Verna Ross Orndorff Scholarship
Encourage interest in Abraham Lincoln and the Civil War in Illinois Highschools.
About this
Scholarship
The Verna Ross Orndorff Scholarship ($1000) was established in 1989 in honor of River Forest resident Verna Ross Orndorff, a lifelong student of Illinois history, to encourage interest in Abraham Lincoln and the Civil War in Illinois high schools. It is presented at the Annual Awards Banquet in April together with a cash award authorized by the Board of Directors of the Illinois State Historical Society.
Application Criteria & Excellence
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The focus of the essay should be on Abraham Lincoln or a significant event in the Civil War period in Illinois;
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Essays should be 1,500 words with a title page, outline, an annotated bibliography and suggestions for further reading.
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The Illinois high school student whose research paper is selected will receive a $1,000 scholarship and a certificate of achievement and will be honored at the Annual Awards Banquet in 2024.
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The paper will be published in a forthcoming issue of Illinois Heritage magazine, the popular history magazine of the Illinois State Historical Society.
Required Information Checklist
Student Information
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Name
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Grade
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School
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Address
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Phone
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Email Address
Sponsor Teacher Information
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Name
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Phone
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Email Address
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Address
Submission & Inquiries
To apply for the scholarship, essays meeting the following criteria should be submitted (postmarked or emailed) by January 15th of every year.
Entries may be mailed to:
ISHS Scholarships
Illinois State Historical Society
PO Box 1800
Springfield, IL, 62705-1800
For more information:
Email kim.jones@historyillinois.org
or call 217-525-2781.
About Verna Ross
Orndorff
Verna Ross Orndorff, a philanthropist whose contributions helped build libraries in hospitals, also supported Girl Scout training and provided scholarships for many students.
A longtime resident of River Forest, Mrs. Orndorff served Girl Scout groups in the U.S. and abroad. She helped finance and plan a Girl Scout education complex in Cuernavaca, Mexico.
”She felt it was important to give training to girls who needed to find a place in the world,”
- Dr. John Orndorff
Mrs. Orndorff supported music scholarships that sent Americans to study in Austria. As a young woman, she performed with several Chicago area dance groups and became a lifelong supporter of the arts.
Her donations helped preserve historic buildings in the U.S. and other countries, including Benjamin Franklin's home in London.
Mrs. Orndorff was a familiar figure at Chicago's balls and charity events. Newspaper society columns chronicled her social life over the years, from parties she planned as chairman of Oak Park's U.S. Bicentennial Commission to Thanksgiving festivities she organized as a trustee of the Pilgrim Society and the Society of MayflowerDescendants.
Besides her husband, she is survived by three daughters; eight grandchildren; and four great-grandchildren.
Previous Scholarship Winners
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2021
Kelbey McMath
Clinton Junior High School
Clinton
2020
Lance Boldt
Mt. Vernon Township High School
Mt. Vernon
2019
Tammy Greene
Kings Consolidated School District 144
Rochelle
2018
Richard J. Hansen
Mt. Zion High School
Mt. Zion
2017
Mark McBride
Tri Valley High School
Downs
2015
Debra Liu
Solomon School
Chicago
2014
Mark Motsinger
Carrier-Mills Stonefort High School
Carrier Mills
2013
Teresa Heinhorst
Midwest Central High School
Manito
2011
Robyn Williams
Harrisburg High School
Harrisburg
2011
Darrel Dexter
Egyptian Community High School
Tamms
2011
Michelle Okrzesik
Worth Elementary School
Worth
2011
Sherry Strycker
Worth Elementary School
Worth
2010
Charles Hilmes
Breese Elementary School
Breese
2010
Donna Bowen Brown
Elizabeth Peabody Elementary School
Chicago
2010
Elizabeth Robbins
Gwendolyn Brooks College Preparatory Academy
Chicago
2008
Leonard White
Rockford School District
Rockford
2008
Rick Williams
Judah Christian High School
Champaign
2007
Jeffrey Welker
Roxana Community School District #1
Roxana
2007
Jenni Dahl
Springfield High School
Springfield
2007
John Taylor
Springfield High School
Springfield
2007
Mary Bellman
Chicago
Chicago
2007
Katy Arme
Plainfield
Plainfield
2006
Betsy Brown
Lewis Elementary School
Carbondale
2023 Proud Recipient of the Verna Ross Orndorff Scholarship
Ryan Allen
Ryan accepted his award from ISHS Board member Robert Sampson for his essay,“The Light of Lincoln.”