2023 Stephen Polep Scholarship Application
The McHenry County Illinois Genealogical Society is offering a $1,000.00 scholarship to a McHenry County High School Senior. This scholarship was created to encourage and inspire the coming generation to learn and preserve local history as well as family history.
The scholarship will be awarded to a high school senior with ambitions to study history, preservation of history and/or genetics. Applicants must also be involved in community service, be a McHenry County, Illinois resident, and be attending a McHenry County high school. |
Application Criteria
The following criteria will be used to determine the winner of the scholarship:
Submission Details
Due date: April 30, 2023
Completed application, transcript, essay and letters must be received in one packet, postmarked by the due date. Please mail to:
McHenry County Illinois Genealogical Society
PO Box 184
Crystal Lake, IL 60039-0184
Finalists will be contacted by email to make arrangements for a 10-minute interview. This is a $1,000.00 one-time scholarship. If you have any questions regarding the scholarship please contact Tami Allred or Laurie Stage.
The following criteria will be used to determine the winner of the scholarship:
- High school senior residing in McHenry County
- High school transcript with grade point average listed
- Volunteer work/service in the community
- An essay describing the student’s interest in learning about and preserving history and/ or genetics.
- Two letters of recommendation, with one being from a high school teacher/counselor and the other from a community member.
Submission Details
Due date: April 30, 2023
Completed application, transcript, essay and letters must be received in one packet, postmarked by the due date. Please mail to:
McHenry County Illinois Genealogical Society
PO Box 184
Crystal Lake, IL 60039-0184
Finalists will be contacted by email to make arrangements for a 10-minute interview. This is a $1,000.00 one-time scholarship. If you have any questions regarding the scholarship please contact Tami Allred or Laurie Stage.
Previous Scholarship Winners
2021 Scholarship Winner
2021 Scholarship Winner

Julia Vogt, a 2021 graduate from Cary-Grove High School was selected to receive a $1,000.00 scholarship from McHenry County Illinois Genealogical Society. Julia was selected based on her plans to obtain a college degree in either historic preservation or library informatics.
Her ultimate goal is to work in a history museum someday! Julia would like our society to know that she is very thankful for our generosity and support. MCIGS works to foster education and the preservation of family history and with this in mind, the scholarship is offered each year to a graduating senior from one of the McHenry County High Schools.
Congratulations, Julia!
Her ultimate goal is to work in a history museum someday! Julia would like our society to know that she is very thankful for our generosity and support. MCIGS works to foster education and the preservation of family history and with this in mind, the scholarship is offered each year to a graduating senior from one of the McHenry County High Schools.
Congratulations, Julia!
2020 Scholarship Winner

The 2020 winner is Madison Karamagianis, 2020 Johnsburg High School graduate. Madison is heading to Iowa State University.
In her thank you to MCIGS, she wrote "This scholarship will help me as I pursue chemical and biomedical engineering at Iowa State University. Through these studies, I plan to explore the use of genetics as it relates to the chemical makeup of the body and factors that contribute to a person's unique attributes. I aspire to apply the use of genetics to technologies that advance physical well-being.
"Through my education and research, I hope to expand my knowledge and develop innovations to improve the quality of life for future generations."
We wish Madison and all the graduates the best of luck as they head off to college.
In her thank you to MCIGS, she wrote "This scholarship will help me as I pursue chemical and biomedical engineering at Iowa State University. Through these studies, I plan to explore the use of genetics as it relates to the chemical makeup of the body and factors that contribute to a person's unique attributes. I aspire to apply the use of genetics to technologies that advance physical well-being.
"Through my education and research, I hope to expand my knowledge and develop innovations to improve the quality of life for future generations."
We wish Madison and all the graduates the best of luck as they head off to college.