Prairie Trail Scholarship Fund

How does $10,000 toward college sound?

Applications for the 2024-2025 Prairie Trail Scholarship are now open. Apply Online here.

Deadline is March 31, 2024- No applications will be accepted after that date.

Watch The District social media for the scholarship recipients awards and banquet to be announced.

Scholarship awards are granted on an annual basis only. Eligible recipients must submit a new application each year in which they wish to be considered for a scholarship award. Awards do not automatically renew or carry over.

If you are a previous Prairie Trail Scholarship recipient wishing to apply for additional funding, you must submit a new application each year.

With the Prairie Trail Scholarship Program, residents of the Prairie Trail neighborhoods are eligible to receive up to $10,000 in scholarship funds.

The purpose of the program is to provide scholarships to students pursuing a college degree. The Prairie Trail Scholarship Program, established through the generosity of Dennis & Susan Albaugh, demonstrates the family’s commitment to education and to the community of Ankeny.

Scholarship applicants will be eligible for a maximum lifetime award of $10,000. Preference will be given to students who reside in the Prairie Trail Development, as well as to those students who choose an institution based in Iowa.

The Albaugh Family has committed $100,000 as the initial deposit into the fund. Since 2008, more than $300,000 has been awarded to residents of Prairie Trail.

The fund is self-sustaining as one half of one percent of the sale of all property in Prairie Trail is allocated to the Prairie Trail Scholarship Program.

Ashley Johnson, marketing director for D.R.A. Properties, describes it this way, “The Prairie Trail Scholarship Program is a pay-it-forward program. The idea is that when you’re here, you take advantage of it and when you move on from Prairie Trail you pay-it-forward to the next residents. It should benefit residents of Prairie Trail for a long time to come.”

The scholarship fund is yet another way that the Prairie Trail Development is redefining community living.

Past Winners

2020 Prairie Trail Scholarship winners:

The 2020 Prairie Trail Scholarship winners received their scholarships, but unfortunately like so much of their school experiences in 2020, the scholarship banquet was cancelled due to COVID. We salute the 59 winners from 2020 and all of the Prairie Trail Scholarship winners from years past.

Tyler Budden, Andrew Breuner, Jayden Crimmins, Kalen Crimmins, Natalie David, Grace Hartnett

Brigitte Hastings, Hayden Hindman, Logan, Bailey Lovestad, Mackenzie, Mackey, Sarah Madison

Shellie Matt, Peyton McDade, Chloe McDaniel, Colby Pitts, Andrea Thoene, Connor Urquhart

McKenna Yordy

2019 Prairie Trail Scholarship winners:

The 2019 Prairie Trail Scholarship winners were the first class to celebrate their scholarship banquet in the new Town Square Park. The group spoke about their individual plans for the future, introduced their guests and heard from Prairie Trail marketing director, Ashley Johnson and DMACC president, Rob Denson. Pictured from L to R: Steve Stych, Sophie Buttjer, Sydney Downing, Hailey Osburn, Sophia Wignall, Tyler Budden, Lauren Anders, Brett Guy, Katherine Heine, Caroline Price, McKenna Yordy, Kelly Current, Lauren Vanderkamp, Marshall Johnson, and DMACC president Rob Denson.

2018 Prairie Trail Scholarship winners:

The 2018 Prairie Trail Scholarship winners enjoyed the scholarship banquet at the District Venue on May 16, 2018. The group spoke about their future plans and heard from Prairie Trail developer, Dennis Albaugh (front row left) and DMACC president, Rob Denson (front row right).

2017 Prairie Trail Scholarship winners:

Prairie Trail Scholarship 2017

Pictured from L to R: Sydney Downing, Zachary McKee, McKaylin Noltensmeier, Jonah Plummer, Olivia Slater, Blaine Hawkins, Alyssa Parker, Dennis Albaugh (Prairie Trail developer), Rob Denson (DMACC president), Leah Hill, Raegan Moeller, Kelly Lindaman, Brett Guy, Sarah Gubbels, Zane Johnson. 2017 Prairie Trail Scholarship recipients not pictured: Joseph Cardamon, Kelly Current, Renee Gookin, Hannah Johnson, Brooke Osburn, Chelsey Stephenson, Darian Swinehart, Collin Urquhart.

2016 Prairie Trail Scholarship winners:

2016 Scholarship Recipients_DSC09658.retouch

Pictured from L to R: DMACC president, Rob Denson, Nathaniel Moore, Brooke Osburn, Jack Buttjer, Michael Woods, Kathryn Miller, Dennis Albaugh, Sydney Downing, Raegan Moeller, Sarah Gubbels, Kristel Schultz, McKaylin Noltensmeier, James Ellwanger. Winners not pictured: Kelly Lindaman, Chelsey Stephenson, Collin Urquhart, Olivia Slater, Hannah Johnson.

2015 Prairie Trail Scholarship winners:

Prairie Trail Scholarship2015.DSC03531retouched3 LO

Pictured from L to R: Madeline Wignall, Olivia Slater, Dennis Albaugh, Susan Albaugh, James Ellwanger, Kristel Schultz, Gina Snuttjer and DMACC president, Rob Denson. The 2015 Scholarship award winners are pursuing degrees in a variety of fields of study, including aesthetics, criminal justice, educational leadership, aerospace engineering and law.

2014 Prairie Trail Scholarship winners:

Pictured from L to R: Gina Ann Snuttjer and her family, Kristel Kautzky, Jonathan Dahlman, Issac Dahlman, Jon Lindaman and Cassidy Brown. Not pictured: Josh Woods, Collin Urquhart, Jenny Montange, Kayla Bock and Alex Eaton.

Read more about exceptional education in the 2014 Prairie Trail magazine online edition here. We’re proud of the outstanding education available to Prairie Trail residents, located right in the development, across the city of Ankeny and the state of Iowa.

2013 Prairie Trail Scholarship winners:

At the 2013 Scholarship Recognition Dinner. From left: DMACC President, Rob Denson, Madeline Wignall, Issac Dahlman, Collin Urquhart, Hannah Johnson, Albaugh Inc. President, Dennis Albaugh, Jon Lindaman, Cheryl Cardin and Jenny Montange. Read more here.

2012 Prairie Trail Scholarship winners: