High School Scholarship
, 2To be considered for the $1,000 Marianne Beel Scholarship, an applicant must be a graduating senior from a Nebraska high school and plan to enroll in a post-secondary school (not necessarily a four-year college) to study in a communications-related field. Scholarship winners will be asked to verify their enrollment status. Applicants must submit:
- A one-page resume.
- A personal statement of 300 words or less highlighting your experiences and outlining your academic and career goals.
- Links to three samples of work in any combination of writing, photography, audio, video or social media posts/blogs. Work must be done for a high school publication, volunteer organization or employer.
- A reference letter from a teacher who can verify your current GPA and explains why you should be selected for this scholarship.
- Optional: one additional reference letter.
Send the above as attachments in an email to: npwscholarship@gmail.com. Please be sure links to online content function properly. There is no separate application form.
Application deadline for the 2026 scholarship is 11:59 p.m. on May 1.
Questions? Contact NPW Scholarship Chair Mary Kay Quinlan at npwscholarship@gmail.com.
2025 Scholarship Awarded to McCook Grad
Maryann Kassner of McCook was chosen to receive the $1,000 Marianne Beel Scholarship, awarded to a graduating high school senior in the class of 2025. She is a freshman at the University of Nebraska at Kearney, where she is a diver on the UNK swim team.
In addition to serving as her high school yearbook and social media editor, she also interned at the McCook Gazette and was a medalist in the state journalism contest, among many other high school accomplishments. Moreover, she was a three-sport athlete, as a track and field pole vaulter, cross country runner and swim team diver.
In her scholarship application, Kassner said she always was “known as the ‘why’ child” and found in journalism a great fit for her curiosity. Her internship at the McCook Gazette showed her the power of journalism, she said, adding: “Journalism is more than a job to me—it’s a way to help people.”
The Marianne Beel Scholarship is named in memory of a long time NPW member from Valentine, Nebraska, whose career reflected the value of local journalism.
Previous High School Winners
2024: Mia Ramirez, Omaha Marian High School
2023: Emely Chairez, Lincoln Southwest High
2022: Elleiana Green, Omaha Marian High School
2021: Jacob Smallcomb, Broken Bow High School
2020: Dillion Muirhead, Valentine Community Schools
2018: Amanda Payne, Sandhills High School in Dunning, NE
2017: Abigail Moody, Burwell, NE
2016: Morgan Wallace, Gering High School
2015: Morgan Peterson, Arthur County High School
2014: Jessica Thiele, West Holt Public Schools in Atkinson, NE
2013: Miranda Wieczorek, Grand Island High School
2012: Anlan Cheney, Cody-Kilgore High School in Cody, NE
2011: Allison Booras, Norfolk High School
2010: Courtney Baum, Mullen High School
High School
NPW on Social Media: