L’anse Creuse North held their annual Honors Convocation on Wednesday, May 22nd. Senior, Brianna Steffan was awarded one of two (LCN) Inspiration Scholarships by the Sandbox Foundation. Brianna was an “experienced recipient” that night, by the time it was Rock’s turn to take the podium. The challenges of her life story and accomplishments are a combination rarely seen together in a single person. Clearly an Inspiration to everyone else, Brianna could not be a more gracious recipient.

“A Very Special Me“, according to her mother, Brianna has plans to study Elementary School Teaching at Saginaw Valley State University in the fall.

A second (LCN) Inspiration Scholarship is awarded to Mercedes Nawrocki. Mercedes inspiration comes from her mother’s relentless work to survive the challenges of being a single parent, raising a family. Mercedes has plans to run track at Ohio Christian University next fall. She will be studying Criminal Justice at O.C.U. Unfortunately, Mercedes was unable to attend the LCN Honors Convocation held in the John R. Armstrong Performing Arts Center.

Rock’s presentation at LCN included a brief summary of the Sandbox Foundation, his parents lives and his mother’s (Barbara Faye) story of attending local colleges part-time from his age of six, until her fifty-seventh birthday. It was three days before Barbara Faye’s 57th birthday, when she could finally display her Bachelors degree earned from Rochester Christian College. And certainly, no story from Rock is complete without mentioning is wife Cheryl, whom he met in the halls of LCN, a distraction Rock claimed prevented him from earning any scholarships himself.

Advisors of the Sandbox Foundation proudly award Anne May the second 2024 Continuing Scholarship Grant. The foundation awards several Continuing Scholarships each year to returning college students who previously received a Kuchenmeister Family Scholarship or a Sandbox Foundation scholarship.

In 2023, Anne graduated high school from Lutheran High North located in Macomb, Michigan. Anne attends Oakland University, while also running Cross-Country and Track for Oakland.  Below, Anne describes his first year at Michigan.

My first year at Oakland University has been amazing! I am majoring in Mechanical Engineering. I have enjoyed my classes so far and I am excited to dive deeper into mechanical engineering classes in the next few semesters. Along with my studies, I am a member of the Oakland University Cross Country and Track team! The team has given me the opportunity to travel, develop many new friendships, have a different college experience, and volunteer with my team at the Meadowbrook Mansion and for a Women and Girls in Sports Day event. I want to thank the Sandbox Foundation and everyone involved for choosing me to receive this continuing scholarship!

The Sandbox Foundation is proud to announce Parker Newell will receive one of two Continuing Scholarship Grants, awarded for 2024. Continuing Scholarships are awarded to college students who previously received a Sandbox Foundation or Kuchenmeister scholarship.

Parker graduated high school from the International Academy Okma in 2023. He now attends the University of Michigan. The International Academy was recently ranked #8 of all high schools by U.S. News and World Reports. Below, Parker describes his first year at Michigan.

“Hello Mr. and Mrs. Kuchenmeister and the Sandbox Foundation team, 

During my first year at the University of Michigan I have made important progress along my educational pathway. I have decided to major in Naval Architecture and Marine Engineering. I have been involved in several organizations on campus including the Concrete Canoe engineering project team which scored second place in the regional competition. I have been extremely grateful for the support of my family and my church community back home during this first year of my college career. I would like to express my deepest thanks for the generosity of    the Kuchenmeister family and the sandbox foundation for the first scholarship I received in the fall and now again for the continuing scholarship I have received for the coming year. 

L’anse Creuse North 2023 graduate Cullen Detrick was awarded a Barbara Faye scholarship from the Sandbox Foundation on Wednesday, May 24th. Cullen is headed to Grand Valley to study mathematics. Cullen’s well rounded essay touched deeply on Work, Service and Inspiration. But it was Cullen’s testament to the ethics he would live by that caught the attention of foundation advisors. Cheryl and Rock went “home again” to present Cullen his scholarship in person.

Advisors of the Sandbox Foundation proudly announce 2023 Continuing Scholarships.

Quinton Schurig (Almont HS, attending Macomb Community College),

Sarah Spitz (Romeo HS, attending Saginaw Valley), and

Sean Sellars (Romeo HS, attending Oakland University).

Each of the 2023 Continuing Scholarship recipients were a 2022 High School graduate and receive either a Sandbox Foundation scholarship or the Kuchenmeister Family scholarship. These (now) college students applied earlier this year. They were among less than a dozen Continuing Scholarship applicants. Foundation Advisors congratulated each of them with an email announcement earlier this month. We look forward to hearing an update from them, as they complete a first year in college this spring.