OSAGE COUNTY — Heidi Struemph spent much of her senior year at Fatima encouraging other students to make healthy choices, but her commitment to a drug- and alcohol-free lifestyle began long before she became president of Students Against Destructive Decisions (SADD), helped create a mock car crash film or was recognized as the Osage County Anti-Drug Community Action Team (OC-ADCAT) Student of the Month.

It began with a promise she made to herself as a child, one Struemph has continued to honor as her goals have grown along with her understanding of the consequences that drugs and alcohol can have on those goals.

Now, that commitment has earned Struemph the 2026 OC-ADCAT Student of the Month Scholarship of $500 as she prepares for the next stage of her education at Southeast Missouri State University, where she plans to study nutrition. Struemph completed her seventh semester at Fatima with a 3.97 GPA.

In her scholarship essay, Struemph wrote that she made an “unspoken promise” to herself in elementary school to refrain from drugs and alcohol after hearing stories at school about overdoses, alcohol poisoning and addiction, as well as personally witnessing people she cared about struggle with addiction.

That promise, she explained, has become about much more than simply avoiding drugs and alcohol. “This promise inspired me to choose a drug- and alcohol-free lifestyle, but additionally assisted me to grow as a person, develop my passion for nutrition, and remain in control of my life,” Struemph wrote.

She has filled her life with activities and interests that leave little room for destructive decisions. Along with school, sports and clubs, she enjoys running, CrossFit, painting, reading, gardening, baking and crafting, and wrote that whether she is creating art, planting vegetables, taking a nature run or simply spending an evening at home with her family, those activities have helped her develop stronger connections with family and friends.

“I am not willing to live a lifestyle where drugs and alcohol would limit such wonderful experiences and connections,” she wrote.

Struemph’s interest in nutrition has also reinforced her decision. She plans to become a registered dietitian nutritionist and has researched toxic chemicals and additives in processed foods and drinks, including drugs and alcohol.

“I value my mind and body and all it allows me to do, and am unwilling to intentionally put dangerous toxins in my body just for a ‘fun’ time,” she wrote. “I realize my health is a blessing and that there are those less fortunate than me who are unable to participate in activities they enjoy and thereby I strive to never take my health for granted by poisoning myself with drugs and alcohol.”

The theme of maintaining control runs throughout Struemph’s philosophy. She wrote that abstaining from drugs and alcohol gives her the ability to make the choices that will shape the life she wants while also avoiding the stress substance use could place on her family, friends and community.

“I have all the power within me to create any sort of life I desire, and that life is one where I am in control of my mind and body,” she wrote.

Those convictions were evident when Struemph was selected as OC-ADCAT’s Student of the Month for October. At the time, she said her younger self established the standards by which she judged the choices she makes today.

“I want to become someone that younger me would be proud of, and so far, I can proudly say that I believe younger me would be proud of who I have become,” Struemph said. “I have goals, hobbies, and passions in life that I care about way more than putting toxins in my body just to ‘have fun.’”

Fatima FACS teacher Erica Libbert and history teacher James Vignola nominated Struemph for the Student of the Month recognition. Libbert called her a steady voice among students who choose not to participate in underage drinking, while Vignola described her as a positive role model who demonstrates maturity, leadership and integrity.

Struemph has done more than make those choices for herself.

As president of SADD, she helped organize and lead several activities designed to encourage other students to make good decisions as well. Her involvement included a fall blood drive, Red Ribbon Week and Every 15 Minute Week, along with attending leadership camps through SADD and the PreventEd Teen Leadership Institute. She also helped lead one of the organization’s most ambitious projects, a mock car crash docudrama demonstrating the consequences of drunk driving.

The project began at Traction, a three-day leadership camp in July attended by Struemph and other SADD officers. There, they developed an action plan to create a mock car crash film that could make an impact on students.

Turning that idea into a finished production required months of preparation. Struemph and the other officers gathered supplies, worked with a videographer, contacted a towing company, EMS, law enforcement, firefighters and the coroner, and researched how best to present the message to students.

