Staff photo by Kevin Sweeney The recipients of the Service Above Self awards were, from left, Sarah Preisinger from New Ulm High School, Isaiah Koepsell from Minnesota Valley Lutheran High School and Truman Pippert from Cathedral High School.

NEW ULM — New Ulm’s most academically gifted students were recognized Monday at the 51st annual Rotary Club Scholars Recognition Banquet, and during the evening they were given some definitions on what success is.

Martin Luther College President Mark Zarling, welcoming the students and their parents to MLC, quoted Calvin Coolidge’s views on success.

“Nothing in this world can take the place of persistence,” Coolidge once said. “Talent will not: nothing is more common than unsuccessful men with talent. Genius will not: unrewarded genius is almost a proverb. Education will not: the world is full of educated derelicts. Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent.”

Keynote speaker was Terry Morrow expanded on the idea. Quoting from a paper from a Stanford University professor on academic success, he said intelligence and effort are the first two components, but that there is a third — intellectual curiosity.

“This paper argues that academic performance increases when a student’s intellectual curiosity is regularly renewed and stimulated,” Morrow said. “College admissions and job recruiters are seeking applicants who express curiosity, for it is a strong indicator of success in school and on the job.”

Morrow is a former attorney and professor of communications at Gustavus Adolphus College and a three-term state legislator from St. Peter. He currently serves as Associate Director of Management and Policy Services for the Minnesota School Boards Association,

Morrow said the students in the audience, who represent the top 15 percent of their graduating classes at New Ulm High School, Minnesota Valley Lutheran and Cathedral High School, have achieved academic success. He urged them to be curious, to ask how things work or why something happens.

Morrow said education has been “the foundation of the realization of dreams throughout our nation’s history, and in my own family. I think about my own family’s history on a night like tonight, from my great-grandfather, who was a slave, to my grandfather, who was a cook, to my father who was an attorney and my mother, who got her college degree in her 50s after raising my brother and me and working in the airline industry. Generation after generation, my family has used education as a ladder to achieving the American dream.”

Morrow gave examples of leadership as being “service above self,” which is the motto of Rotary. He pointed to a definition of leadership given by a U.S. Marine general — “The Marine officers eat last,” putting the needs of their men ahead of their own.

Morrow encouraged the students to continue their success of success and leadership throughout their lives.

Following his talk, the Rotary Club presented its Service Above Self awards to one senior from each school who was chosen by school staff as best exemplifying that motto.

Minnesota Valley Lutheran selected Isaiah Koepsell, son of Jeff and Lynne Koepsell. High School Principal Tim Plath said in addition to his many activities, including drama, Knowledge Bowl and Student Council, Koepsell was described by staff as “a tireless worker with a servant’s heart.”

Cathedral High School selected Truman Pippert, son of Chris and Tami Pippert. Alan Woitas, Activities Director at CHS, described Pippert as “kind, inclusive and tolerant,” and someone who works to organize Day of Caring teams, volunteers at New Ulm Medical Center, and does yard work for elderly neighbors. As an Eagle Scout he organized community betterment projects.

New Ulm High School honored Sarah Preisinger, daughter of Randy and Ellen Preisinger, who is active in choir, dance and track, is one of the top students in the class, and volunteers in many activities to work with younger students.

Each Service Above Self recipient received a plaque and a $500 scholarship grant from Rotary.

The students in the top 15 percent of their senior classes are:

Minnesota Valley Lutheran High School

Magdala Diersen, daughter of Greg and Kelly Diersen; Benjamin Draper, son of Kevin and Sally Draper; Blake Fosburgh, son of Bob and Donna Fosburgh; Shelby Haseman, daughter of Josh and Melissa Haseman; Isaiah Koepsell, son of Jeff and Lynne Koepsell; Anna Natrakul, daughter of Montain and Mara Natrakul; and John Niehbuhr, son of Mark and Elizabeth Niebuhr.

Cathedral High School

Jillian Griebel, daughter of Jim and Judy Griebel; Samantha Guldan, daughter of Dennis and Dani Guldan and the late Janice Guldan; Nathan Hauser, son of Gary and Danielle Hauser; Kristina Long, daughter of Dan and Julie Long; Truman Pippert, son of Chris and Tami Pippert, and Rebecca Schwarz, daughter of Joel and Kathleen Schwarz.

New Ulm High School

Kodie Bastian, son of Rosie Hauser; Thomas Bauer, son of Thomas and Kim Bauer; Danielle Caingcoy; Eileen Chen, daughter of Fu Chen and Wen Ying Zehng; Ramsi Forst, daughter of Lunn and Susan Forst; Connor Gag, son of John Gag and Victoria Schueller; Rebekah Hoppe, daughter of Tim and Martha Hoppe; Briana Johnson, daughter of Jeff and Deb Johnson; Allison Kletscher, daughter of Jason and Rhonda Kletscher; Branden Kral, son of James and Beth Kral; Sarah Longtin, daughter of Alan and Anita Longtin; Lauren McMackin, daughter of Larry and Rayan McMackin; Matthew Messenger, son of Jeffrey and Lynn Messenger; Grace Nelson, daughter of Tim Nelson and Kathryn Nelson; Samantha Nesje, daughter of David and Marcy Nesje; Sarah Preisinger, daughter of Randy and Ellen Preisinger; Lauren Schueler, daughter of Leon and Stephanie Schueler; Nicholas Schultz, son of Jerry and Theresa Schultz; Martin Shoge, son of Kayode and Melissa Shoge; Bradley Stadick, son of David and Lori Stadick; Jacob Todd, son of Owen and Carolyn Todd; Kendra VanDeest, daughter of Dewayne and Dawn VanDeest; and Elise Webb, daughter of Robert and Jesilda Webb.