La Salle County Bar awards 3 scholarships

The La Salle County Bar Association recently presented $500 scholarships to three local graduates: Ella Biggens of Maquette Academy, Corinne Francis of Ottawa High School and Murphy Wilkinson of Streator High School.

Ella Biggins, daughter of Ed and Becky, will attend Benedictine College in Atchison, Kansas. Ella was on high honor roll, Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society, Sunrise Rotary Student of the Month and Illinois State Scholar. She was involved in softball, cross country, plays and musicals. She was Student Council President and Key Club vice president. She has also been an Illinois Valley Community College Student Ambassador and a teaching assistant.

Corinne Francis, daughter of Kevin and Heather, will attend Northern Illinois University. An accomplished musician, she was awarded a regional championship for original oratory on the OTHS Speech Team and had lead roles in the production of “The Miracle Worker” and “Frozen.” She is writing and illustrating a children’s book.

Murphy Wilkinson, son of Walter and June Dixon, both past members of the Bar Association, will attend Columbia University in New York. His high school activities included scholastic bowl, national honor society, tennis, bowling, chess club and German club. He seeks to obtain a joint MBA and law degree.