“The mission of the Westby Norse Fund is to have a positive influence on our students and broader community by financially supporting the educational goals and career aspirations of Westby Area High School graduating seniors”
Our History
The idea of establishing a scholarship fund for Westby’s graduating seniors was first born in the summer of 1987. The charter members of the Norse Fund Board were Ray Armstrong, Russell Hanson, Judy Holte, Russel Holte, Dr. John Jaeger, Jeffrey Jordan, Roger Sorenson, and Mary Sutton. Paul Schoenberger was serving as the District Administrator for Westby Area Schools at that time.
After the foundation was formed, the first task was to contact class reunion committees and compile mailing lists for Westby Area High School classes dating back into the 1920s. Since it was prior to the Internet, email, and social media, this was an undertaking that required hours and hours of volunteer time.
During the formative years, key Norse Fund contributors included Richard Perkins and Owen and Dorothy Bekkum. Over the years, other significant contributions have come from the Howard and Lorene Johnson Trust, the William Running Estate, and Waylon and Milton Holtet; however, these are only a few of the names of our generous donors. The Norse Fund would not exist without the countless individuals who have chosen to pay back for their own WHS education, honor a teacher, memorialize a family member, or simply help others from Chaseburg, Coon Valley, and Westby. Most donations are for fifty dollars or less, and each one is vitally important to those individuals in need of financial assistance to pursue their dreams.
The graduating class of 1988 was the first to receive Norse Funds scholarships. That year, four scholarships were awarded with a total value of $2,500 dollars. In the early years, Westby-Coon Valley State Bank, owned by the Knutson family, gave three $500 scholarships annually, one each for a Chaseburg, Coon Valley, and Westby student. Within the first ten years, over $170,000 was distributed to Westby graduates with the Class of 1997 receiving over $30,000 in scholarships. By the early 2000s, graduating classes were awarded over $50,000, and in 2012, the Norse Fund marked a huge milestone of distributing one million dollars in scholarship funds throughout the lifetime of the foundation. The graduating class of 2021 was the first class to be awarded over $100,000 in scholarships.
The Norse Fund is a non-profit organization, and a completely separate legal entity from Westby Area School District. Donations assist Westby Area High School graduating seniors with their post-secondary education financial needs. Donations are tax-deductible. Until 2014, the Norse Fund Board was comprised of six volunteer Directors along with the high school principal and guidance counselor, who served as school liaison members. In 2015, the number of Directors was increased to nine to better promote the foundation and have a more visible public and social media presence. Directors do not select scholarship recipients, but rather manage the business affairs of the foundation.
To reinforce the goal of the Norse Fund, a formal mission statement was established in 2016. “The mission of the Westby Norse Fund is to have a positive influence on our students and broader community by financially supporting the educational goals and career aspirations of Westby Area High School graduating seniors”.
As the Norse Fund enters its third decade of existence, we should all be proud of the success it has become and express our gratitude for the efforts and generosity of those who helped establish and grow the foundation. A contribution to the Norse Fund is an investment in the next generation of WHS graduates. Go Norse!!
After the foundation was formed, the first task was to contact class reunion committees and compile mailing lists for Westby Area High School classes dating back into the 1920s. Since it was prior to the Internet, email, and social media, this was an undertaking that required hours and hours of volunteer time.
During the formative years, key Norse Fund contributors included Richard Perkins and Owen and Dorothy Bekkum. Over the years, other significant contributions have come from the Howard and Lorene Johnson Trust, the William Running Estate, and Waylon and Milton Holtet; however, these are only a few of the names of our generous donors. The Norse Fund would not exist without the countless individuals who have chosen to pay back for their own WHS education, honor a teacher, memorialize a family member, or simply help others from Chaseburg, Coon Valley, and Westby. Most donations are for fifty dollars or less, and each one is vitally important to those individuals in need of financial assistance to pursue their dreams.
The graduating class of 1988 was the first to receive Norse Funds scholarships. That year, four scholarships were awarded with a total value of $2,500 dollars. In the early years, Westby-Coon Valley State Bank, owned by the Knutson family, gave three $500 scholarships annually, one each for a Chaseburg, Coon Valley, and Westby student. Within the first ten years, over $170,000 was distributed to Westby graduates with the Class of 1997 receiving over $30,000 in scholarships. By the early 2000s, graduating classes were awarded over $50,000, and in 2012, the Norse Fund marked a huge milestone of distributing one million dollars in scholarship funds throughout the lifetime of the foundation. The graduating class of 2021 was the first class to be awarded over $100,000 in scholarships.
The Norse Fund is a non-profit organization, and a completely separate legal entity from Westby Area School District. Donations assist Westby Area High School graduating seniors with their post-secondary education financial needs. Donations are tax-deductible. Until 2014, the Norse Fund Board was comprised of six volunteer Directors along with the high school principal and guidance counselor, who served as school liaison members. In 2015, the number of Directors was increased to nine to better promote the foundation and have a more visible public and social media presence. Directors do not select scholarship recipients, but rather manage the business affairs of the foundation.
To reinforce the goal of the Norse Fund, a formal mission statement was established in 2016. “The mission of the Westby Norse Fund is to have a positive influence on our students and broader community by financially supporting the educational goals and career aspirations of Westby Area High School graduating seniors”.
As the Norse Fund enters its third decade of existence, we should all be proud of the success it has become and express our gratitude for the efforts and generosity of those who helped establish and grow the foundation. A contribution to the Norse Fund is an investment in the next generation of WHS graduates. Go Norse!!
Our Leadership
The Westby Norse Fund Board of Directors is composed of nine volunteer individuals (including the Westby Area High School Principal and School Counselor) dedicated to the mission of helping Westby Area High School graduates obtain their post secondary education goals through financial support. To achieve this mission, the board relies on a resource network of alumni and friends that share the vision of one day providing financial awards to all the graduates of WAHS seeking to further their education. Thus, the ultimate beneficiaries of the awards are not only the students, but our community and society as a whole.
Meet Our Board Members
Karl Stoker
PRESIDENT |
Carmen Fortun
VICE PRESIDENT |
Tim Iverson
TREASURER |
Christy Tainter
SECRETARY |
Katie Helseth
DIRECTOR |
Monte Dunnum
DIRECTOR |
Kadie Proksch-Brueggen
DIRECTOR |
Sharon Mahan
DIRECTOR |
Randi Strangstalien
DIRECTOR |
Allison Skrentny
DIRECTOR - WHS LIAISON |
Robert Bothe
DIRECTOR - WHS LIAISON |