May 12, 2026 – Hickory Point Bank & Trust recognized some of the Decatur area’s top graduating seniors during its 7th Annual Hickory Point Bank Merit Scholar Awards ceremony, celebrating academic excellence, leadership, and community involvement among students from seven local high schools.
The Hickory Point Bank Merit Scholars Program honors the top four students from participating schools where the bank maintains a presence, including Eisenhower High School, MacArthur High School, St. Teresa High School, Unity Christian School, Decatur Christian School, Maroa-Forsyth High School, and Mt. Zion High School.
Bank officials said the program was created to celebrate academic achievement while encouraging the next generation of community leaders.
“This program celebrates the outstanding achievements of high school seniors across the Decatur area,” said Karla Millerduring the ceremony.
Students were selected using an objective evaluation process that considered class rank, ACT or SAT scores, and a 500-word essay describing something that made a major impact on their lives.
From the group of merit scholars, four students received top scholarship honors.
The third runner-up and recipient of a $1,000 scholarship was Vinathi Marri of St. Teresa High School. Marri ranked first in her class of 50 students with a 4.96 GPA and plans to pursue a career in medicine.
Second runner-up honors and a $1,500 scholarship went to Saarah Qureshi of Maroa-Forsyth High School. Qureshi ranked first in her class of 76 students with a 5.182 GPA and plans to attend the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaignto study molecular and cellular biology on a pre-med track.
The first runner-up and recipient of a $2,500 scholarship was Nicholas Scherer of Mt. Zion High School. Scherer ranked fourth in his graduating class of 199 students with a 4.60 GPA and plans to study aerospace engineering.
Named the 2026 Hickory Point Bank Merit Scholar of the Year was William Grohne, who received a $5,000 scholarship.
Grohne ranked second in his graduating class at Mt. Zion High School with a 4.62 GPA and plans to attend the Gies College of Business to study finance and accounting.
In addition to his academic accomplishments, Grohne has been active in Student Council, the Principal Leadership Council, Future Business Leaders of America, National Honor Society, varsity basketball, varsity soccer, and Young Leaders in Action, where he served as president.
Community service activities included volunteering with First Christian Church, the Good Samaritan program, the Decatur Polar Plunge, and the Northeast Community Fund.
Bank officials said the Merit Scholars Program continues to recognize and encourage the academic success and leadership potential of students across the Decatur region.
