The Knoxville Panther Scholarship Foundation was established in 2004 when members of the Knoxville Education Foundation began exploring the establishment of a scholarship program to benefit KHS graduates in their pursuit of a post-secondary education. Our stated goal is to provide a scholarship to every Knoxville High School graduate who applies for financial aid in the pursuit of post-secondary education. Whether the student plans on attending a traditional two year or four- year college or university, technical school, or a series of course work designed to provide a particular skill in a field of their choice, we will provide financial help. Every student, no matter their grade point average, or participation in extra-curricular activities, will receive a scholarship as long as they fully complete an application by the well-publicized due date.
The Knoxville Panther Scholarship Foundation is a fully qualified tax-deductible charitable organization with 501(C) (3) status under the Internal Revenue Service Code. We partner with local organizations, businesses, churches, and individuals to combine their scholarship awards with ours and present those gifts at the annual scholarship awards night in May.
We celebrated our twenty-first anniversary of the Foundation at our wards ceremony in May 0f 2024. In our 21 years we have awarded 1,611 KHS graduates a total of over ONE MILLION dollars in financial aid. Every graduate who has applied has received a scholarship!
The exceptional generosity of the citizens of Knoxville and of Knoxville High School alumni from all over the country has allowed us to expand our scholarship program to levels we could have never dreamed of twenty-one years ago. Eleven years ago, as a result of the generosity of Don and Margaret Long, we began awarding $500 second year scholarships to every Knoxville High School graduate who applied for a scholarship to help fund their second year of post-secondary education.
In 2015, for the first time, our Scholarship Foundation began offering third year scholarships to Knoxville High School graduates entering their third year of post-secondary education and in 2016 expanded our scholarship program to include fourth year students. The Foundation has now awarded $890,000 in financial aid to our KHS graduates entering their 2nd, 3rd and 4th years of post-secondary education.
Just think, this Foundation, this community, our alumni, are providing a scholarship to EVERY Knoxville High School graduate who completes a scholarship request during the ENTIRE four years of their post-secondary education.
Since the Foundation’s inception in 2004, the Knoxville Panther Scholarship Foundation has provided just over 1.9 MILLION DOLARS in financial aid to our graduates.
So where does the Foundation go from here? Read the following letter from the Foundation’s Board President, Curt Froyen and learn about the exceptional dedication to our Board members to our students and our community.
Letter from the Board President
What an exciting year this has been for the Foundation. We were able to offer several new scholarships and the average financial awards for our Knoxville High School graduates continue to grow. Our donors provided $181,000 in financial aid this year, nearly ten times the amount that was awarded in our first year in 2004.
Your support has been essential to our success in helping our graduates pursue their dreams. With the ever-increasing cost of tuition in addition to the rising cost of books, fees and room and board, your continued support is even more important. I hope you will always keep our Foundation in mind as you consider how to allocate the funds you have available to support the causes dear to your heart. You may use the donation card included with this newsletter, donate by using the donation button on our website at kpsfoundation.org or send your donation to KPS Foundation at P O Box 302 Knoxville, IA. 50138.
Please note that you can now donate by scanning the Venmo QR Code on the donation card or on our website. Consider sharing this newsletter with family and friends.
While most of our scholarship applicants continue to pursue a traditional four-year post-secondary degree, we continue to see an increase in the number of KHS graduates pursuing trade school apprenticeships and associates degrees. Our graduates are reacting to a changing educational environment as they fill the increasing need for skilled trades and specialized training that does not require a university degree.
Additionally, the goal of the Board this year was to put special attention to the long-term sustainability of the Foundation. Six new members were added to the Board this year. They represent a new generation of Knoxville residents who continue to share the goals upon which the Foundation was formed: to provide financial assistance to KHS graduates as they pursue their post-secondary education. Each area of responsibility is now being covered by at least two Board members, ensuring a smooth transition should a member need to be replaced due to changes in their life’s activities.
Four of our Board members serve in positions for the Knoxville Community School District that automatically make them members of the Board. Tracy Wilkins is the High School Principal, Traci Lee and Doug Hatch are the high school counselors and Tyler Pearson is the Career Readiness Coordinator. Their knowledge of the students’ educational goals and financial needs is essential as the Foundation strives to meet the needs of our graduates.
