OAKWOOD, OHIO — The Cooper Family Foundation recently presented the 2020 V.H. Cooper Scholarship to 36 graduating students from different area schools.

The V.H. Cooper Scholarship was first presented in 1986 as a way for the Cooper family to continue recognizing Virgil Cooper’s generosity to the surrounding communities and organizations, especially those involving children and students.

“Our father passed away in 1984, so this was something we started to continue celebrating his life and how much he truly enjoyed giving back.” said Dianne Cooper. “Our dad was always giving back to the community, as well as the kids in Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, 4-H and church groups.”

The V.H. Cooper Scholarship has grown immensely from just a single scholarship in its inception.

“It started out as an ag scholarship, and we would give it to one person from Paulding High School each year, then it grew to four, five, six per year.” Cooper said. “It has now opened up to anyone furthering their education from the schools near our locations.”

While this year was a little different, since they couldn’t be awarded in person, it was no less special for these special graduates.

The V.H. Cooper Scholarships were presented to Ashlynn Parrish (Wayne Trace High School), Gage Smith, Jordyn Merriman, Kennedy Foor, Mackenzie Weible, Monsterrat Martinez-Cuen (Paulding High School), Natalie Speiser (Continental High School), Taylor Beining (Ottoville High School), Tyrel Goings (Defiance High School), Kathryn Coplin, Dylan Brayson, (Van Wert High School), Jordan Decker, Victoria Snyder, Jaden Spray, Hanna Scaggs, Becca Kesler, Lana Carey (Lincolnview High School), Andrew Weitzel, Lydia Wenning, Rachel Acheson, Jared Timmerman (Fort Recovery High School), Mackenzie Gross (Marion Local High School), Bryson Buschur, Emily Knapke, Bryanna Hermis (Coldwater High School), Avery Metzcar, Makenna Morgan, Josh Kuehne (Celina High School), Blake Scholl, Griselda M. Rodriguez Garcia (Mississinawa Valley High School), Brady Post, Lydia Frank, Hannah Osterholt (St. Henry High School), Rachel Breese (Parkway High School), Jordan Egbert (St. Marys Memorial High School) and Reanna Myers (Jay County High School).