Each year, Great Falls families, alumni, and organizations come together to generously fund scholarships for graduating high school seniors.
The Great Falls Public Schools Foundation administers these 100+ local scholarships, representing approximately $374,000 in awards annually. The scholarships are thoughtfully awarded to both fulfill the needs of the students and reflect the wishes of the donors.
Scholarship Night is a cherished tradition where high school counselors and the Great Falls Public Schools Foundation collaborate to honor the graduating scholarship recipients who have received both foundation and community scholarships.
The 2024 event was held in the Great Falls High Fieldhouse and included students from all three high schools: Great Falls High School (GFH), C.M. Russell High School (CMR), and Paris Gibson Education Center (PGEC).
In 2023, individual school celebrations were combined into one outstanding event, and this year marked the second unified celebration. Each year, the event sees a tremendous turnout, with many friends and family members attending to congratulate the honorees as well as the donors who have created the scholarships.
"Our scholarship program is an important part of the Foundation's work, and we love partnering with donors who want to see our graduates succeed into the future. We look forward to seeing how these students contribute in positive ways to society and the communities in which they choose to live. And we are thankful for the generosity of donors who join us in this good work." - Stephanie Becker, Executive Director of the Great Falls Public Schools Foundation
Great Falls High School Culinary Arts program crafted appetizers and desserts for the event.
Do you have a student in your life who was honored at the event? We would love to feature them on social media. Send a photo to greatfallsedit@gmail.com and we will give them a shoutout!
Here is the list of 2024 scholarship that were awarded:
Andrew Nunez Memorial Basketball Scholarship
Ann Houliston Award
Art Association of Montana - Val Knight Award (2 awarded)
Audrey Wilbur Ewing Registered Nursing Scholarship
Bertha Feaster Scholarship (2 awarded)
Bill Chigbrow Memorial Scholarship
Bison Booster Big Blue (2 awarded)
Bison Family Scholarship (2 awarded)
Blewett Family Scholarship
Blythe Brandvold Award for Academic Excellence
Braget Family Scholarships (3 awarded)
Bud Robertson Memorial Scholarship (2 awarded)
Carnahan Towing Softball Scholarship
Cascade County Bar Association Scholarship
Class of 82/83 Most Outstanding Senior
CMR Class of 2018 Green and Gold Scholarship
CMR Quarterback Club (5 awarded)
D. W. Loney Memorial Scholarship (2 awarded)
D.M. Garrity MD Scholarship (3 awarded)
Dave Crum Scholarship
David J. Delcomte Memorial Scholarship
Dean Riggin Memorial Music Scholarship
Derek Dowson #40 Scholarship
Derek Dowson Memorial Scholarship
Deserving Scholar Award - CMR (4 awarded)
Deserving Scholar Award - GFH (4 awarded)
Dolores Frisbee Memorial Scholarship
Dorothea “Pixie” Hegland Memorial Scholarship
Dustin Parker Memorial Scholarship
Earl W. and Maudene R. Stice Scholarship
Ed Warren Education Scholarship
Eidel Family Scholarship
Exchange Club Youth of the Year
Frances Kirwin Scholarship for Girls (2 awarded)
Frank and Arlene Osborne Scholarship
Fred and Marie Barnard Scholarship (2 awarded)
Fred and Vasilia Grasseschi Scholarship (2 awarded)
Gene Ghekiere Scholarship
George and Kathleen Tracy Scholarship
GFH Class of 1980 New Beginnings Scholarship (3 awarded)
GFH Class of 1989 Bison Spirit Scholarship
GFH Softball Alumni Scholarship
GFPS Foundation Art Scholarship (2 awarded)
Gladis G. Gerrity Memorial Scholarship (2 awarded)
Great Falls Farmers Market Scholarship (6 awarded)
Great Falls Leadership Scholarship (2 awarded)
Great Falls Moose Lodge Scholarship (3 awarded)
Great Falls Former Soroptimist Club Scholarship
Gus Bannon Cross Country Scholarship (2 awarded)
Hampton Collins Memorial - Citizenship (4 awarded)
Hampton Collins Memorial - Instrumental
Hampton Collins Memorial - Strings
Hampton Collins Memorial - Voice (2 awarded)
Homegrown Dental Scholarship
Hoppock Memorial Scholarship (2 awarded)
Jack and Rosann Johnson Scholarship
Jacqueline J. Wright Other Ways to Win Scholarship (2 awarded)
Jacqueline J. Wright Out of State Scholarship (2 awarded)
Jacqueline J. Wright Success Stories Scholarship (2 awarded)
Jake Arntson Scholarships (6 awarded)
Jake Arntson Teammate of the Year (2 awarded)
James and Miriam Weitz Memorial Scholarship
Jan Cahill Memorial Scholarship
Jaraczeski Family Scholarship
Jason Poirier Memorial Scholarship
Jason V. Christofferson Memorial Scholarship
Jeannette Garver Scholarship
Jennifer Joy Astrin Memorial Scholarship (3 awarded)
Karl Tucker II Memorial Scholarship (2 awarded)
Kathleen Bowman Memorial Scholarship
Kathryn Hill Memorial Scholarship
Kelly Johnson Memorial Scholarship (2 awarded)
Ken Maddox Memorial Scholarship
Kent Seaton Memorial Scholarship (2 awarded)
Langevin Family Scholarship
Legacy of '58 CTE Scholarship - GFH (6 awarded)
Legacy of '58 Scholarship - PGEC (4 awarded)
Leroy Bleek Memorial Scholarships (2 awarded)
Leslie Lyon Forensic
Lillian Knudson-Johnson Scholarship
Louise Hollar Clarke Memorial Golf Scholarship (2 awarded)
Lowry Family Scholarship (2 awarded)
Mark Hoard Memorial Scholarship
Modesto "Jr." Rosales Memorial Music Scholarship
Neil Curry Memorial Scholarship (2 awarded)
North Central MT Retired Educators Association
O.C. Seltzer Art Scholarship (2 awarded)
OrthoRehab Scholarship
Palm Appreciation Scholarship
Payne Family Scholarship
Pearl Matteson Award
R. Lee and Grace M. Shockley Memorial Scholarship
Ralph Haugse Memorial Scholarship (4 awrded)
Ron and Mary Tihista Memorial Music Scholarship
Rudolf Schoesser Memorial Scholarship (2 awarded)
Sallie Hollecker Linnell Memorial Scholarship
Samantha Ann Sipes Memorial Scholarship
Sam's Hope Foundation Scholarship
Seaton Family Scholarships (3 awarded)
Shelby Lorena Eve Memorial Nursing Scholarship
Sisters United Scholarship (4 awarded)
SRO Cory Reeves Scholarship
Steve Olson Orchestra Scholarship
Suhr Family Memorial Scholarship (2 awarded)
Taryn Brody Memorial Scholarship
Treacy Giesler Memorial Scholarship
Tyson Nimmick Memorial Scholarship
Walter Marron
Wilford and Lillian Lemire Scholarship
Young Masters (2 awarded)
If you are interested in a one-time donation or ongoing scholarship for high school graduates in Great Falls, call the Great Falls Public Schools Foundation at 406-268-6021 or email stephanie_becker@gfps.k12.mt.us.