Addison Gordon Selected as Touchstone Energy Scholar of the Week
Southeastern Electric Cooperative and Montrose High School are pleased to announce Addison Gordon as the Touchstone Energy® Scholar of the Week winner for the week of December 7 – 13, 2025. The scholar of the week program is a partnership between Dakota News Now Television, Southeastern Electric Cooperative, and other local Touchstone Energy Cooperatives that honor accomplished high school students.
As a Scholar of the Week, Addison was featured in a weekly segment on Dakota News Now and received a $250 scholarship from Southeastern Electric Cooperative. Addison is also eligible to receive a $1,000 scholarship or one of two $500 scholarships that will be given away this spring at the annual Scholar of the Year banquet.
Addison participates in several extracurricular activities, including FFA (president), volleyball, basketball, track, choir (All State & Honor Choir), band, student council (vice president), National Honor Society (president) one act play, Performing Arts, and Girls on the Run. “Addison is a well-rounded individual who puts her heart and soul into everything she does,” shared Kim Kappenman, Montrose School Counselor. “She is an outstanding role-model for younger students. Her passion for learning is admirable.”
Her proudest achievement was being selected as one of four students for the Sanford Promise Scholar Summer Internship program. The program gave Addison the opportunity to work alongside Sanford employees in a biomedical research laboratory, researching small cell lung cancer.
“I’m grateful for all the opportunities I’ve had and appreciate the support from my family and friends,” said Addison. “Thank you for the scholarship!” Next fall, she plans to pursue a degree in Biology.
Touchstone Energy Cooperatives are local, active members of their communities, dedicated to building our communities and improving our way of life. Since the Scholar of the Week program began, more than $100,000 in scholarships has been awarded to more than 750 students. The program is a great partnership between local Touchstone Energy Cooperatives and their members and truly captures the commitment that electric cooperatives have to the communities they serve.
Nominations for the weekly awards are submitted by area school principals and faculty, whose selections were based on excellence in the classroom and service in the community.
For more information about Southeastern Electric Cooperative or Touchstone Energy Cooperatives, please contact Erica Fitzhugh at 1-800-333-2859.