Awards

Dancer & Tumbler of the Year

Each month Mary will pick one child to be Dancer of the Month and David and Stephanie will pick one child to be Tumbler of the Month.  From these, one Dancer of the Year and one Tumbler of the Year will be chosen at the dance recital in May.

The following criteria will be used in making these selections:

  • The student must be at least ten years of age.
  • The student must have good attendance and attitude.
  • The student must show improvement in skills and signs of home practice.
  • The student must dress properly for class.

Rules:

  • A child may be chosen only once in a school year.
  • The student may be Dancer of the Month and Tumbler of the Month in the same school year.
  • Those chosen cannot be teachers but may be demonstrators, aides, and/or teaching assistants.

Awards for Dancer and Tumbler of the Month:

  • The student’s picture will be posted to our Facebook.
  • The student’s name is in the recital program.
  • The student becomes eligible for Dancer or Tumbler of the Year.

Awards for Dancer and Tumbler of the Year:

  • A Trophy for the student
  • The student’s name on the plaque in the studio
  • A Gift Certificate for $50 worth of merchandise

Past Dancers of the Year

2022 Sierra Ulrich
2021 Elizabeth Hahn
2020 Mantha McMurtrey
2019 Lilly Twait
Amy Masters
2018 Ally Sigman
Rebecca Kimbro
2017 Bailey Kenar
2016 Hannah Clark
David Snook
2015 Sylvie Twait
2014 Caroline Martin
2013 Darrell Kimbro
2012 Emily Armstrong
Tessa Merkel
2011 Baylee Martin
2010 Megan Armstrong
Carolyn Kimbro
2009 Monica Jay
2008 Clare Maksimovich
2007 Julia Burns
Cassandra Supak
2006 Margaret Greenhalgh
Kaitlyn Ward
2005 Katy Crenshaw
Alyssa Eckstein
2004 Lisa Schertz
Courtney Smith
Jessica Husted
2003 Emily Zulz
Leah Zulz
2002 Laura Punke
Kistina Roberson-Reynolds
Meagan Davis
2001 Cailee Linzenmeyer
Marla Pitts
2000 Betsy Noack
1999 Jennifer VanBrooker
1998 Jenni Appleyard
1997 Brittney Kuehn
Tina Hogbin
1996 Devery Christ
1995 Amanda Smith
Mindy Waldschmidt
1994 Kelly Jacobs
1993 Mandy Hoback
1992 Tamara Hittle
1991 Amy Cassidy
1990 Kari Oetzel
1989 Kristy Kelch

Past Tumblers of the Year

2022 Alexa Seipel
2021 Eve Maurer
2020 Rebecca Kimbro
2019 Kailee Delagrange
2018 Samuel Coartney
Gabe Meinert
2017 Michael Meinert
2016 Bri Wetzler
2015 Brianne Roley
2014 Eliza Fletcher
2013 Brooklyn Martin
2012 Kaitlyn Roley
2011 David Greenhalgh
2010 Hannah Brownfield
2009 Eli Masters
2008 Marshall Parsons
2007 Elizabeth Curry
2006 Sean Greenhalgh
2005 Kaitlyn Hartnett
2004 Alyssa Eckstein
2003 Chelsea DeLap
Courtney DeLap
2002 Stephanie Kurtz
2001 Brooke Bernitt
2000 Melanie Obery
1999 Lindsey Mettler
1998 Heidi Nauman
Tim Orzechowski
1997 Matt Goodyear
Katrina Callihan
1996 Lacey Durst
1995 Jodi Glover
1994 Heidi Hinrichsen
1993 Sarah Keyser
1992 Stephanie Gerber
1991 Kelly Schaer
1990 Kristi Koch
1989 Michael Knoblauch

Lydia M. Moritz Scholarship

Mary’s mother, Lydia M. Moritz, passed away in March, 1999.  Lydia was a lifelong advocate of the arts and because of her dedication to Mary’s arts education, Mary set up a scholarship in her name.  Each year at the dance recital Mary announces the recipient for the next year.

The following criteria will be used to make the selection:

  • The student must be at least ten years of age and a dance student at Merrilee Studios for at least the two preceding years.
  • The student must be a serious ballet student.
  • The student must have good attendance and attitude and show respect for the teachers.
  • The student must show signs of home practice and an improvement in skills.
  • The student must dress properly for class.
  • The student must show the importance of dance in his/her life.
  • The student must submit a written composition during the month of April stating why he or she should receive the scholarship.

If those who apply for the scholarship are not considered to be ready for this commitment, no scholarship will be offered that year.

The chosen recipient is expected to take classes the summer before the scholarship year and will receive ALL dance classes for the next school year free of tuition. This is a $2000-$2500 scholarship. If your child is interested in this scholarship, he/she must work for it throughout the year.

Past Winners

2022 Natalee Smith
2021 Sierra Ulrich
2020 No Applicants
2019 Rebecca Kimbro
2018 Amy Masters
Lilly Twait
2017 Hannah Coartney
2016 Bailey Kenar
Mantha McMurtrey
2015 David Snook
Hannah Clark
2014 McKenna Coartney
2013 Caitlin Miller
2012 Darrell Kimbro
2011 Emily Morgan
2010 Abigail Bachman
Montana Parsons
2009 Megan Armstrong
2008 Carolyn Kimbro
2007 Clare Maksimovich
2006 Julia Burns
2005 Margaret Greenhalgh
2004 Katy Crenshaw
2003 Samantha Cremer
2002 Leah Zulz
2001 Meagan Davis
2000 Emily Rowden
1999 Brittney Kuehn

Edmund F. Moritz Scholarship

Mary’s father Edmund F. Moritz passed away in November, 2003.  Mary’s mother may have taken her to all her classes, but her dad paid for them and her many costumes.  In his memory, Merrilee Studios offers an award to be presented each spring at the dance recital.  This Award provides the family with $200 worth of costumes to be used in the following year’s recital.

The following criteria will be used in making the selection:

  • The children in the family must have taken classes in the studio for at least one year including summers.
  • At least one child in the family must also take 3 or more dance classes during the award year.
  • The parent of the child applying for the award must write a short essay telling why the award would be helpful.

Past Winners

2022 Gemma Driskell
Genevieve Driskell
Zane Driskell
Zoey Driskell
2021 Myah Neal
2020 Brooklyn Ulrich
Colton Ulrich
Sierra Ulrich
2019 Kai Dawdy
Rebecca Dawdy
2018 Kali Kirkham
Jordan Kirkham
2017 Bri Wetzler
Alli Wetzler
2016 Laura Bachman
2015 Helen Ward
Vivian Ward
Henry Ward
2014 Lilly Twait
Sylvie Twait
2013 Chloe Troyer
Micah Troyer
2012 Isabella Jones
2011 None – no applications received
2010 Summer Tharp
Baillie Larson
Madalyn Wyss
2009 Carolyn Kimbro
Darrell Kimbro
Sarah Kimbro
Rebecca Kimbro
2008 Amanda Au
Bella Au
2007 Abigail Bachman
Madalyn Bachman
2006 Tessa Merkel
2005 Kayla Jean Axsom
Savannah Hack
2004 Sean Greenhalgh
Margaret Greenhalgh