Winners receive $1,000 scholarship to college of their choice

JOHNSTON, IOWA (March 14, 2022) — Four Iowa high school seniors received a 2022 Iowa Bankers Association Student Athlete Achievement Award during the Iowa High School Boys Basketball State Tournament on Friday in Des Moines. One student from each class received a $1,000 scholarship from the IBA to the college of his choice.

Scholarship recipients included:

• Class 1A: Colton Heim, Bellevue High School, Bellevue
• Class 2A: Grant Hospodarsky, Monticello High School, Monticello
• Class 3A: Levi Gurwell, Winterset High School, Winterset
• Class 4A: Braden Simonsen, Ankeny High School, Ankeny

Scholarship recipients were selected based on their academic performance, athletic participation, leadership skills and community involvement.

“We’re proud to support the Iowa High School Athletic Association and recognize these student-athletes with this scholarship award. They’re deserving not only because of how they excel on the court, but also for their classroom achievements and community leadership,” said Tara Deering-Hansen, the IBA’s vice president of marketing and communications. “Iowa bankers strive to help Iowans reach their financials goals. We hope that with this scholarship the winners are better able to fund their higher education, so they can learn new skills and continue serving their Iowa communities.”

For more than three decades, the IBA has sponsored the Student Athlete Achievement Awards in partnership with the Iowa High School Athletic Association and Iowa Girls High School Athletic Union. The program includes awards to student-athletes in football, basketball and wrestling. The IBA has awarded $295,000 in scholarships since the program began.