SIDNEY — Sidney-Shelby County YMCA held a reception on Thursday to honor the 2024 recipients of the Lee E. Schauer Memorial and Jim Lantz Memorial scholarships.

Jarrett Payne, son of Jeff and Wendy Payne of Sidney and a graduate of Sidney High School, was recognized as the 2024 recipient of the one-time $1000 Lantz scholarship. Payne plans to attend the University of Alabama to study Business.

Brittany Arnold, daughter of Tony and Jill Arnold of Sidney and a graduate of Botkins High School, was recognized as the 2024 recipient of the Schauer scholarship, the largest non-governmental scholarship in Shelby County in the amount of $12,000 paid over four years. Arnold plans to attend Northern Kentucky University to study Elementary Education.

Both recipients are YMCA members and have been involved in a wide variety of volunteer activities in Shelby County, with Payne volunteering for numerous community organizations including the YMCA, Stop Soldier Suicide, Kiwanis, Dorothy Love and Josseph’s Tears of Joy.

Payne has served in numerous leadership positions at Sidney High School, including Student United Way Representative, Class President, and Jacket Pack Leader. He has been involved in swimming at the YMCA and at Sidney High School. He is a state qualifier, state champion and a member of the USA Swimming Zone Select Team. Heis currently working to try and qualify at the Olympic Trials. Payne has been described as, “intelligent, hard working, and ambitious, and shows the ability to put others before himself.”

Arnold has volunteered for numerous community organizations, the Botkins Local Schools for their Elementary Fun Run and Youth Basketball camp, Immaculate Conception Church as a Bible School Volunteer and Server and the YMCA as a Child Care Helper and Youth Basketball Camp Coach. Arnold has been involved in numerous sports at Botkins, including cross country (district champion and four-time all-Ohio selection), track and field (record holder and state qualifier), basketball and swim team. Arnold has been described as, “hard-working, caring, compassionate, focused, motivated, organized, and reliable.”

“On behalf of the Y’s Board and entire staff, we are honored to recognize this year’s scholarship recipients for their hard work and achievements,” Sidney-Shelby County YMCA CEO David O’Leary said. “We are grateful to the Lantz and Schauer families for their support of the young people in our community in commemoration of their loved ones, and we believe Jarrett and Brittany are both excellent representatives of their respective scholarships.”

If you would like more information on the Lantz and Schauer Scholarships visit https://sidney-ymca.org/college-scholarships. If you are interested in creating a scholarship in memory of a loved one, contact David O’Leary at the Sidney-Shelby County YMCA at 937-492-9134 or [email protected].