More than $4.5 million in scholarships were awarded to graduating seniors at the 2008 RHS Awards Assembly on Tuesday.

“By graduation, that amount could increase by another million,” said Rolla High School principal Dr. Roger Berkbuegler.

When Berkbuegler became principal of Rolla High School 28 years ago, the total amount of scholarships available for graduating seniors came to less than $50,000.

“It’s incredible to me how much the local community now gives to help these kids get a better start. I’m really grateful for all those who contribute, and I know the kids are, too,” said Berkbuegler.

This is Berkbuegler’s last year as principal of RHS, and the students and staff gave him a roaring standing ovation at the assembly.

 Berkbuegler obviously was taken off guard.

“I wasn’t ready for that,” he said. It took a moment for him to speak and when he did it was with deep affection. “I’m going to miss these guys so much.”

Berkbuegler remembered the first scholarship he wrote. “It was the Nancy Beveridge scholarship,” said Berkbuegler.

Beveridge was a Latin teacher for RHS for many years and was tragically killed in a bus accident while traveling on a school trip.

Forty-seven students ended up in the hospital that night, as well.

The RHS Key Club and the foreign-language teachers spearheaded the effort to put together a scholarship in Beveridge’s memory.

“She was a beautiful lady. She would have loved it,” said Berkbuegler.

There were several new scholarships this year including the Patrick S. May memorial, the Carnahan Family Endowment, the Truman PTA, The Stoeker and Associates Medical Research Scholarship, the D. Kent and Sandy King Educational Scholarship, The Show Me Scholars Initiative, just to name a few.

A packet goes to every senior at the beginning of the year for them to look through and see whether they meet any of the qualifications.

The school has made it possible to research grants and scholarships available to graduating seniors on the school Web site www.k12.mo.us.

Rolla High School’s Commencement Ceremony will be held May 23 at the Gale Bullman Multipurpose Building on the Missouri S&T campus.

Photos of the Awards Ceremony will appear in Monday’s edition of the Rolla Daily News.