5/27/2026
Three deserving Franklin County Schools graduates were the 2026 recipients of the annual Katie Herzog Apalachicola Riverkeeper scholarships. Sheyenne Russell, Averie Johnson and Hailey Loesch will each receive $2000 towards college tuition. On Tuesday, May 26, Tom Herzog, Katie’s husband and retired high school science teacher, and Executive Director, Angel Ganey announced the scholarships at the Franklin County Schools Senior Recognition Night ceremony.
The award celebrates the life of Katie Herzog who was a longtime high school guidance counselor and an avid supporter of Apalachicola Riverkeeper. Katie was engaged with the Apalachicola River Blueway and National Recreation Trail projects and regularly attended Apalachicola Riverkeeper events, greeting guests with her beaming smile. Former Apalachicola Riverkeeper Executive Director, Georgia Ackerman, described Katie as, “the epitome of putting care into action in protecting our region’s precious natural resources, especially the Apalachicola River and Bay.”
Sheyenne, Averie, and Hailey will soon celebrate their awards alongside Apalachicola Riverkeeper staff, Tom Herzog, and family members during a boating trip on the Apalachicola River. Scholarship recipients are selected by a committee that considers students holistically, evaluating academic achievement, leadership, extracurricular involvement, and personal life experiences.
Sheyenne Russell’s accomplishments reflect exceptional academic achievement, leadership, and service. Ranked at the top of her class with a 4.0 unweighted GPA and a 4.625 weighted GPA, she demonstrated excellence in math and science while graduating a year early after completing 24 high school credits. Beyond academics, she has been an active leader through varsity soccer, National Beta Club, and Cadet Core, contributing more than 100 hours of community service.
According to teacher Kathryn Strunk, Averie Johnson excels in organization and time management. Her accomplishments include Honors Classes, serving as Treasurer for the Student Government Association and Beta Club, membership in the National Honor Society, Defensive Player of the Year in Fast Pitch Softball, and Most Valuable Player in Golf for three consecutive years. Averie will continue her academic and athletic career at Florida Gateway College as a member of the Timberwolves golf team.
Hailey Loesch is recognized for her integrity, remarkable work ethic, positivity, resilience, and leadership both academically and extracurricularly. Her strong organizational and time management skills, along with her leadership on and off the field as volleyball team captain, have made her a standout student and role model among her peers. Hailey also served as Secretary of the Senior Beta Club.
Together, these three young women exemplify academic excellence, leadership, determination, and service to their community. Join us in congratulating Sheyenne, Averie, and Hailey as they begin their college journeys. We are excited to follow their successes in the years ahead.
By Amanda James