Brief profiles of our Board members who are not District employees are listed here. These individuals come from a broad range of the community and offer a diverse background of experience. What they share is a lifelong commitment to community service and a desire to help our graduates pursue their post-secondary educational opportunities.
Curt Froyen is the Board President of the Foundation. He has served on the Board for the past 22 years. Following his years of service as a Navy Officer, he spent 25 years as a biology teacher in the Knoxville School system. Curt is Commander of Knoxville’s American Legion Post, serves on the County Veteran’s Service Board and is an active volunteer for veterans with Hospice. Curt and his wife Kathy live on their farm south of Knoxville. Kathy spent 40 years as a teacher prior to her retirement in 2011. Their daughters, Anne (1998) and Laura (2002), are Knoxville High School graduates and live with their families, in Madison, Wisconsin.
Kevin Crawford is a founding board member of the Knoxville Panther Scholarship Foundation. He has been involved in literally all aspects of the Foundation over the years including serving as President and Secretary. Kevin was the KHS principal for 17 years until his retirement in 2014. He is past president of the Knoxville Rotary Club and involved in many committees at the United Methodist Church and has served as chairperson of the Montgomery Street Preschool. Kevin’s children are all graduates of KHS—Matt (2001), Brian (2003), and Amy (2007). Kevin’s wife, Lesa, worked at Northstar Elementary and Heartland AEA until her retirement in 2023.
Mary Keefer has served on the Foundation Board for 20 years. Mary was a math teacher in the Knoxville district for 33 years and a substitute teacher after retirement for 8 years. Mary and her husband Mike have two sons, both KHS graduates, Matt (2001) and Kenny (2003). Mike has also served as a coach and as an associate in the school district’s reading counts program. Mary serves on the Foundation Scholarship Committee and handles correspondence with donors. She is a member of the Athletic Hall of Fame Board and is very active in St. Anthony’s church activities and numerous women’s organizations. She and Mike have dedicated their lives to the youth of this community.
Dawn Rankin is the Co- Treasurer for the Foundation. She joined the board in that role in 2013. Dawn is a Simpson College graduate with a B.A. in Accounting and a minor in computer science. Dawn has been active in North Star PTO, Knoxville Booster Club, and a member of the Knoxville School Board. Dawn has served on the Marion County Habitat for Humanity Board of Directors and is currently serving her second term on the Knoxville City Council. Dawn is the Chief Financial Officer of Iowa State Bank in Des Moines, IA. She and her husband Mike, who is retired from 3M, live in Knoxville. Their son Dylan, a 2006 KHS graduate and a 2010 Simpson graduate, is vice-president of the Knoxville School Board, and coaches varsity boys’ soccer and basketball.
Andy Adamcik joined the Foundation Board in 2017 and has served as marketing manager for Weiler since 2013. He has worked in motorsports, including managing the short track racing programs at Las Vegas Motor Speedway and Texas Motor Speedway. Andy met his wife Beth (Agan), KHS class of 1994, through the motorsport’s community. Andy, a Dallas, Texas native, received his degree in Business Administration from Texas A&M University in 1995. Andy and Beth live in Knoxville with their daughter Layne.
Mike Roberts grew up on a farm south of Knoxville and is a 1984 KHS graduate. He is actively involved in the sprint car industry and owns Knoxville Today and Roberts & Associates. Mike is also involved in Rotary and is a Mason at Gavel Lodge #61 and a Noble at the Za-Ga-Zig Shrine in Altoona. He and his wife Dana have a daughter, Samantha, a 2014 KHS graduate and three grandchildren enrolled in our school district. Dana and Samantha are both employed at Knoxville Hospital.
Denise Deaver (KHS 1985) and her husband, Dennis (KHS 1975) are both Knoxville alumni. Denise has been employed by Knoxville Community School District since 2006, handling payroll and accounts payable/receivable. Denise also volunteers for Meals on Wheels. Denise has serve as the co-treasurer with the Foundation for two years.
