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With over 20 years in the financial services industry, Aaron brings a family-first approach to helping everyone he meets achieve optimal financial wellness, grow and protect their wealth. He is dedicated to building solid, long-term plans that are customized to meet the unique and ever-changing needs of all clients, no matter what life circumstances and goals they face.

Adam grew up in Spirit Lake, IA active in wrestling, football, track and 4-H before continuing his studies at DMACC, graduating as a Certified Ford Master Technician, and went on to earn his ASE Master Certifications. Adam joined the team at Shade Tree Auto in 2016 and quickly became an invaluable employee. His hard work and dedication helped earn the shop a number of national and international recognitions. He enjoyed playing softball on a team with co-workers, and when he married his wife in 2018, everyone was there to help him celebrate. In 2019, Adam lost his fight with esophageal cancer. Although his life was cut short, he found happiness through his marriage and his job as a technician. Shade Tree Auto has created the Adam Dreeszen Memorial Scholarship to honor his memory, and provide the opportunity for someone to find the same joy Adam had in the automotive industry.

Andrea Sabus State Farm is proud to award this scholarship to a senior who has exhibited kindness to all and has found their passion in a field that helps others. At Andrea Sabus State Farm, we are dedicated to providing the Grimes community with professional and personal insurance and financial services. We strive to serve everyone in our community and provide the best service to all whether or not they are our client.

Dallas Center's Chapter of Beta Sigma Phi is a community service sorority and our motto is Life, Learning and Friendship. Cultural programs are one of the basic elements of our organization. These programs are designed to broaden personal knowledge and understanding of self, friends, and the world. As a member of Beta Sigma Phi it is in our nature not only to give the best that is in us to ourselves and our sorority, but to give the best that is in us to our community and the world.

The Bill Ellerman Agricultural Scholarship will be awarded to a graduating senior pursuing a 2 year or 4 year degree in Agriculture. The Bill Ellerman family continues to farm in the Dallas Center area and their roots run deep with the Ellermans originally settling in Dallas County in the 1870’s. Agriculture has been a passion and key career field for many within the family. As employment in agricultural and feed related industries make up over 10% of US employment, approaching 19.7 million jobs, the Bill Ellerman scholarship will support a student’s pursuit of this rewarding career path, helping to provide food, fiber, and fuel to the world!

Brian and his family moved to Grimes in 2007 and instantly fell in love with the entire DC-G community. Everyone he met immediately embraced Brian's larger-than-life personality and he became a pinnacle of the community - volunteering his time as a coach, working concession stands and sporting events, supporting his three daughters at DC-G schools, and spreading his kindness and generosity all along the way. Brian never knew a stranger and was always the first to lend a helping hand. After being diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in 2010, the DC-G community rallied behind him and supported him through his journey. After 16 months of a hard-fought battle, Brian was taken from us at the age of 45, leaving behind his wife, Nancy, and three daughters, Melissa, Kim, and Jessica. Brian touched the lives of so many family, friends, acquaintances, and strangers. His family is honored to keep his memory and legacy of kindness, compassion, and generosity alive by providing this scholarship to a DC-G graduate in his name. The ideal candidate of this scholarship is one who completely embodies the morals and values instilled in Brian, one who works through adversity and challenges to continue to spread their own kindness, compassion, and generosity to those around them. (A preference is given to those pursuing a technical degree or skilled trade.)

The Buck Bauman Memorial Scholarship is meant to help any student pursuing further education in any field of agriculture. Buck graduated from Grimes High School in 1956. He grew up on his family farm just East of Grimes. Farming was his heritage, going back several generations. He also worked at John Deere in Ankeny making cotton pickers. He had a love for farming and, in 1976, realized his dream of owning his own farm, located in Madison County, Iowa. He passed away in 1994, and his daughter, Elizabeth, established this scholarship in his honor in 2018. Iowa farms are feeding the world, and Buck would definitely want to support those seeking to keep the Iowa farming traditions alive.

