Bank Iowa awards $17K in scholarships

West Des Moines-based Bank Iowa recently presented 17 $1,000 scholarships to Iowa high school students: .Grant Barr of Clarinda High School who plans to attend Norfolk, Neb.-based Northeast Community College.Dairen Castro of Roosevelt High School who plans to attend the University of Iowa. Mia DeWinter and Ava McIntire of Humboldt Community school district. DeWinter plans to attend Iowa State University, while McIntire plans to attend Brookings, S.D.-based South Dakota State University. Abby Jager of Eddyville-Blakesburg-Fremont High School who plans to attend the University of Iowa.Claire Leinen of Denison Community Schools who plans to attend Grand View University in Des Moines. Joshua LeRette of Red Oak High School who plans to attend Pella, Iowa-based Central College. Grace Moore of Oskaloosa Senior High School who plans to attend Bourbonnais, Ill.-based Olivet Nazarene University.Jana Meyer of Sumner-Fredericksburg High School who plans to attend Cedar Falls-based University of Northern Iowa. Morgan Powers of Newton Senior High who plans to attend William Penn University in Oskaloosa, Iowa. Jacob Rystrom of Shenandoah High School who plans to attend Central College in Pella, Iowa.Treyton Schaapherder of Clarinda High School who plans to attend Durango, Colo.-based Fort Lewis College. Sophia Schumacher of MVAOCOU High School who plans to attend South Dakota State University. Felicity Severs of Southeast Polk High School who plans to attend Chicago-based Moody Bible Institute. Cassidy Smith of Colfax-Mingo High School who plans to attend Minnesota State University.Courtney Sweet of Johnston High School who plans to attend St. Louis-based Washington University. Marshall Zeien of New Hampton Community School who plans to attend Mason City-based North Iowa Area Community College. .The Spirit of Chandy scholarship recognizes Bank Iowa co-founder Harry Barr's daughter, Chandy Barr Clanton, who died in a plane crash in 2009. Recipients were selected based on leadership, character, academics, honors/awards and participation in school and community activities Clanton was passionate about — biking, running, swimming and flying. Students were told to listen to Clanton's story and pen an essay describing their personal strengths along with their education and career goals. ."The quality of applicants just keeps getting better with every passing year," said Bank Iowa President and CEO Jim Plagge. "You can't help but feel incredibly optimistic when you read the stories and then understand the ambitions of our next generation of leaders. The Bank Iowa team is honored to shine a spotlight on these 17 exemplary young Iowans."