The Gemütlichkeit Foundation is proud to announce the recipients of the 2026 Forks & Corks scholarships, recognizing outstanding students from across the Coulee Region for their academic achievements, leadership and future goals.
Each year, proceeds from the annual Forks & Corks fundraiser help provide scholarships to deserving students throughout the area. The program continues to grow thanks to the generosity of sponsors, donors and community supporters who attend and contribute to the event.
The 2026 scholarship recipients are:
Aquinas High School — Hayden Zehren, pursuing international business or healthcare administration
Bangor High School — Jordan Sackmaster, attending the UW-La Crosse on a pre-med pathway majoring in psychology
Cashton High School — Lucy Tirado-Lopez, attending UW-La Crosse to study international business
De Soto High School — Bryce Schultz, attending UW-Madison to study biology
Gale-Ettrick-Trempealeau High School — Raylin Cooksey, attending UW-Madison to study philosophy and history
Holmen High School — Teegan Nelson, attending UW-Madison to study business management
La Crescent High School — Maggie Crosby, attending Brigham Young University
La Crosse Central High School — Chloe Ackerman, attending UW-La Crosse to study exercise and sports science
La Crosse Logan High School — Gabriella Raymer, attending UW-La Crosse
Melrose-Mindoro High School — Autumn Bollig, attending UW-Stout to study education
Onalaska High School — Leonardo Gonzalez-Yang, attending UW-Eau Claire
Onalaska Luther High School — Hazel Mueller, attending Winona State University to study Spanish education
Westby High School — Katelyn Benish, attending the UW-Madison School of Business
West Salem High School — Nadya Sandvick, attending UW-La Crosse to study international business
Miss La Crosse Oktoberfest — Vivian Stephenson, a junior at Viterbo University majoring in nursing with a minor in dance
The Gemütlichkeit Foundation remains committed to supporting local students and investing in the future of the Coulee Region through educational opportunities and community giving initiatives.
The 2026 Forks & Corks event will take place June 4 at the Radisson Hotel Ballroom in La Crosse. The evening will feature a five-course dining experience, wine pairings, auctions and the unveiling of the 2026 Oktoberfest button, with proceeds benefiting future scholarship efforts.
Learn more about the evening on our website or visit our Eventbrite page here.
