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The Chamber’s Business Education Committee held its 33rd annual ACCESS Scholarship Banquet on Sunday, March 8, at the Hormel Historic Home.

Winners were selected by the Chamber’s Business Education Committee through a three-step process: written applications, interviews and speech presentations.

Twelfth grade winners are Abigail Muller ($1,500), Kathryn Lillemon ($1,000), Shenali DeSilva ($750) and Goamaar Paul ($750). Eighth-grade winners are Abby VanPelt ($500), Julie Nesvold ($375), Elayna Blust ($250), Claire Bliese ($250), Zaki Nawras ($200) and Rose Garry ($200).

This scholarship is available to all Austin public, private and home-schooled eighth and 12th graders.

Scholarship awards are made possible from the financial contributions of Chamber member sponsors: Accentra Credit Union, Austin Ford Chrysler, Bollingberg Chiropractic, Bremer Bank, Diamond Ridge Printing, Family Eye Care Center, First Farmers & Merchants Bank, Games People Play, Greg Meyer State Farm Insurance, Heartman Insurance, Home Federal Savings Bank, Hormel Foods Corporation, Hormel Historic Home, Hoversten, Johnson, Beckman, Hovey, IBI Data, Jim’s MarketPlace Foods, King Maintenance, Inc., Kiwanis Early Risers, Medicap Pharmacy, Overby Orthodontics, Potach & Mitchell Dental Clinic, Quality Pork Processors, Sterling State Bank, Sweet Reads, US Bank, Wealth Management Solutions and Worlein Funeral Home.

The Austin Area Chamber of Commerce Business Education Committee builds strong relationships between local schools, youth, community and businesses by supporting scholarships (ACCESS Scholarship for eighth and 12th grade students), pathways programs (Step Up Austin), and school-to-work initiatives (AHS job fair) in addition to providing business support and educational opportunities for Chamber members.