BHP Billiton and Carlton Trail College gave local graduates a bit of a helping hand by distributing their annual 2017 scholarships.
In total, $75,000 was given out to recent high school graduates.
Fourteen students from 10 Horizon School Division schools received $2,500 each to go towards their post secondary education with 16 students from six First Nation communities also receiving scholarships totalling $30,000.
This money will be a big help for Jordan Breker who graduated from Muenster School. He is currently a student at the Edwards School of Business at the University of Saskatchewan.
Breker wants to start his own business and school is an important part of fulfilling those goals.
Hannah Moellenbeck recently graduated from Englefeld School and is currently a student at St. Peter’s College taking classes in Commerce.
The competition was stiff from Englefeld with many deserving students also applying, says Moellenbeck.
“In my grade there were many high achievers so I was honoured to be able to receive it knowing there was the possibility of only one going to my school.”
With the scholarship, Moellenbeck will have some assistance paying for tuition and textbooks for her first year.
With so many scholarship opportunities available for students, Breker encourages students who are preparing to graduate to start applying.
Jessi Sperling is currently a student at St. Peter’s College taking her first year of Arts and Science with plans to go into the University of Saskatchewan Pharmacy program.
The money given from the BHP scholarships will cover an entire semester of tuition.
“That’s huge. That’s a semester you don’t have to pay for. Everything helps.”
Samantha Seidle is currently in Kelowna, B.C. taking Management through UBC Okanagan Campus and this scholarship will help her pay for her tuition.
Since there were so many other applicants from her former school, she is very honoured to receive such a large scholarship to go towards her schooling.
Even with the help from BHP, Sperling wishes she would have applied for more scholarships. For current grade 12 students, Sperling says apply for as many as you can.
“Even if you don’t get them, the more chance you’ll have for receiving more.”
Deanna Gaetz with Carlton Trail College says this is a perfect opportunity to provide support to students.
Carlton Trail works closely with BHP in regards to training, especially within their opportunity agreements with First Nation communities, says Gaetz.
Carlton Trail is also central to many of the schools in the Horizon School division.
“They approached us to see if we were interested in partnerring and it was a good fit.”
Gaetz says she hopes the scholarships will make the student’s transitions to post secondary easier and relieve some financial stress.
Since 2013, BHP with assistance from Carlton Trail College has given out $320,000 worth of scholarships to 100 students in the BHP Jansen area.
Carlton Trail and BHP will soon be rolling out the sixth year of scholarships, says Gaetz.
BHP $2,500 Scholarship Recipients
Jordan Breker - Muenster School
Devin Hinz - Muenster School
Jennifer Harcourt - Quill Lake School
Dylan Haussecker - Watson School
Elisa Holmlund - Lanigan High School
Theodore Kolkman - Annaheim School
Sydney McGrath - LeRoy School
Hannah Moellenbeck - Englefeld School
Emily Morrow - Lanigan High School
Maddison Nurse-Sich - Raymore School
Kalla Shewchuk - Wynyard School
Michelle Burko - Wynyard School
Xinyi Zhang - Englefeld School
Sophie Monz - Humboldt Collegiate Institute
Samantha Seidle - Humboldt Collegiate Institute
Jessi Sperling - Humboldt Collegiate Institute
Kelsey Desjarlais - Beardy’s & Okemasis First Nation
Brittani Gamble - Beardy’s & Okemasis First Nation
Kellsie Gamble - Beardy’s & Okemasis First Nation
Chenessa Gardipy - Beardy’s & Okemasis First Nation
Keisha Desjarlais - Fishing Lake First Nation
Kennedy Kewistep - Fishing Lake First Nation
Brandon Sunshine - Fishing Lake First Nation
Shanai Bitternose - George Gordon First Nation
Adrienne Missens - George Gordon First Nation
Tyrell Jacob Sinclair - George Gordon First Nation
Dawnis McIvor - Kawacatoose First Nation
Shawna LaPlante - Day Star First Nation
Christina Kinequon - Day Star First Nation
Olivia Crowe-Buffalo - Day Star First Nation
Tatiana Crowe- Buffalo - Day Star First Nation
Tyler Buffalo - Day Star First Nation
Royce Bigsky - Muskowekwan First Nation
