Applications for the Beverly Oppold-Blessman Whaley Scholarship are now available through the Webster City High School Guidance Office.

Guided essays will be written in person with all student applicants on April 16, before and after school in the WCHS Media Center.

The Beverly Oppold-Blessman Whaley Scholarship Fund was created to honor the legacy of Beverly Oppold-Blessman Whaley after her sudden passing on Aug. 8, 2024.

The fund was established as an endowment by her family and friends to pay out an annual award of at least $7,500 to a Webster City High School senior to assist in their post-secondary educational pursuits. The inaugural scholarship recipient selected last year was Alondra Johnson Santana who is continuing her education at Wartburg College.

As a business education teacher/office education coordinator at WCHS for 27 years and later as a consultant for Career and Technical Education with the Area Education Agency (AEA 267) in Clear Lake, Oppold-Blessman Whaley positively impacted countless lives until her retirement in 2009. Her career was marked by her passion for her students’ success and her uncanny ability to make all students feel seen, heard, and valued. Even in retirement, she remained connected with her students, celebrating their personal achievements and milestones.

To support the Beverly Oppold-Blessman Whaley Scholarship Fund, send contributions to the Enhance Hamilton County Foundation at 501 Bank St., Webster City, IA 50595. Charitable gifts, including stock or IRA rollovers, are accepted, and all donations are tax-deductible, with donors eligible for a 25% Endow Iowa Tax Credit.