Kevin Stittsworth returned to the Foundation board last year after serving from 2008-2011. A 1991 Knoxville graduate, Kevin is Development Manager for Many Hands, a mission organization that creates long-term sustainable change in Haiti. He currently serves on the 100+ Men Red Rock leadership team and has served on the Knoxville Alumni Association Board since its founding. Kevin has recorded two piano albums. He is a former president of the Knoxville Chamber Board, a former member of Knoxville Rotary, and co-organized the annual Knoxville Prayer Walk.
NEW BOARD MEMBERS IN 2024
Michael Moats is vice president of the Foundation. He farms south of Knoxville where he lives with his wife Jacque. Their three children are Panther alumni and were recipients of scholarships from the Foundation. They have all graduated from college, married, started families and have chosen to live and work near Knoxville. Michael graduated from Knoxville in 1991 and returned as an educator and coach from 1997 to 2012. He served one term on the Knoxville school board and is a Soil and Water Commissioner for Marion County.
Jennifer (Roozeboom) Schmidt graduated with Honors from KHC class of 1985. She went on to graduate from University of Northern Iowa with a double major in Business Management - Finance and Spanish. Following graduation from UNI, Jennifer went to work for Dun & Bradstreet and will celebrate 35 years there next year. Her current role is Strategic Client Director where she manages the sales relationships with Fortune 500 financial services companies. Outside of work, she is an elder at Celebrate Church, Treasurer of Knoxville Alumni Association/SOS and mother to Isaac Schmidt, a 2021 KHS graduate. Isaac is a senior at Iowa State University majoring in Supply Chain Management. Isaac has received KPSF scholarship awards each year of his post-secondary education.
Jill Sherwood Sheesley is a 1987 KHS graduate and has spent her career working in various areas of Information Technology including software development, data management, social media marketing, application support and web design. Jill and her family have recently moved back to Knoxville and plan to use their talents to work and serve in the community. Along with her role on the Foundation Board, Jill is a member of the Save Our Stadium committee, the Knoxville Federated Garden Club, volunteers for the First United Methodist Church “Cooking 4 A Cause” and monthly resident activities at Westridge Specialty Care.
Sara Roberts graduated from the Interstate 35 school district and met her husband Ryan, a 1992 KHS graduate, while in college. Ryan and Sara moved to Knoxville in 1999 and have raised 3 children here; 2 of them are Knoxville graduates with the youngest graduating in 2026. Sara is currently President of the Rotary Club of Knoxville and Chairperson of the Marion County Development Commission. She is past President of Knoxville Chamber of Commerce. Sara and her husband Ryan own and operate Sundance Realty in Knoxville and opened a 2nd location in Pleasant Hill in 2022. Sara and Ryan take pride in their community and support many local organizations and youth programs.
Brad Crossett is a 1980 KHS graduate. Brad and his wife Lisa have 5 children who have all graduated from KHS and were all recipients of scholarships from the Knoxville Panther Scholarship Foundation. Brad owned and operated a Hardware Store in Knoxville for 20 years. Brad and Lisa have helped with several community organizations and committees and Brad has served on the Chamber of Commerce Board. Lisa also serves as a volunteer on several Foundation committees.
Kevin Wadle (KHS Class of 1989) and his wife, Jennifer (KHS Class of 1991) have been part of the community since moving back to Knoxville in 1997 where they’ve raised three KHS alumni. Alex (2016) is a middle school math teacher in Graettinger, Iowa, Sam (2019) is a high school math teacher in Washington, Iowa, and Abby (2022) is in her third year at Iowa State University majoring in event management. All three were grateful recipients of KPSF scholarships. Kevin is a CPA and financial advisor in Knoxville, as well as the coach of the KHS boys’ tennis program. Jennifer is a family practice physician assistant at Pella Medical Clinic in Pella.
