Philipsburg Area Educational Foundation 2010 Scholarship Applications

Anna Stitt

Dear Scholarship Committee,

I have always loved math and working with numbers. When it came time to decide on a major I knew I wanted to do something in the Business or Accounting field. I quickly figured out my passion was in Accounting. I have enjoyed all of my accounting courses in high school and at Carroll College. I am currently a junior attending Carroll College and majoring in Accounting. This is a five-year program, but I have arranged my schedule to graduate in four years in order to avoid the costs of tuition for a fifth year at Carroll College. I am taking 20 credits this semester in order to earn 150 credits by my graduation date.

After graduating in May 2011 with 150 credits I will sit for the CPA exam. I am also planning on working in a public accounting firm after graduation. I know that there is a growing shortage of accountants with their CPA, and there is growing job availability in Montana which is where I plan on living. I am intrigued by the many ways I can apply my Accounting degree in today’s world, whether it be in a public accounting firm, for a private company, for a government agency, or for a nonprofit organization to name a few.

I am very exited about my internship at Galusha, Higgins, & Galusha, where I have already gained a lot of hands on experience. I am looking forward to becoming a full time accountant in the near future. I also look forward to applying my degree in a way that benefits others as well as myself. I plan to stay in the Rural Montana area after graduation to give back to my community for all that they have given me.

My family lives off of a low income, therefore I have been completely responsible for my own expenses from the time of high school. These expenses include purchase of two cars, car insurance, gas, and maintenance, rent, groceries, cell phone, clothing, purchase of my horse, vet bills, all rodeo related costs, and all college related expenses. I have quickly learned to effectively manage my finances to be able to keep my bills paid. It is still, however, very difficult for me to afford my college tuition. I am a very motivated and determined person, with your assistance I will be able to continue with my dream of graduating from Carroll College with an Accounting degree.

Thank you very much for your consideration.

Sincerely,

Anna Stitt

Brianna Jesse

Eik Family Scholarship

By: Brianna Jesse

My dream has always been to graduate from college, and be able to play college basketball. I have the opportunity to make my dreams come true, but I will need the help of scholarships in order to do that.

I have worked hard during my high school career, and I have excelled both in the classroom and on the playing field. I have played basketball, volleyball, and softball for four years, and I also participated in track and cross country. I have maintained a 3.83 GPA during this time. I have been Academic All-State in every sport, I was also named to the All-State and All-Conference basketball team my junior and senior year, as well as being All-Conference in volleyball my senior year. I was also chosen to play in the Southwest All-Star Basketball game this year.

I have been accepted to the University of Great Falls. I am very excited to attend this institution, as I feel it has a great Psychology program that I will be majoring in, I will be playing basketball, and I also feel that the values of UGF will help me to become a strong and confident young woman.

I know I have the desire and perseverance to succeed in college. The cost of attending UGF is approximately $25,000 per year. I have been awarded an Athletic Scholarship and a Presidential Scholarship from UGF that will help offset the cost, but my financial obligation will still be approximately $14.000. College will be a whole new chapter in my life, and a stressful chapter to begin with as I adapt to all the changes. By reducing my college debt with scholarships, I feel that some of the stress will be eliminated from my life and it will allow me to concentrate on my studies and not have to constantly worry about my financial obligations. Thank you for your consideration.

Elly Hogue

PAEF Scholarship

Cdr. Bernard J. O’Rourke

Elly Hogue

March 28, 2010

A Hard Act to Follow

Commander Bernard J. O’Rourke’s exceptional life is a hard act to follow. He did not question what life threw at him but confronted it positively, with steadfastness and courage. He shined in life and lived it to the best of his ability, enjoying his childhood in Granite County, participating ambitiously in college, and excelling at his career.

By growing up in Granite County, I have been blessed with so much joy, hunting and fishing with my dad, riding horses with my mom, and playing various sports in a small and special school. I understand Commander O’Rourke’s appreciation of Philipsburg, because I have had similar experiences to his that I would never want to change.

In college, I am planning on having a double major and, like Commander O’Rourke, am interested in pre-med. I will also go into the journalism program, and this will prepare me for the challenges ahead as I continue on with my postgraduate studies. I believe I will be up to the task of taking on whatever opportunities or obstacles life might throw at me.

In the Military, Commander O’Rourke became a natural and devoted leader, depended on to coordinate many campaigns; he must have had the confidence to communicate with his superiors and the respect of his peers. His biography inspires me to want to strive for the same diplomatic and management skills.

When orders came, he untiringly completed his assignments, and surely relished the challenges as they came his way. I am motivated by challenges as well. One day last fall, a friend and I were talking about a paper he wrote for his English class. My mom appeared, and she mentioned to my friend that she thought I was better in math than English. In fact, she implied I might not be particularly good at writing. To me, this was a challenge. That night I tossed a story I had written a few months before on my mom’s desk and looked at her to say, “What do you think about this?” She must have liked it because later that night she came into my room and asked if she could send it to a magazine.

In the December 2009 issue of Rocky Mountain Rider, my short story, titled My Heart, was published. More than one person told me it brought tears to their eyes, causing me to realize that what I say and do really can make a difference in someone’s life. This was an honor inspiring me to pursue Journalism as a major.

