Congratulations to A.J. Juenemann, an Erie High senior who was named one of this year’s Boettcher Scholars. As one of 42 Colorado students receiving the $20,000 per year scholarship, Juenemann says he is grateful both for the opportunities and the community the scholarship offers.
The scholarship’s selection criteria considers not only academic excellence, but leadership and involvement, community and school service, and outstanding character. According to his Erie High community, Juenemann embodies all of these traits.
“A.J. demonstrates all the qualities of a scholar,” says Mrs. Kelsey Rasmussen, teacher and program coordinator for Erie High’s Academy of Engineering and Aerospace. “As his engineering and computer science teacher over the last three years, I have seen A.J. thrive when tackling challenging computational problems and collaborative team design challenges.”
During his time at Erie High, Juenemann was also involved in the National Honor Society, Rotary Interact, STEM club, and the Erie High School Education Foundation. Rasmussen notes, “A.J.’s kind and collaborative character, attention to detail, academic integrity, intellectual curiosity, and academic achievement positively influence his peers. We are so proud of him for his hard work, sincerity, and positive contribution to our school community.”
Juenemann will be attending University of Colorado Boulder in the fall as a Computer Science major. The Boettcher scholarship also provides campus enrichment opportunities and programming for a network of scholars and alumni. Juenemann was thankful not only for the financial support of the scholarship, but to be joining this community. “The Boettcher scholars I met at CU Boulder were excited, friendly, and involved in the campus. That was the type of community I want to be a part of,” said Juenneman.
As he prepares to head to Boulder in the fall, Juenemann says he is excited about “entering a new world of possibilities, exploring interdisciplinary research, and getting to use everything I learned at Erie High School to better my purpose in the world.”