Burton Burnett was born in 1913. He made his fortune through farmland and a Ford dealership in Dallas Center. He established a trust to benefit several communities and organizations prior to his death in 1976. It went into effect in 1986 after his 41-year-old daughter Penelope (Penny) Burnett died of cancer. Penny Burnett served as an educator for many years. The Burnett funds provided the core funds needed to start the Dallas Center- Grimes Education Foundation.

Charter Bank is celebrating its 21st year of success since it began as a de novo bank in June of 1998 by local investors and local staff in Johnston—a new startup bank—not a branch of an existing bank. Grimes Charter Bank opened in 2000, Waukee in 2001 and Ankeny in 2017 where our local staff includes high school and college interns as tellers, personal & business bankers, loan officers and market managers. But, we want to be more than just your bank or your employer, we want to be who you turn to for financial assistance 24/7 and we invite all generations in our communities to Chart Your Success With Us!

City State Bank is proud to be a community bank that offers not only banking, but Insurance and Trust & Investments as well. This year marks their 125th year in business, and their commitment to the communities they serve, is stronger than ever. With a focus on providing financial education to students to help them transition to college and throughout life, City State Bank is proud to support the Dallas Center-Grimes Education Foundation scholarship fund.

CleanWorks Autowash is a family owned and operated Carwash Business with locations in Central Iowa, including Grimes and Dallas Center. We are proud to support and award a Dallas Center-Grimes 2021 Senior with our CleanWorks Autowash Scholarship.

Dave Crawford is one of Des Moines's top-producing real estate agents. His passion for assisting clients and helping them achieve their household dreams become a reality is what has led to a successful 21-year track record in the real estate industry. He is dedicated to lifelong relationships with clients and providing them with unparalleled customer service. As a former DCG graduate, Dave is proud to be able to give back to his community.

The DCG Education Association is proud to present this scholarship on behalf of our hard-working teacher members to a student looking to enter the field of education. The DCGEA is looking for a student who is ready to share their commitment to being a life-long learner and to pass the joy of learning onto their future students.

Dallas Center-Grimes Baseball Club, a local non-profit organization will be offering scholarships to senior baseball players who have played for 4 years in the DCG Baseball program.

DCG has been using the Character Counts Framework for several years. This framework contains the six pillars of character: Trustworthiness, Respect, Responsibility, Fairness, Caring and Citizenship. To quote from the Josephsen Institute: “Let’s face it: It’s not easy to become a person of character. It takes a good heart, but it also requires wisdom to know right from wrong and the discipline to do right even when it’s costly, inconvenient or difficult. Becoming a person of character is a lifelong quest to be better.” To continue to support our students in being persons of good character and showing leadership, scholarships are given to those who best and most consistently represent these pillars and demonstrate leadership in their daily lives. The board members of the Dallas Center-Grimes Education Foundation personally contribute to providing these scholarships.

The DCGEF is proud to provide the RED scholarships renewable for four years. These scholarships are made possible through the generosity of those who attend and support the (R)aising (E)ducation (D)ollars - RED Dinner and Auction, an annual event held each November. Tickets will be available for purchase at dcgeducationfoundation.org.

The mission of the Dallas Center-Grimes Education Foundation is to provide additional equitable education opportunities for students within the Dallas Center-Grimes School District. We provide scholarships for seniors and alumni for post secondary education. Fundraisers are held to provide these scholarships. DCGEF works closely with the school to help with scholarships and also operates as the fiscal agent of the scholarship funds. Post secondary education is crucial to the future of our graduates AND our economy.

Be the Solution Award - This scholarship has been created for the purpose of recognizing the students who "Are the Solution" and not the problem. Putting an end to bullying.

Frampton Homes and 515 Real Estate Group Scholarships: Frampton Homes is based in Grimes. We build quality, custom homes throughout the Des Moines area. Owners, Justin & Dani Frampton, live and raise their family in Grimes. Chrissi Ripperger with 515 Real Estate Group is their realtor. Chrissi works throughout the Des Moines area helping clients achieve their real estate goals. Chrissi & her family also live in the DCG School District. Together, Frampton Homes & 515 Real Estate Group strive to help all their clients find the right home for years to come. We are proud to present scholarships to seniors as they get started on their journey after high school.