Board of Directors
Andy Adamcik
Kevin Crawford
Brad Crossett
Denise Deaver
Curt Froyen
Doug Hatch
Mary Keefer
Traci Lee
Michael Moats
Tyler Pearson
Dawn Rankin
Mike Roberts
Sara Roberts
Jennifer Roozeboom Schmidt
Jill Sherwood Sheesley
Kevin Stittsworth
Kevin Wadle
Tracy Wilkins
President: Curt Froyen
Vice President: Michael Moats
Co Treasurers: Dawn Rankin and Denise Deaver
Secretary: Tyler Pearson
Contact:
For additional information about the Knoxville Panther Scholarship Foundation contact any of our Board members:
Curt Froyen
Board President
641-891-7170
[email protected]
Michael Moats
Vice President
[email protected]
KPS Foundation
P O Box 302
Knoxville, IA. 50138
The Knoxville Panther Scholarship Foundation is a fully qualified tax-deductible charitable organization with 501(C) (3) status under the Internal Revenue Service Code. We partner with local organizations, businesses, churches, and individuals to combine their scholarship awards with ours and present those gifts at the annual scholarship awards night in May.
We celebrated our twenty-first anniversary of the Foundation at our wards ceremony in May 0f 2024. In our 21 years we have awarded 1,611 KHS graduates a total of over ONE MILLION dollars in financial aid. Every graduate who has applied has received a scholarship!
The exceptional generosity of the citizens of Knoxville and of Knoxville High School alumni from all over the country has allowed us to expand our scholarship program to levels we could have never dreamed of twenty-one years ago. Eleven years ago, as a result of the generosity of Don and Margaret Long, we began awarding $500 second year scholarships to every Knoxville High School graduate who applied for a scholarship to help fund their second year of post-secondary education.
In 2015, for the first time, our Scholarship Foundation began offering third year scholarships to Knoxville High School graduates entering their third year of post-secondary education and in 2016 expanded our scholarship program to include fourth year students. The Foundation has now awarded $890,000 in financial aid to our KHS graduates entering their 2nd, 3rd and 4th years of post-secondary education.
Just think, this Foundation, this community, our alumni, are providing a scholarship to EVERY Knoxville High School graduate who completes a scholarship request during the ENTIRE four years of their post-secondary education.
Since the Foundation’s inception in 2004, the Knoxville Panther Scholarship Foundation has provided just over 1.9 MILLION DOLARS in financial aid to our graduates.
So where does the Foundation go from here? Read the following letter from the Foundation’s Board President, Curt Froyen and learn about the exceptional dedication to our Board members to our students and our community.
Letter from the Board President
What an exciting year this has been for the Foundation. We were able to offer several new scholarships and the average financial awards for our Knoxville High School graduates continue to grow. Our donors provided $181,000 in financial aid this year, nearly ten times the amount that was awarded in our first year in 2004.
Your support has been essential to our success in helping our graduates pursue their dreams. With the ever-increasing cost of tuition in addition to the rising cost of books, fees and room and board, your continued support is even more important. I hope you will always keep our Foundation in mind as you consider how to allocate the funds you have available to support the causes dear to your heart. You may use the donation card included with this newsletter, donate by using the donation button on our website at kpsfoundation.org or send your donation to KPS Foundation at P O Box 302 Knoxville, IA. 50138.
Please note that you can now donate by scanning the Venmo QR Code on the donation card or on our website. Consider sharing this newsletter with family and friends.
While most of our scholarship applicants continue to pursue a traditional four-year post-secondary degree, we continue to see an increase in the number of KHS graduates pursuing trade school apprenticeships and associates degrees. Our graduates are reacting to a changing educational environment as they fill the increasing need for skilled trades and specialized training that does not require a university degree.
Additionally, the goal of the Board this year was to put special attention to the long-term sustainability of the Foundation. Six new members were added to the Board this year. They represent a new generation of Knoxville residents who continue to share the goals upon which the Foundation was formed: to provide financial assistance to KHS graduates as they pursue their post-secondary education. Each area of responsibility is now being covered by at least two Board members, ensuring a smooth transition should a member need to be replaced due to changes in their life’s activities.
Four of our Board members serve in positions for the Knoxville Community School District that automatically make them members of the Board. Tracy Wilkins is the High School Principal, Traci Lee and Doug Hatch are the high school counselors and Tyler Pearson is the Career Readiness Coordinator. Their knowledge of the students’ educational goals and financial needs is essential as the Foundation strives to meet the needs of our graduates.
Brief profiles of our Board members who are not District employees are listed here. These individuals come from a broad range of the community and offer a diverse background of experience. What they share is a lifelong commitment to community service and a desire to help our graduates pursue their post-secondary educational opportunities.
