Education is very important to the German-Texan Heritage Society, which was founded in 1978 by three educators – Mary El-Beheri, Dona Reeves-Marquardt and Anna Thompson. Since 2008, the German-Texan Heritage Society offers annual scholarships to the top five research paper winners in the Texas State German Contest for high school and middle school students. Through this scholarship program, we are pleased to provide encouragement for the youth of Texas to pursue the study of German-Texan history and the German language.
Middle or high school students enrolled in a German class in a Texas school are eligible for the GTHS scholarship. Interested students should contact their German teacher about how to participate in the Texas State German Contest Research Paper category. More information can be found on the Texas State German Contest website.
The GTHS Scholarship program is supplemented by individual donations. You can support the scholarship fund by sending a check to: GTHS, PO Box 684171, Austin, TX 78768. Please write ’scholarship fund’ in the memo line of your check.
2009 Scholarship Winners
The 2009 winners were announced on February 28 at the Texas State German Contest Awards ceremony at the University of Texas in Austin. The awards were presented by Wing Evans, President of the GTHS and by Gail Cope, co-founder of the Texas State German Contest.
1st Place: $1000 award
Caitlin Morgan of La Grange High School, La Grange
Teacher: Lee Ann Hartmann
Topic – Sharpshooter: Round Top Schuetzenverein and Schueztenfest
2nd Place: $500 award
Alexis Clark of Westwood High School, Round Rock
Teacher: Evelyn Saucier
Topic – Waltzing Across Texas: The German Texan Dance Halls
3rd Place award: $500
Sasha Heinen of Lyndon B. Johnson High School/LASA, Austin
Teacher: Keri Jaworski
Topic – Comfort, Texas
4th Place award: $250
Alexandra Wagner of Austin Waldorf School, Austin
Teacher: Karen Morgan
Topic – The Essential Prisoners: German Prisoners of War and Their Effect on Texas Agriculture
5th Place award: $250
Allison Reiner of Cypress Woods High School, Cypress
Teacher: Laura Felusiak
Topic – The Grass is Gruener
Click here for a list of the 2008 winners.
