Two Students Awarded 2026 Charles Van Sickle Scholarships
April 24, 2026—The Federated Youth Foundation has selected two students to be awarded the 2026 Charles Van Sickle Endowment Scholarship, worth $5,000 each.
Emily Elliott, Oconto Falls, is the daughter of Kristen and Michael Elliott, members of Oconto Electric Cooperative. Emily attends Oconto Falls High School and plans to attend Marquette University in the fall to double major in political science and business administration.
In her essay, she wrote, “I have always had an interest in law and politics, paying attention to the news and always curious about the legal process. Adults around me always told me not to get into politics and that I was certainly too young to have an opinion, which only fueled my interest.”
Upon learning she was awarded the scholarship, she wrote, “When I received the phone call letting me know that I was awarded this scholarship, I was sitting in my study hall so I didn’t answer, when I saw the voicemail was for this scholarship, I got up and immediately went to the hall to give a call back. Hearing that I won was such a relief and I immediately texted all of my family. Five thousand dollars makes such a difference in my education experience! I’m so grateful to be awarded this scholarship!”
Congratulations, Emily!
Christian Wedig, Richland Center, is the son of Timothy and Morhia Wedig, members of Richland Electric Cooperative. Wedig is a homeschool student who plans to attend Pensacola Christian College in the fall to study humanities and pre-law.
Wedig wrote, “My ultimate goal is to run for a public office, where I would be a true foundational leader and voice for the people.”
About receiving the scholarship, Wedig wrote, “I was amazed and grateful, my dreams of attending Pre-Law are coming true. And thank you for helping my dreams come true!”
WECA President and CEO and Federated Youth Foundation Executive Director Rob Richard presented Van Sickle Scholarship awards to Elliott and Wedig at their respective annual meetings.
The Charles Van Sickle Endowment Scholarship was made possible by an endowment established in 2013 to honor Wisconsin’s renowned electric cooperative lobbyist and attorney, the late Charles Van Sickle. It is awarded by the Federated Youth Foundation to a student studying pre-law or law, with a preference for a student who has an interest in cooperative law.
Congratulations, Christian!
Pierce Pepin’s Madeline Shafer Wins 2025 Van Sickle Scholarship
April 24, 2025—Madeline Shafer of Elmwood is the recipient of the Federated Youth Foundation’s 2025 Charles Van Sickle Endowment Scholarship, worth $5,000. Shafer’s parents, Matthew and Jessica Shafer, are members of Pierce Pepin Cooperative Services. Madeline is currently a freshman at the University of St. Thomas in St. Paul, Minnesota, where she is studying political science and Spanish.
Shafer graduated as Salutatorian from Spring Valley High School in 2024. She has many scholastic achievements and is active in many groups on campus including Chi Alpha (Christian faith group), University of St. Thomas Civic Engagement Group, St. Thomas Center for Well-Being (volunteer), and St. Thomas club softball. In high school, she represented her senate district at the 2023 Wisconsin State Senate Scholar Program.
In her submission essay, Shafer writes about significant events that helped form her future goals, including when her father had multiple surgeries, and she found herself in a leadership role working along with her family to keep the farm running successfully. In high school, her work as a Spanish tutor offered her insight into the need to make sure all people are able to advocate for themselves.
Shafer plans to attend law school, and her future career goal is to “advocate for and serve underrepresented individuals and communities in a collaborative and open-minded manner.”
In her essay, she writes, “I believe that cooperative law offers a unique intersection of community and law. It provides a structure for individuals to work together legally and in an organized way. Cooperative law has the potential to empower people, especially those who might be marginalized or lack access to traditional business models. I want to help cooperatives navigate the complex legal system for them to thrive and provide benefits to their members… Ultimately, I want to be part of a movement that emphasizes and prioritizes collaboration of competition and building community-oriented business. For me, my career and educational goals are about giving back to the communities that shaped me.”
In support of Maddie, Kelly Johnson of the Spring Valley School District wrote, “Maddie is the hardest working student I know, participating in many clubs, sports, leadership positions, church activities, and farm life at home…all the while excelling in her academic work maintaining a 3.9 GPA. In addition to all of her extracurricular activities and work on the family farm, Maddie worked at least five jobs throughout high school to save money for college. Her work ethic is admirable to say the least.”:
Kelsey Carr of the Durand-Arkansas School District wrote that Maddie has “an impeccable level of integrity”, and throughout her years in middle and high school, took on the role of advocating for others and pursuing equity for all.
In learning she was selected to receive the Van Sickle Scholarship, Maddie wrote, “I am incredibly honored and thankful to receive this scholarship and want to express my sincere thanks to everyone involved in making this opportunity possible. This support means that I can continue to focus on my academic goals and inspires me to continue striving towards excellence. I’m committed to making the most of this opportunity and hope to reflect the values behind this award in everything that I do in the future.”
The Van Sickle Scholarship was made possible by an endowment established in 2013 to honor Wisconsin’s renowned electric cooperative lobbyist and attorney, the late Charles Van Sickle. It is awarded by the Federated Youth Foundation to a student studying pre-law or law, with a preference to a student who has an interest in cooperative law.
Congratulations, Maddie!
May 17, 2024