Curt Froyen is the Board President of the Foundation. He has served on the Board for the past 22 years. Following his years of service as a Navy Officer, he spent 25 years as a biology teacher in the Knoxville School system. Curt is Commander of Knoxville’s American Legion Post, serves on the County Veteran’s Service Board and is an active volunteer for veterans with Hospice. Curt and his wife Kathy live on their farm south of Knoxville. Kathy spent 40 years as a teacher prior to her retirement in 2011. Their daughters, Anne (1998) and Laura (2002), are Knoxville High School graduates and live with their families, in Madison, Wisconsin.
Kevin Crawford is a founding board member of the Knoxville Panther Scholarship Foundation. He has been involved in literally all aspects of the Foundation over the years including serving as President and Secretary. Kevin was the KHS principal for 17 years until his retirement in 2014. He is past president of the Knoxville Rotary Club and involved in many committees at the United Methodist Church and has served as chairperson of the Montgomery Street Preschool. Kevin’s children are all graduates of KHS—Matt (2001), Brian (2003), and Amy (2007). Kevin’s wife, Lesa, worked at Northstar Elementary and Heartland AEA until her retirement in 2023.
Mary Keefer has served on the Foundation Board for 20 years. Mary was a math teacher in the Knoxville district for 33 years and a substitute teacher after retirement for 8 years. Mary and her husband Mike have two sons, both KHS graduates, Matt (2001) and Kenny (2003). Mike has also served as a coach and as an associate in the school district’s reading counts program. Mary serves on the Foundation Scholarship Committee and handles correspondence with donors. She is a member of the Athletic Hall of Fame Board and is very active in St. Anthony’s church activities and numerous women’s organizations. She and Mike have dedicated their lives to the youth of this community.
Dawn Rankin is the Co- Treasurer for the Foundation. She joined the board in that role in 2013. Dawn is a Simpson College graduate with a B.A. in Accounting and a minor in computer science. Dawn has been active in North Star PTO, Knoxville Booster Club, and a member of the Knoxville School Board. Dawn has served on the Marion County Habitat for Humanity Board of Directors and is currently serving her second term on the Knoxville City Council. Dawn is the Chief Financial Officer of Iowa State Bank in Des Moines, IA. She and her husband Mike, who is retired from 3M, live in Knoxville. Their son Dylan, a 2006 KHS graduate and a 2010 Simpson graduate, is vice-president of the Knoxville School Board, and coaches varsity boys’ soccer and basketball.
Andy Adamcik joined the Foundation Board in 2017 and has served as marketing manager for Weiler since 2013. He has worked in motorsports, including managing the short track racing programs at Las Vegas Motor Speedway and Texas Motor Speedway. Andy met his wife Beth (Agan), KHS class of 1994, through the motorsport’s community. Andy, a Dallas, Texas native, received his degree in Business Administration from Texas A&M University in 1995. Andy and Beth live in Knoxville with their daughter Layne.
Mike Roberts grew up on a farm south of Knoxville and is a 1984 KHS graduate. He is actively involved in the sprint car industry and owns Knoxville Today and Roberts & Associates. Mike is also involved in Rotary and is a Mason at Gavel Lodge #61 and a Noble at the Za-Ga-Zig Shrine in Altoona. He and his wife Dana have a daughter, Samantha, a 2014 KHS graduate and three grandchildren enrolled in our school district. Dana and Samantha are both employed at Knoxville Hospital.
Denise Deaver (KHS 1985) and her husband, Dennis (KHS 1975) are both Knoxville alumni. Denise has been employed by Knoxville Community School District since 2006, handling payroll and accounts payable/receivable. Denise also volunteers for Meals on Wheels. Denise has serve as the co-treasurer with the Foundation for two years.
Kevin Stittsworth returned to the Foundation board last year after serving from 2008-2011. A 1991 Knoxville graduate, Kevin is Development Manager for Many Hands, a mission organization that creates long-term sustainable change in Haiti. He currently serves on the 100+ Men Red Rock leadership team and has served on the Knoxville Alumni Association Board since its founding. Kevin has recorded two piano albums. He is a former president of the Knoxville Chamber Board, a former member of Knoxville Rotary, and co-organized the annual Knoxville Prayer Walk.