Filming took place in October, and the 14-minute docudrama was shown to students during Every 15 Minute Week in March. After the film, students went to the gym for an assembly featuring a speaker from Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) who discussed losing her daughter to a drunk driver.

The response indicated that the work had made an impression.

According to a student survey, 80.6% of respondents said the docudrama felt very realistic, 83.6% said it carried a message Fatima High School students needed to hear and 67.2% said Every 15 Minute Week as a whole changed their perspective on driving decisions.

Struemph wrote that seeing the influence of the film on students and staff demonstrated to her “the power of speaking up for a concern in my community.” The project also drew attention beyond Fatima, with MADD inviting those involved to its Law Enforcement Awards Ceremony to share the film and discuss their experience.

Vignola, who has known Struemph for five years as both her teacher and track coach, and also serves as Fatima’s SADD sponsor, said her leadership was instrumental in making the project successful.

“I was astonished, yet not surprised, by how well the event turned out thanks to Heidi’s commitment and attention to detail,” Vignola wrote.

Struemph’s involvement at Fatima extends well beyond SADD.

She founded and served as president of the Nature Club, leading school and community trash cleanups along Highway 63. She served as Student Council social media coordinator and helped lead the organization’s float in the Westphalia Christmas Parade, assisted with assemblies, and participated in the Student Council blood drive.

Struemph was also involved in Art Club, Book Club, Random Acts of Kindness, FBLA and the A+ Program, and served as a class vice president. Struemph attended Missouri Girls State in 2025 and participated in cross country, wrestling and track, serving as a wrestling team captain. Her community activities included working at the Holy Family parish picnic, decorating the church for Christmas, assisting with a church bake sale benefiting a breast cancer patient and participating in Adopt-A-Highway trash pickup.

Vignola said Struemph’s ability to manage those responsibilities while continuing to perform at a high level is impressive. “What truly sets Heidi apart, though, is the way she lifts up everyone around her,” he wrote. “She wants others to succeed just as much as she wants to succeed herself. Whether it is encouraging a teammate, helping a classmate, or supporting younger students, Heidi always finds a way to make people feel confident and included. She leads by example and brings out the best in those around her simply through her kindness, positivity, and genuine care for others. Truly, everyone knows Heidi, and with her personality and charisma, it is hard not to!”

Derek Havens of AK HIIT in Westphalia also recommended Struemph for the scholarship. Havens wrote that although he had known her for only about a year through the AK HIIT community, her character quickly became apparent.

“Heidi is a soon-to-be graduate of Fatima High School and plans to attend Southeast Missouri State University to study nutrition,” Havens wrote. “She carries herself with maturity, integrity, and a genuine desire to help others improve their lives. Whether in school, fitness, or community involvement, Heidi consistently demonstrates leadership through her actions rather than simply her words.”

Havens added that Struemph leads by example, encourages others to make positive choices and has demonstrated character, accountability, compassion and a willingness to help others. “I have no doubt Heidi will continue to succeed as she pursues her education and future career in nutrition,” he wrote. “She has the heart, discipline, and leadership qualities that will allow her to positively impact many lives in the years ahead.”

That future has been taking shape for several years. Struemph has said she ultimately wants to earn a master’s degree and become a registered dietitian specializing in nutrition for athletes. She also hopes to become a CrossFit coach and eventually open her own gym and wellness center, combining her interests in fitness and nutrition. Other goals include running a marathon, volunteering in developing countries, and starting a small woodworking business.

For Struemph, however, remaining drug- and alcohol-free is not simply preparation for something she hopes to achieve later. It is part of the person she has already chosen to become.

She acknowledged in her scholarship essay that peer pressure can make maintaining that commitment difficult, but wrote that during those moments she remembers both the child who first made the promise and the future that child imagined.

“I also remind myself of my values, that being my hobbies, health, and control that encourage me to live a drug and alcohol free life,” Struemph wrote. “Everyday that I get the blessed opportunity to wake up, I will strive to honor those values and be a guide for those around me to do the same.”

For more information, visit https://www.ocadcat.org.