Mike Winther Award

In November 2021, Mike Winther, one of the great leaders of the Stoa community, was transferred from the Church Militant to the Church Triumphant. A man of unwavering faith, Mike served the Stoa community from its inception. In addition to serving the Debate Committee for many years, he served on the Stoa Board of Directors from 2017 to 2021 and coached the Modesto Debate club with his wife Mary for nearly 25 years. We will always remember Mike as a man of God's Word, a man of integrity, a man of wisdom, a man of kindness, and a man of prayer.

To honor Mike’s memory, the Stoa Board of Directors, in 2022, established the Mike Winther Award. The award recognizes excellence in character as demonstrated in Student Leadership, Civic involvement, and the understanding of the Biblical role of government. The Mike Winther Award Trophy and $1,000 prize money will be awarded at the NITOC Awards Ceremony. Along with the Stoa award, the Institute for Principle Studies (IPS) offers an internship at their headquarters in Modesto, CA. Learn more about the application process and the internship here.