Seeley-Swan High School seniors post graduation on June 2.
The students here are graduating as members of the National Honors Society, which requires each student to have a 3.5 GPA. Part of the application process included submitting students' school and community activities. From left to right: Hattie Batchelder, Conner Chadwick, Cheyenne Gifford, Austin Gonzalez, Jalen Kauffman, Clara Kyrouac and Mia Saalfeld.
Two days before graduation, Seeley-Swan High School seniors sat in the gymnasium to receive scholarships provided by local and state-wide organizations. Anywhere from $750 to over $300,000 was awarded per student.
A throughline from those handing out the awards was the importance of community service and volunteerism.
Steve Bowen from the Seeley Lake Lions Club said community service is what drives our lives. Mary Stone, who presented the Seeley Lake Leo Awards and the National Honors Society awards, said the Leos club had a decent showing of juniors and seniors this year but could use some more involvement from sophomores and freshmen.
"These kids have learned to give back to their community," Stone said. "We had a call a couple of weeks ago, somebody needed help stacking firewood, and (asked) is there someone at the school that we can hire to do that? I said there's no one you can hire to do that but I do have a group of kids that could do it. It was freezing cold, it was windy, they were hungry, it was after school and they smiled for an hour and a half."
Below is a list of the awards Seeley-Swan seniors have been awarded:
Hattie Batchelder
Alpine Artisans Scholarship $750
Grizzly Claw Scholarship $750
Loving Hearts Scholarship $1,000
Veterans and Families of Seeley Lake Scholarship $1,000
Missoula Community Foundation Scholarship $1,000
William Kimball Lions Club Scholarship $1,000
University of Montana Academic Achievement Scholarship for $12,000 over four years of school
Angel Bruton
Montana Youth Serve Scholarship $1,000
University of Montana Academic Achievement Scholarship $4,000
University of Montana Payne Family Scholarship $9,600
Horatio Alger Montana State Scholarship $15,000
Sky Burckhard
Grizzly Claw Scholarship $750
University of Montana Academic Achievement Scholarship $4,000
University of Montana Payne Family Scholarship $4,000
Horatio Alger Montana State Scholarship $15,000
Conner Chadwick
Seeley Lake Lions Club Community Service Scholarship $1,000
Columbia University Grant of $318,028
Kyle Duran
Loving Hearts Scholarship $1,000
Veterans and Families of Seeley Lake Scholarship $1,000
Masonic Lodge Scholarship $1,000
Cheyenne Gifford
Cliff Nelson Scholarship $400
Loving Hearts Scholarship $1,000
Alpine Artisan Scholarship $1,000
Austin Gonzalez
Seeley Lake Lions Club Merit Award for $250
Wayne Cahoon Outstanding Student Athlete Award $500
MUS STEM scholarship $6,000 over four years
University of Montana Academic Achievement Scholarship $8,000
Xali Hoehn
Grizzly Claw Scholarship $750
Jalen Kauffman
Seeley Lake Lions Club Merit Award $250
Loving Hearts Scholarship $1,000
Wayne Cahoon Outstanding Student Athlete Award $500
Swan Lakers Scholarship $2,000
Susan and Roy O'Connor Wildlife Biology Scholarship $4,000
MUS STEM scholarship $6,000 over four years
University of Montana Academic Achievement Scholarship $12,000
Nicolas Little Coyote
Loving Hearts Scholarship $1,000
Cadence Mauldin
Alpine Artisans Scholarship for $750
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