Hildegarde Grunenfelder Memorial Scholarship

Hildegarde (Wuerth) Grunenfelder was born in Artis, South Dakota. She lived in North Dakota until age 12 when her parents moved to Centralia, Washington. Hilde married her husband Barney and they lived in Tumwater until she passed away in 2012

Hilde and Barney raised five children.  In 1959, she went to work in the Tumwater School District, first as a secretary at Peter G. Schmidt Elementary School and then moving to the Superintendent’s Office, retiring after 20 years there. 

Family was most important to Hilde. She was famous for her pies, cookies and homemade biscuits.  Just as important was education.  All five of Hilde’s children graduated college and three of them became teachers.  Six of her nine grandchildren also became teachers.

CRITERIA

• Applicant must be a graduating senior from Black Hills or Tumwater High School.
• Applicant must have attended school in the Tumwater School District for at least four years.
• Applicant must be planning to become a teacher.
• Applicant must have a minimum 3.0 GPA in core academic classes.

APPLICATION PROCESS

1. Applicants must complete a Tumwater Education Foundation Scholarship Application, along with the additional information below.
2. Applicants must include a supplemental essay describing in 300 words or less a teacher who made a difference in their academic career and how this teacher made an impact on their decision to become a teacher.