Fatima graduate Kayla Berhorst has earned a $400 scholarship from the Missouri County Clerk’s Association and the Missouri Election Authority Association following an application to County Clerk Nicci Kammerich.

“As far as I know, this is the first time this scholarship has been awarded in Osage County,” said Kammerich of the association’s Most Valuable Person student scholarship, which has been offered for more than 10 years. “We need to support our local students with grants and scholarships, and help our community any way we can.”

Berhorst was one of three applicants and was selected based on her consistency and attention to detail. “In every way, Kayla was the best applicant this year,” said Kammerich.

The daughter of Gary and Gina Berhorst, Kayla graduated with a 3.968 GPA from Fatima last month and has enrolled at the Missouri University of Science and Technology in Rolla, with a plan to pursue a degree in Ceramic Engineering, with a minor in Biomedical Engineering.

In submitting her application, Berhorst said she has shown passion and persistence while working to achieve her goals, namely that of achieving a degree.

“Earning a degree in Ceramic Engineering will allow me the opportunity to achieve my dream of working with prosthetics and the many advancements being made within this field of study,” she wrote.

To reach this goal, Berhorst has held a large focus on academics and taken numerous dual credit classes in order to set herself ahead and get as many general college courses out of the way as possible. Additionally, she is currently participating in the Fast Track to Calculus Program through Missouri S&T in order to begin the school year in a higher math class than originally intended.

“While academics have been my main priority, I have also worked hard in order to make attending college an attainable reality,” Berhorst wrote. “Over the past year, I have worked part-time at Oscar’s Classic Diner in order to save up money to pay for tuition, as well as taking the time to apply for a multitude of scholarships for which I am eligible. When I am not studying or at work, I am very involved in many extracurricular and volunteer opportunities at my high school, such as working at the PTO Carnival, Title One Literacy Night, and a handful of clubs such as the Future Career and Community Leaders of America. These organizations have given me the opportunity to take part in service projects and even lead my own. An example of this is the ‘Giving Tree’ service project another student and I organized and took charge of, collecting Christmas gifts for our adopted family through the Osage Caring Projects.”

Berhorst added that her academic successes and activities have led her to develop a strong work ethic, time management skills, and the ability to prioritize.

“I believe these qualities, along with my drive to succeed, have and will continue to, lead me to success in the future and aid me in reaching my goal of earning a degree,” Berhorst concluded.

During her high school career, Berhorst was named a finalist in the Three Rivers Electric Cooperative Youth Tour Essay contest and attended the Youth Tour Program in Washington, D.C.

She also was sponsored by the Freeburg American Legion Ladies Auxiliary to attend the 2019 Missouri Girls State.

Berhorst served as a four-year representative of the student council at Fatima and FCCLA, and was a member of the Pep Club, Book Club, Catholic Youth of Osage County, and Yearbook, serving as co-editor during the 2018-19 school year.

Fatima Math Department Chair and Physics teacher Kim Luebbert said Berhorst is intelligent, conscientious, responsible, motivated, and extremely personable. “There is not a doubt in my mind that she will excel on the college level and in her future,” said Luebbert. “ This scholarship will not only benefit her financially now but also in the future. In helping her to achieve her dream of earning a degree, I know this will open many doors for her that otherwise would not have been possible. This scholarship will certainly help her to pursue them.”

Fatima FACS teacher and FCCLA sponsor Erica Libbert said Berhorst is a hard-working student, always putting 110% into her work. “She is meticulous with details and always has professional work when finished,” Libbert noted.

In the Nutrition and Foods class, Berhorst participated in labs, and worked very well with her group. “She is a team player! In the Child Development class, she works with children in our preschool on a weekly basis and is loved by her students,” said Libbert. “She embraces her experiences with these kiddos and has gotten so much valuable experience with her efforts.”

During her time with FCCLA, Berhorst earned gold at both regional and state competitions.

A letter of recommendation from Kurt Makin of Oscar’s Classic Diner noted that Berhorst consistently performs her duties with competence and often goes the extra mile, doing more than expected.

“I can always count on her leadership, even in situations in which management may not be present,” said Makin. “Kayla is not afraid to take charge and is often looked to for guidance by fellow coworkers. This is especially evident when large groups come in as she is able to quickly and effectively decide which space would work best to accommodate the group, allowing for the wait time to be cut down significantly. I believe wholeheartedly that she is the perfect candidate for this scholarship and highly recommend her as such.”

Kammerich said she plans to continue offering the scholarship. The deadline each year is June 8, with a presentation each year in July.