Every year the Districtwide Parent’s Organization awards three scholarships of 2,000 dollars to students who are planning a career in education. This year, the recipients are Micah Cabbage ‘14, Annika Wasson ‘14, and Keighley Ehmsen ‘14.  All three students selected are from City High, although the scholarship is open to all high school seniors in the ICCSD school district.

“I was really surprised actually, I didn’t think I would get it,” said Cabbage. “To me it was another scholarship until I really learned more about it, and then I was humbled that I was chosen to receive it.”

The scholarship honors Kate Wickham who taught in the ICCSD school district for 37 years.  It encourages students to pursue a career in education and also helps them with this goal. For Ehmson teaching runs in her blood, as her mother and her great-grandmothers are all teachers.

“My mom has been my mentor, and I’ve watched her grow as a teacher. I just see how much she impacts other people and it makes me want to be able to do that.”

Ehmson is planning on attending St. Mary’s college and getting a degree in elementary education. Ideally, she would like to teach in a fourth or fifth grade class room. While Emson used to hate going to school, Wasson knew ever since first grade that she wanted to be teacher.

“I think that teachers have this extraordinary opportunity to touch a lot of lives every day,” said Wasson. “The idea of being able to come to work every day and help someone is amazing.”

Wasson is planning to go Simpson College, and eventually become a fifth and sixth grade teacher. Both Cabbage and Wasson credit past teachers for their interest in education.

“I was in spanish two and I had Senora Sandu and she made everything really fun and that’s when I really started to enjoy learning it,” said Cabbage. “Since then I have decided that I want to teach spanish, so I really credit her for that.”

Cabbage is attending Luther College in the fall to double major in Spanish and music.  Cabbage wants to teach so she can help students like her in the future.

“Education hasn’t always been the easiest thing for me,” said Cabbage. “But I’ve had some really great teachers along the way that have helped me and motivated me to want to be the great teachers that they are.”