Mary Jane Buchele Johnson and Michael Johnson
Southwestern HS Scholarship
Empowering Southwestern High School Graduates
The Mary Jane Buchele Johnson and Michael A. Johnson Scholarship is an endowed designated scholarship fund held at the Morton Community Foundation. Established in December 2024 by Mary Jane Buchele Johnson and Michael A. Johnson, both proud graduates of Southwestern High School (SHS) Class of 1977, this fund provides an annual scholarship award to deserving graduating seniors from Southwestern High School in Piasa, Illinois.
The purpose of the scholarship is to support students as they pursue higher education beyond high school. The Johnsons have worked with the Morton Community Foundation to create a lasting legacy that reflects their commitment to education, their roots at Southwestern High School, and their desire to give back to the community that helped shape their own lives and careers.
About the Donors
Mary Jane and Michael Johnson have made their home in Morton, Illinois for many years. Michael retired from a long career at Caterpillar, and Mary Jane recently retired after selling her financial management company, Alltrust Financial. Their shared experience at Southwestern High School — and the opportunities it helped provide — inspired them to create a scholarship that helps future graduates pursue their own paths in higher education.
Scholarship Details
Each year, the Southwestern High School counseling office selects the scholarship recipient(s) from among graduating seniors. The selection is based on criteria provided by the Johnsons, with the goal of identifying students who demonstrate the promise, character, and ambition that the scholarship seeks to reward.
Students who are graduating seniors at Southwestern High School and wish to be considered for this scholarship should contact the SHS counseling office for application information and deadlines.
Visit the Southwestern High School website for more details:
https://www.piasabirds.net/schools/high-school/index
Make a Lasting Impact
The Johnson, Mary Jane Buchele and Michael A. Scholarship Fund provides a meaningful way for donors to support education and uplift students in the Southwestern community. Gifts to this scholarship help ensure that future generations have access to opportunities for growth, learning, and success.
Whether you’re an alum, a community member, or someone who values education, your support allows this scholarship to continue its legacy of encouragement, achievement, and community investment.
To make a tax-deductible donation to this endowment fund, you can:
Donate by check: Make it payable to Morton Community Foundation and mail it to 135 S First Ave, Morton, IL 61550. Please write “Johnson SHS Scholarship” on the memo line.
Make a tax-advantaged gift of stock…Visit our stock gifting page by clicking HERE.
For more ways to give, CLICK HERE.
Give online by clicking the button below.
Are you a Caterpillar Employee or Retiree?
The Caterpillar Foundation is proud to offer the year-round Matching Gifts Program to support their employees, U.S. retirees and board of directors in their contributions to worthy causes. Eligible Caterpillar participants may request an annual total maximum 1:1 match of $10,000 USD each calendar year to eligible charities to which contributions are tax deductible. The Morton Community Foundation is an eligible charity. So, if you are an eligible Caterpillar participant, you may submit any donations to this fund for an equivalent match, up to your total maximum of $10,000 per year. CLICK HERE to link to the Caterpillar Foundation’s Matching Gift website.