The Springfield in Illinois Diocesan Council of Catholic Women (SDCCW) has awarded $500 scholarships to five young women, all recent high school graduates. The annual awards are given to those who best exemplify the values of DCCW by bringing spirituality, leadership and service to their school, parish and community.

Scholarship applications came from all over the diocese, said Mary Ann Scopel, scholarship chair. "The girls that I have met are so appreciative of the scholarship and they are extremely accomplished at such a young age," she said.

The recipients were each awarded their checks at the honors ceremonies at their respective schools. The award winners were:

Haley Bentel, a member of Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception Parish and a graduate of Sacred Heart-Griffin High School, both in Springfield, impressed the DCCW scholarship committee with her vast amount of service hours.

"Leadership, faith and service have all played huge roles in my life," she wrote in her essay. "… For as long as I can remember, I have been involved with numerous service projects, and I have done countless hours of service. In high school alone, I have completed over 310 service hours … ."

Bentel was involved with the SHG Student Ambassadors program, and spent quite a bit of time volunteering at St. Joseph's Home. She was a scorekeeper at grade school basketball games and has worked at the Cathedral rectory as an office assistant. She has been an altar server and is an extraordinary minister and is a part of the church choir.

"To me, service has always been an important task that we, as people of God, must tackle," she wrote. "Service helps shape me into the person I want to be. … I have come to recognize that doing service is the one thing that I will continue to do for as long as I can."

Melissa Jenkins, a member of St. Elizabeth Parish in Robinson and a graduate of Robinson High School, wrote about how Totus Tuus changed her life in "faith, love, leadership and service."

"At the end of Totus Tuus we made a timeline of our faith through the years, and after only a week, my faith skyrocketed to heights I never experienced," she wrote in her essay. "Through my experience with Totus Tuus, I have been a strong leader of our small but mighty youth group. … I even created a breakfast Bible study last summer to add teenage relevance to the Scripture."

Jenkins has also delivered medicine to the elderly and has tutored middle school students with learning disabilities. She brought Fellowship of Christian Athletes to her parish and has been editor-in-chief for the high school yearbook staff.

"I have been shaped by God's love to be a vessel of service and a positive role model to others," she wrote. "As I continue my education, not matter where in the world I go or what in the world I do, I know I will always find a home in the Catholic Church."

Brooke Koebele, a member of St. Isidore the Farmer Parish in Dieterich and a graduate of Newton Community High School in Newton, said in her essay that she wanted to become known not for her name, but what she has accomplished and who she has affected.

Active her parish, she has been an altar server, a cross bearer, a song leader and a pianist. She has been a member of the parish youth ministry organization and volunteered at church breakfasts, suppers and other events; caroled at nursing homes during the Christmas season and participated in living Stations of the Cross during Lent.

In her community she has helped with community blood drives and has helped donate, pack and distribute shoe box Christmas gifts for the needy in Jasper County. At school, she was consistently on the highest honor roll, ranked first in her class and was named an Illinois State Scholar. She was on Student Council and was an athlete.

"While I am very proud of the awards and recognition, the true measure of my success will be how well prepared I am for college and my ultimate goal of being accepted into medical school. I am extremely grateful for my Catholic faith and my strong relationship with God because he has shaped me into the person who I hope will be 'defined by what is etched in the lives and hearts of those I've touched,'" she wrote, partially quoting motivational speaker and author Steve Maraboli.

Catherine Smith, a member of St. Charles Borromeo Parish in Charleston and a graduate of Charleston High School, has served in a great variety of ways in her community, parish and school.

In the community, she has volunteered at Catholic Charities, the Mattoon local food pantry, and at the Sarah Bush Lincoln Health Center. At her parish, she has taught religious education classes, has been a member of the Pastoral Council, an altar server and eucharistic minister, and helped with other ministries.

During her high school years, she was elected class president each year and she was vice president of the Interact Club which gave her "the opportunity to lead students to do more local community service." Finally, she has played soccer and volleyball and "throughout all these experiences I have been nominated as captain, having to lead others in the direction of sportsmanship and growing closer together."

"Being a light of Christ for others starts from showing love in all ways, especially in leadership," she said. "For these and other ways throughout my community, parish and school, I have exemplified the values of leadership, faith and service."

Breeanna Tschosik, a member of Our Lady of Lourdes Parish and a graduate of St. Teresa High School, both in Decatur, wrote that "Over the years, I have had to define myself as a leader," admitting that when she was younger, "I was the epitome of a follower" but that has changed as she has chosen role models that "inspired me to make my own statement, my own path, and I have never looked back."

At St. Teresa she was president of the senior class and cross country team captain. She was chosen to be a KAIROS retreat leader and has served in her parish as a eucharistic minister.

In her community she was a member of Macon County Teen Court, a diversion program for young offenders ages 9 to 17. "As jurors, we have to think of creative solutions for the defendants so they can successfully repair the damage they caused," she said.

She said leadership and faith experiences can come in the most unexpected ways. "The only way we can lead others is to exemplify a character worthy of respect. In order to learn how to lead, we must first learn how to serve," she wrote. "My faith allows me to lead and serve without fear. Leadership requires compassion and strength: characteristics derived from an active faith in God."

All five winners will be recognized at the 87th annual SDCCW convention that will be held at St. Mary Church in Paris on Tuesday, Sept. 29. The family members and parish priests are invited to attend with them.

SDCCW has been awarding and acknowledging outstanding young women for 15 years. To date they have awarded $28,000 in scholarships.