2023 Scholarship Winner

The 2023 Scholarship winner is shown below. Check toward the bottom of the page for information about applying for and/or donating toward the current academic year’s WSA Scholarship Program.

Winner of the World Sweeping Association Scholarship for the 2023/2024 Academic School Year is…

James Kannewurf, sponsored by KLM Commercial Sweeping, Swansea, IL

Winner of the Carl J. Austin Memorial Scholarship is James Kannewurf, affiliated with WSA Member, Illinois-based KLM Commercial Sweeping, Inc. While a student at Belleville East High, James participated in programs and extracurricular activities inside and outside of school. Academically he ended his high school career with a 4.33 GPA.

Danielle Wilson, a family friend who has known James for 16 years, said of him “I have had the privilege of witnessing James mature from a small child into a respectful young man. James is one of the most compassionate, dedicated, and hardworking young men I know. He is kind, generous and always ready to help others. Over his lifetime, James has volunteered with several groups and has been highly involved in his church outreach programs. He has sacrificed many hours in his service to others.

“James has also been an asset to his family’s sweeping business by assisting with truck repairs alongside his father at an early age and working with him throughout his high school years.”

James participated in both English, German and National Honors Society in his junior and senior years. He was also a Boy Scout member and volunteered in his church throughout his high school career.

In his application, James wrote: “My parents never went to college so they have to work really hard all the time to run their business so that they can provide for me and my sister. I’m a first generation college student which makes it hard for me to go to college because I don’t know what it’s going to be like or how to go through all the steps like housing, choosing classes, applying, and accepting admission into colleges. Because of this I have had to research things online and attend online webinars where they discuss how to go through these steps and answer questions to help guide me through the process. “While being a first generation college student has held me back in some aspects it has also motivated me to work hard to achieve my goals. Watching my parents work so hard to support me and my sister has inspired me to work hard at anything I do but especially school so that I can make a good living in the future and one day support my family.”

James also wrote a very insightful application essay answering the question posed: “If you could go back in history and change one decision that was made, what would it be and why?” His short answer is the decision made by Hitler to invade Poland because “it affected more people in a negative way than any other decision ever made.” You may read his entire answer here.

James plans on majoring in Business with the plan of eventually owning his own business.

Note: WSA did not receive an applicant for the Dale McCaskill, Sr. Memorial Scholarship in 2023.