NEW BOARD MEMBERS IN 2024
Michael Moats is vice president of the Foundation. He farms south of Knoxville where he lives with his wife Jacque. Their three children are Panther alumni and were recipients of scholarships from the Foundation. They have all graduated from college, married, started families and have chosen to live and work near Knoxville. Michael graduated from Knoxville in 1991 and returned as an educator and coach from 1997 to 2012. He served one term on the Knoxville school board and is a Soil and Water Commissioner for Marion County.
Jennifer (Roozeboom) Schmidt graduated with Honors from KHC class of 1985. She went on to graduate from University of Northern Iowa with a double major in Business Management - Finance and Spanish. Following graduation from UNI, Jennifer went to work for Dun & Bradstreet and will celebrate 35 years there next year. Her current role is Strategic Client Director where she manages the sales relationships with Fortune 500 financial services companies. Outside of work, she is an elder at Celebrate Church, Treasurer of Knoxville Alumni Association/SOS and mother to Isaac Schmidt, a 2021 KHS graduate. Isaac is a senior at Iowa State University majoring in Supply Chain Management. Isaac has received KPSF scholarship awards each year of his post-secondary education.
Jill Sherwood Sheesley is a 1987 KHS graduate and has spent her career working in various areas of Information Technology including software development, data management, social media marketing, application support and web design. Jill and her family have recently moved back to Knoxville and plan to use their talents to work and serve in the community. Along with her role on the Foundation Board, Jill is a member of the Save Our Stadium committee, the Knoxville Federated Garden Club, volunteers for the First United Methodist Church “Cooking 4 A Cause” and monthly resident activities at Westridge Specialty Care.
Sara Roberts graduated from the Interstate 35 school district and met her husband Ryan, a 1992 KHS graduate, while in college. Ryan and Sara moved to Knoxville in 1999 and have raised 3 children here; 2 of them are Knoxville graduates with the youngest graduating in 2026. Sara is currently President of the Rotary Club of Knoxville and Chairperson of the Marion County Development Commission. She is past President of Knoxville Chamber of Commerce. Sara and her husband Ryan own and operate Sundance Realty in Knoxville and opened a 2nd location in Pleasant Hill in 2022. Sara and Ryan take pride in their community and support many local organizations and youth programs.
Brad Crossett is a 1980 KHS graduate. Brad and his wife Lisa have 5 children who have all graduated from KHS and were all recipients of scholarships from the Knoxville Panther Scholarship Foundation. Brad owned and operated a Hardware Store in Knoxville for 20 years. Brad and Lisa have helped with several community organizations and committees and Brad has served on the Chamber of Commerce Board. Lisa also serves as a volunteer on several Foundation committees.
Kevin Wadle (KHS Class of 1989) and his wife, Jennifer (KHS Class of 1991) have been part of the community since moving back to Knoxville in 1997 where they’ve raised three KHS alumni. Alex (2016) is a middle school math teacher in Graettinger, Iowa, Sam (2019) is a high school math teacher in Washington, Iowa, and Abby (2022) is in her third year at Iowa State University majoring in event management. All three were grateful recipients of KPSF scholarships. Kevin is a CPA and financial advisor in Knoxville, as well as the coach of the KHS boys’ tennis program. Jennifer is a family practice physician assistant at Pella Medical Clinic in Pella.
Board of Directors
Andy Adamcik
Kevin Crawford
Brad Crossett
Denise Deaver
Curt Froyen
Doug Hatch
Mary Keefer
Traci Lee
Michael Moats
Tyler Pearson
Dawn Rankin
Mike Roberts
Sara Roberts
Jennifer Roozeboom Schmidt
Jill Sherwood Sheesley
Kevin Stittsworth
Kevin Wadle
Tracy Wilkins
President: Curt Froyen
Vice President: Michael Moats
Co Treasurers: Dawn Rankin and Denise Deaver
Secretary: Tyler Pearson
Contact:
For additional information about the Knoxville Panther Scholarship Foundation contact any of our Board members:
Curt Froyen
Board President
641-891-7170
[email protected]
Michael Moats
Vice President
[email protected]
KPS Foundation
P O Box 302
Knoxville, IA. 50138