FOFA (Friends of Fine Arts) is an all volunteer run organization made up of parents, teachers and community members. FOFA boosts the arts programs in our school district from K - 12 through funds made at events, donations, and memberships. We are so proud of our students and appreciate the opportunity to support the love of the arts and continuing education. These scholarships are just one of the ways we can pay it forward to ensure the love of fine arts continues to be nurtured. Thanks to everyone who's supported FOFA and good luck seniors on your next adventure. May you look back on your experiences in music, choir, speech, art or whatever it was you loved to do with your extra time fondly. For more information on FOFA go to our link on the DCG website: dcgschools.com/friends-of-fine-arts/

Glenn Brewer was a graduate of Dallas Center High School. He worked in the grocery industry for most of his life, in Joliet, Il. He retired in the Dallas Center area. Glenn's wish was to provide scholarships for the average student.

Golden Rule is a Grimes based company that has been serving the Des Moines metro area for 20 years. Our mission is to provide excellent plumbing, heating, and cooling services by following the Golden Rule we learned in grade school. Treating others as you would want to be treated, as well as, gaining an education are the foundations of our business. There is currently a shortage of people going into the skilled trades and our goal is to provide an opportunity to those students interested in starting a career in any of the trades areas.

Grimes Chamber & Economic Development is a membership organization focused on the retention and expansion of the Grimes business community along with the sponsorship of activities to benefit our members and residents. It is with great pride that we offer this scholarship, which is funded by the many member businesses and organizations of Grimes Chamber & Economic Development.

The 4th grade Girl Scout troop will choose a recipient who demonstrates the Girl Scout Mission of showing courage, confidence, character and strives to make the world a better place.

As Iowa’s largest private employer, Hy-Vee is committed to helping Iowa’s students achieve their educational goals. With more than 88,000 employees serving customers at 280 stores across eight Midwestern states, Hy-Vee’s employees are committed to delivering “a helpful smile in every aisle” alongside outstanding quality and value. Hy-Vee ranks in the Top 10 Most Trusted Brands and has been named one of America’s Top 5 favorite grocery stores.

The Grimes Lions Club was founded in 1947. Our Mission Statement is “To create and foster a spirit of understanding among all people for humanitarian needs by providing voluntary services through community involvement and international cooperation". Our Motto is We Serve. Grimes Lions Club serves in many ways. We are very active in our community and are constantly looking for ways we can assist in the growth of our town. Each year we provide a scholarship for select students that show a commitment to serving their school, church, and community.

Grimes Plaza Veterinary Clinic (GPVC) is a full service veterinary clinic, owned and operated by Dr. Aaron Wilson, a 1997 graduate from DC-G. Graduating from Simpson College and then Iowa State University’s College of Veterinary Medicine, he returned to his hometown in 2009 with his wife, and DC-G school board member, Sarah, to raise their children around family and friends. Each year the GPVC scholarship is awarded to a student(s) who is interested in pursuing a college major related to veterinary medicine or animal sciences. Past recipients of the scholarship have demonstrated qualities of strong character, extra-curricular involvement, service to community, financial need, and educational achievement. Dr. Wilson strongly values education and is happy to be able to assist others in this pursuit.

This scholarship is intended for a student who has overcome obstacles in life with resiliency and courage.

