(KAIR)--The Atchison Area Community Foundation is proud to announce Gregory Booker, Maddison Bowen, Kaleb Kelley-Jones, and Ethan Matthias as the recipients of the 2022 Kasten-Regan Memorial Scholarship.

The Kasten-Regan Memorial Scholarship was established to honor the late Gene and Connie Kasten and the late Vince and Phyllis Regan and to benefit a graduating Atchison High School student that has demonstrated extraordinary work ethic by holding a part time job during their high school years. Students can use the scholarship funds toward a higher education purpose of their choosing.

Equipped with a $3,000 scholarship, Gregory Booker will attend Kansas City Kansas Community College and intends to study Chemical Engineering, Microbiology, and Biology Sciences. During his high school career, Gregory held part time jobs at JR’s Lawncare, Chick-fil-A, and Walmart.

Maddison Bowen will attend Missouri Western State University with the help of a $1,000 scholarship where she intends to study Business Administration and Human Resources. Maddison has worked at O’Malley’s Restaurant and Daylight Donuts as a server, kitchen help, and hostess.

Kaleb Kelley-Jones will take his $1,000 scholarship to Hutchinson Community College where he intends to study Pre-Veterinary Medicine. Kaleb has worked for the Atchison Recreation Commission and as a dog walker at Cedar Ridge Veterinarian Clinic.

A $2,000 scholarship will help Ethan Matthias attend Washburn University where he intends to study Forensic Science. Ethan has part time jobs as a cameraman at the NAIA basketball tournament, as a scorekeeper for the Atchison Recreation Commission, and as kitchen help at Lopez De Mexico.

“Our family is passionate about helping students who have demonstrated exceptional work ethic to achieve their higher education goals,” said Sue Regan, a representative of the Kasten-Regan family. “These four young people are very deserving and it’s an honor to help them pursue their dreams.”

Since May of 2020, the Kasten-Regan Memorial Scholarship has awarded a total of $17,000 to ten deserving recipients pursuing higher education goals. It is Tim & Sue Regan's hope that each recipient of this scholarship will find it in their hearts to "pay it forward" to another deserving individual from Atchison in the future.

In 2019 the Atchison Area Community Foundation was established to enrich the lives of the people in our community through philanthropy. We are a source of funding for local nonprofits and public entities. We are committed to building philanthropy and connecting people who care with causes that matter.