OAKWOOD, OHIO — The Cooper Family Foundation recently presented the 2019 V.H. Cooper Scholarship to 24 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.

“Jill Lloyd was the first to receive this scholarship in 1986 and we have done it yearly ever since, in honor of our father, Virgil H Cooper, who passed away in 1984.” said Dianne Cooper. “Our dad was always giving back to the community and the kids in Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, 4-H and church groups.”

The V.H. Cooper Scholarship has done nothing but grow since its inception, much like Cooper Farms itself.

“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.” Dianne said. “It has now opened up to anyone furthering their education from the schools near our locations.”

The V.H. Cooper Scholarships were presented to: Gabrielle Perkins, Madeline Snyder, Raegan Boley and Alex Bowersock (Lincolnview High School), Madeline Lynn Jenkins (Vantage Career Center), Kara Eyanson (St. Marys Memorial High School), Sidney Rindler, Kirsten Saintignon (Marion Local High School), Kiley Grilliot (Ansonia High School), Jaqueline Marquez-Segundo, Ashley Siefring (St. Henry High School), Allison Hernandez, Klarisa Hemmelgarn, Isaiah Hart (Jay County High School), Cecilia Casillas (Muncie Central High School), Courtney Metzger (Fort Recovery High School), Conner Muhlenkamp (Coldwater High School), Caleb Suhr, Maddison Kuehne (Celina High School), Olivia Davidson (Van Wert High School), Mallory Taylor, Sydney Price, Kamdyn Etzler and Katelyn Hartzell (Paulding High School).