VICKIE PAUPORE

NIAGARA, Wis. — Niagara school officials have announced the establishment of a new Niagara High School scholarship which will be awarded for the first time this May.

The scholarship will be known as the Vickie (Leathers) Paupore Scholarship and will be an annual award of $500.

The scholarship will be administered through the Niagara Area Scholarship Foundation .

In establishing the scholarship, Paupore said “I decided to start the scholarship because as a teacher I have had many opportunities to see how important and meaningful receiving scholarships has been for my students. I chose to give a scholarship to the students of Niagara, because I want to give back to the community that gave me so much when I was a student. The people of Niagara always went out of their way to support me and help me as I was growing up. I will always be grateful for this.”

Criterion for the scholarship is as follows:

— The recipient must rank in the upper half of their class.

— The recipient must have at least a 3.0 grade point average.

— The student must be accepted at a university or technical college where they will pursue study in an educational field. 

— Priority will be given to those applicants who have participated in extracurricular activities (particularly track and field).

— Priority will also be given to those who are involved in church or community service.

— The scholarship will be administered by the NASF and the selection committee will consist of the high school principal, school counselor, and one other high school teacher.

— Students holding additional scholarships shall not be disqualified from consideration for this scholarship.

Paupore is a 1989 graduate of Niagara High School. She was an outstanding high school athlete who excelled in academics and in volleyball, basketball, and track. She was a member of the National Honor Society and was the Class of 1989 recipient of the NOW Award which went to the outstanding senior girl.

Paupore also was the first Niagara girls basketball player selected to play in the state all-star game. After high school, she went onto to earn a degree in Spanish at Lawrence University in Appleton where she again starred in volleyball, basketball, and track.

For the past 28 years she has taught Spanish at Negaunee High School and served as girls track coach where she has developed outstanding teams that have won several U.P. track titles.

She and her husband, Mark, are parents of two children, Jacob and Emily.