The Jacob Nockels Memorial Scholarship was given anonymously by someone who loved Jacob very much! Anyone who knew Jacob realized quickly that he had the biggest heart ever. Jacob was so kind, compassionate, soft hearted, funny, helpful and so loving. His smile could light up a room. Jacob had more LOVE in his heart than most people get in a lifetime! We are so grateful for the 21 years we shared together! Jacob graduated DCG in 2011 along with his twin sister, Jenna. They both attended ISU and were in the design program. They are both amazing artists! Unfortunately, Jacob was struggling with situational depression. He was dealing with lots of disappointments. He masked his pain while continuing to smile and helping others around him. After a year of struggling to pick up the pieces of a failed relationship, loss of self esteem, trying to find love again, and trying to find his purpose in life, Jacob lost his battle and died by suicide at ISU in January of 2014. When choosing a recipient for this award we look for someone with compassion, who is always helping others, shows they are good hearted and tries to make life better for others, just like Jacob did. We look for someone who may not be in every activity & sport or have the highest GPA, but someone who is kind to those who love and compassion, who reaches out to the ones that need it the most.

The Kelly B. Memorial Scholarship honors our granddaughter, Kelly Bickford. who was stillborn; a great loss to the Bickford family of Grimes. The mission of this scholarship is to encourage and support a student who is embarking on a path to a degree in medicine or health care.

Kramer Wealth Advisory is owned by Russell J Kramer, who has been in the financial industry for 28 years. Russ is an Independent Financial Advisor who works with businesses, families and individuals. Russ assists in the investment decisions and will lay out a plan to achieve goals. Please visit KramerWealthAdvisory.com to learn more. Russ is married to Beth Kramer have been residents of Grimes for over 20 years. Their three children (Jared, Andrew and Brooke) all graduated from DCG.

Luke was an artist who put his heart and soul into his art projects. They were either quirky and funny or deeply meaningful for him. He was pursuing a graphic design degree at Simpson when he got sick and was diagnosed with brain cancer. We want to honor his passion by awarding this scholarship to another DCG artist.

For one DCG student - to be used for higher education at any university, community college or trade school.

Mann Orthodontics is proud to present a scholarship award to a senior who has exhibited excellent character throughout high school. At Mann Orthodontics, we are dedicated to providing you and your family with professional and personal orthodontic care. We strive to provide a setting where patients and their families can develop a bond with our team, knowing that their needs are of supreme importance to us and we treat every patient with dignity, respect and appreciation.

Michael was a resident of the DCG Community for over 20 years, and was known to many as a kind, caring, and generous person. Michael's passion was expressed through music and theatre. This started in high school where he was active in band, chorus and theatre, and was drum major in his senior year. As an adult he enjoyed all forms of music and theatre and attended as many musicals as possible from Iowa to New York City.

Nancy was a life long supporter of Dallas Center-Grimes schools as a bus driver for 25 years, “Team Mom“ for girls sports for 4 years, FOFA member, Booster Club member and an enthusiastic fan in the bleachers for sports, choir, band and many other activities. As a result of her work at DCG, at the law firm of Brown, Fagen and Rouse, along with many responsibilities at the First Presbyterian Church in Dallas Center, Nancy got to know many members of the community and participated in many opportunities to “pay it forward” to the people and community she loved.

North Ridge School-Age Child Care is a before and after school program that is operated from the North Ridge Elementary School. Once their first group of former attendees were ready to graduate, they wanted to provide scholarships to those seniors who got their start with the DCG community in their program.

Founded by the family of Noah Webster, a 2019 graduate of DCG who has Dyslexia. Overcomer Award was established to recognize the, often behind the scenes, extraordinary efforts individuals (and sometimes their families) have had to invest to persevere through to graduation.

Pink Couch Wellness is a Grimes-based mental health therapy practice, owned and operated by Chris and Vanessa Andersen, that seeks to empower women and improve lives. Community is integral to overall health and wellness, and our goal is to give back to the community we call home. We are proud to offer a scholarship to DCG high school students pursuing post-secondary education.

As a locally owned and operated insurance agency, Premier Insurance Group is committed to providing quality insurance products for individuals and businesses. We combine our strong insurance background and product knowledge to assist both current and future clients manage and plan for all types of potential risk. When you work with Premier Insurance Group, you’ll experience excellent customer service and attention to detail.

