hunt stuffing eggs prior to the event the past three years and assisting with placing and collecting the eggs afterwards. At St Joseph’s parish, Rachel was a youth group leader each and every week for the past three years. Rachel worked as a retreat leader for St Elizabeth Ann Seton Church in QUEST, a week-long event during spring break. Rachel has been employed with the Marion Municipal Pool as a lifeguard and swim instructor for three years and for five years has been a childcare provider for a variety of families who were in need. Rachel is planning to attend the University of Iowa to study Human Physiology and Translational Sciences. Rachel is the daughter of K’Dean and John Dunnwald. |
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Gabrielle Mercure
Linn Mar High School Gabrielle Mercure, also a Linn Mar High school senior, who is a stellar academic athlete as well. “Gabby” was selected as a three-time Golf team state qualifier for three years running. She was all Mississippi Valley Conference second team, All Metro second Team. She was awarded Optimist Female Golfer of the year ages 15-18 in 2023. Gabby maintains a 4.24 GPA earning three Academic letters with Distinction challenging herself with several AP and college courses along the way. She has an affinity towards math and numbers and plans to work towards a degree in business using that passion. Gabby stays active in several other extracurricular activities that any one of them is a full-time commitment. She is a three-year member of the National Honor Society has been on the football and basketball cheerleader squads which have both earned several accolades. She has been a dance leader in show choirs as well as a soloist understudy. Gabby earned a spot in the varsity showchoir, 10th Street Edition as a sophomore. Gabby’s impact on the community and her outreach service was second to none. Her major contributions are in the support of the school community arena. Gabby has worked tirelessly with the Linn-Mar Foundation. Gabby has assisted in set up and prep for Golf outings several years to raise funds for areas the foundation supports. She painted benches around the Linn-Mar H.S. for the Foundation; prepared curriculum as a district volunteer and provided assistance with social media post for the Foundations “Energize your Educator “. Gabby functioned as an exhibitor to k-5th graders and families on daily life STEM related applications at the Echo Hill STEM night. Gabby also assisted in local Robins festivals as a volunteer safety monitor in the kid zone at multiple Robins Round Ups; on several City of Robins Easter Egg hunts filling, placing and gathering up the eggs. Gabby instructed several years at the Junior Golf Academy summer programs for female golfers and K-5th grade novice golfers. Gabby worked at the Catholic worker house preparing meals on their rotation and for homeless women’s shelter. For her Parish, she assists when needed with the funeral luncheons serving and cleaning up afterwards. If these activities do not seem to fill each and every day, Gabby also is employed by the Cedar Rapids Country Club as a part time Clerk at the Pro Shop and with Peppercorn Food Company as a food and banquet prep person! Gabby will be attending the University of Iowa and studying Data or Actuarial Science. Gabrielle is the daughter of Mike and Audra Mercure. |
Kade C Popenhagen
kennedy High School Kade C Popenhagen, a senior at Kennedy High School, is a multisport athlete. He participated in JV Cross Country and Wrestling, was a Varsity Swimmer for two years and during those years also the winner of the Rookie of the Year and team Workhorse Awards. Kade played soccer three years and was selected and lead the varsity soccer team as their captain. Kade earned a variety of awards due to his academic/athletic abilities. He was a five-time Scholar Athlete Award winner and was a 2-time All-Academic Honors for the MVC. Kade also earned a 1st team Academic All-State Soccer. Kade’s other activities include four years in student government and all the additional volunteer hours attached to that within the student body and in the community. Kade was an Award-winning Contest Speech team member for two years and recognized one year as the “Most Prepared” in Speech and Drama. Kade was an active member of the Science National Honor society and the National Honor Society. Was involved in the “Circle of Friends“ group that had activities with the special needs peers each month during the school . Kade would sometimes lead the engaging activities with creative events or projects. Outside of school and all the sports, Kade has been a four-year officer on the Youth Group for his church. Inspiring spiritual fellowship and growth. Kade, maintained over a 4.37 GPA while testing himself with many AP and College courses. He actively participated in a variety of charity and community events with St Elziabeth Ann Seton church over the past four years which included inspiring youth, food drives and parish clean ups, with the youth group and choir. Kade continues his three-year work with Linn County Veterans Affairs volunteering to help with special recognitions and acquiring items for those veterans in times of need. Kade over the past three years aided the Salvation Army in their efforts to raise awareness and funds. Kade’s paid employment was as a life guard and maintenance staff for Cedar Rapids Aquatics Department the past two years and a summer of working at the Amana Meat Shop and Smokehouse assisting in production and packaging. Kade will be attending the Iowa State University pursuing a degree in chemical engineering and work on clean energy sources maximizing efficiency and minimizing waste. Kade is the son of Carrie and Jeff Popenhagen. |
The Robins Civic Club would like to thank the Scholarship Selection Committee and congratulate these students as excellent examples of outstanding student citizens.