Raccoon Valley Bank is a locally-owned community bank with deep local roots. We work to provide excellent financial products and services to our customers by investing in our employees and communities. Part of Raccoon Valley Bank’s mission is giving back to its communities. In addition to our charitable giving, and the hours our employees spend volunteering in our communities, we are also proud to offer scholarships to local high school students pursuing post-secondary education.

Jodean and Ron Rosenberg were 70+ year residents of Grimes. They believed in DCG schools and deeply valued education. Ron and Jodean also always stressed the need to get a good education and emphasized the importance of working hard to achieve your goals.

Rotary is a global network of 1.2 million neighbors, friends, leaders, and problem-solvers who provide humanitarian service and help build goodwill and peace in the world. The Rotary Club of Dallas Center was founded in 1927, and has provided financial assistance to help graduates of Dallas Center-Grimes High School go to college since 1955. We raise money through pancake breakfasts and other events and use it to fund scholarships and service projects. We award two scholarships: the Dallas Center Rotary Club scholarship for $1000, and the Doris Labor Rotarian scholarship for $1000. Doris Labor was a lifelong Dallas Center resident and long time member of the Rotary Club. Her family donated the money for scholarships in her honor, which we have awarded since 2006.

Rick Leppert was born in Nebraska on January 28, 1957. Rick spent years growing up in several states before marrying, and chose to settle in Grimes, Iowa, in 1987 to raise a family. He worked at The Weitz Company in Des Moines for over 23 years. He began his career there as a project engineer, eventually becoming a Senior Project Manager for the Special Projects Division. He came from a construction background and understood the value of a good education and hard work. He passed away from cancer at the age of 54 years, and his family decided to establish this scholarship as a tribute to him. Rick was a man of great character. He took pride in treating everyone fairly--from the job-site workers, to the boardroom executives and the building owners themselves; everyone deserves respect and the chance to make their opinion heard. Rick demonstrated integrity in both his work and his life and worked to instill those beliefs in those he mentored.

At Seidl Services, customers are given the attention and personal service you’ve come to expect from a locally owned business. We offer the best in tree stump removal along with tree and shrub trimming and removal. We also offer brush cleanup and general property cleanup and maintenance.

Located in Ames, Shaffer’s Auto Body is a locally owned collision repair shop who is proud to present a scholarship to a senior who exhibits a hard work ethic, is self-motivated, and who has an interest in the trades. First preference will be for students pursuing an education the collision repair industry, followed by the other trades, and then to students in need who want to continue their education.

The Shindler, Anderson, Goplerud & Weese Law Firm’s reputation of integrity and the highest quality of legal work has earned the respect and confidence of our clients and competitors. Whether your needs include family law areas such as divorce, child custody, child support, alimony, or estate planning, criminal defense, and appeals to the Supreme Court, the Firm is known for its ingenuity, skill, and aggressiveness in representing its clients. Our firm has more than 150 years of combined legal experience, strong academic credentials and community ties, including strong ties to Grimes and Dallas Center. Tara Hofbauer, a partner in the firm, is a class of 2000 graduate and continues to reside in the community with her husband and daughter.

We are pleased to announce a scholarship available to two senior members of the DCG FFA. This scholarship is provided for by the Steve Keller family to honor his legacy. He was a local farmer who had a love for agriculture and the FFA.

It's ok to not be ok, yet stigma prevents 38% of those with mental illness from seeking help. The Support Overcomes Stigma Scholarship aims to reduce this statistic and help those who have been affected by mental illness. This scholarship will be awarded to those who have been impacted by mental illness within themselves or their loved ones. The sponsors of this scholarship are honored to be a small part of making sure that mental illness does not deter any senior from pursuing their dreams.

First and foremost, VisionBank is a community bank. We have a rich, 100+ year history in Central Iowa, and we take pride in the opportunity to partner with our neighbors by giving our time, resources, and funding when possible. Our communities are our business. Your success is our goal. On behalf of all of us at VisionBank – congratulations to Tyler Tice and all of our Dallas Center-Grimes graduating seniors. We wish you nothing but success!