Reading about Commander O’Rourke has helped me to realize and appreciate my privileges, my freedoms, my family, and not take them for granted. Despite having few privileges and losing most of his family at such a young age, he became a devoted family man and served his country, unparalleled, in the United States Navy. This encourages me to go to school and into a career that will empower me to give back to the people and the country that have made my opportunities possible. I will do my best to follow in Commander O’Rourke’s footsteps. It will be a tough act, but I intend on facing the future with the same courage, conviction, and determination, hoping my professors, employers, and peers will someday look at my work with the same regard.

Kathryn Barsotti

My name is Kathryn Barsotti and I am currently a sophomore at the University of Montana. When I graduated from Granite High School in 2008, my future career goal was to finish my bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education. I am proud to say that this is still my goal today. I have not faltered, and today I continue to push towards it with as much determination as ever! I feel strongly drawn to education because I have a strong sense of community, enjoy working with children and have an earnest desire to help others. I see education as something that will allow me to be an active member in any community.

I began to foster a great love for community service during my junior and senior years of high school at Granite. It started slowly as I began to volunteer a few hours to help my community’s Secret Santa project. I dived into this project, not knowing what to expect and came out learning more than I could ever have expected about my community and how I fit into it. From that point on, I went volunteer-crazy and completed over 100 hours both my junior and senior years.

As I transitioned to college life, I continued to volunteer and stay involved in my community, despite my busy schedule and maintaining two jobs, working approximately twenty-five hours a week. The second semester of my freshman year, I joined the sorority Alpha Phi. Through Alpha Phi, I have been able to participate in many volunteer activities, such as the Heart Walk, Relay for Life, Habitat for Humanity and more. I also volunteer within my house as Head of Alumni Relations for Chi Chapter, Alpha Phi.

I love working with people and making a difference. One day I hope to do this as a teacher. While I have been working very hard in school and have maintained a 3.9 cumulative GPA, I have also been working very hard with my two jobs to try to lighten the financial burden on myself and my family. Since I am the fourth of six children to attend college, scholarships are a critical part of financing my education. If I were to receive this scholarship, it would help greatly in paying for my tuition, allowing me to stay focused on my education without taking on more hours at work. I believe I would put it to good use, both now by paying for my education, and later when I become a teacher and can pass on the knowledge this scholarship has helped me to receive. I want to make a difference. Thank you for your time and consideration.

Sincerely,

Kathryn Barsotti

Laura Barsotti

Laura Barsotti 2

2010  PAEF Scholarship Application

Essay

After completing high school, I wish to further my education by attending college for a four-year degree. I plan to explore majors in Environmental Science and in Theater and Performing Arts. I feel that either of these majors could lead me into a very enjoyable and worthwhile career. While the first contributes strongly to the betterment of our environment, and the second enriches the culture within our community, both can have a very positive effect on our nation as a whole. Whichever I choose, having a strong college background will ensure that I will be able to make the most out of it, working to improve the standards in which my field operates.

This scholarship would help me to do just that, attend the college of my choice while minimizing the number of student loans I will need to take out. Financial assistance is extremely important to my family since I am the fifth of six children to attend college. Having to take out fewer and smaller loans will ease the demand on my parents and on the number of hours I will have to work a job during school. Having the freedom of working fewer hours will give me more time to dedicate to my studies, which will ensure a better and stronger education. A strong education is the key to a strong career.

If I am awarded this scholarship, I know I will work hard and put it to good use in my education and later in my career. Thank you for considering me for this year’s PAEF scholarships.

Mackenzie Bonnie

Ever since the seventh grade I have wanted to be an architect. It wasn’t until my junior year that I decided to actually chase this dream and start looking at colleges that offer an architecture and environmental design program. To my advantage, I found out that Bozeman offers one of the top ranked Architecture Programs in the west. Ever since late in my junior year my goal and plan has been to attend Montana State University in the fall of20l0. Then after about five years of study, graduate with a Master’s in Architecture.

There are a number of reasons why I deserve this scholarship. I very much need the extra help in paying for tuition being since my single mother and I have to carry the weight ourselves.

My mother also still has my younger brother, Kaden, who is a junior, to help out with college as well. I also deserve this scholarship because I have worked extremely hard in academics to achieve good grades while still being involved in basketball and volleyball, and maintaining my part-time job at the Sunshine Station. I deserve this scholarship because none of my mother’s children have proceeded to attend college. I would like to be the first, and make my mother and family proud, as well as myself.

Mackenzie Bonnie

Megan Oberweiser

To whom it may concern, April 3, 2010

I am currently a freshman at the University of Montana. Along with a full class load, I am on the triathlon team and I am training for an Olympic Distance Triathlon to take place this summer. Being on the team involves fundraising for the team as well as practices throughout the week. I am a member of the Sorority Kappa Alpha Theta. As a member, I participate in volunteer work, leadership conferences, and weekly chapter meetings. I am also working three jobs. My work study job is about twelve hours per week at the Speech Language and Pathology Department at UM. There, I work as a receptionist; I answer and direct phone calls, file documents, deliver mail, intake and direct clients, and take care of other office business as needed. My second job is as a nanny for a local family. The family has four boys who I care for usually one day per week for five to ten hours. My third job is through the Montana High School Association where I work as an umpire at high school softball games. Along with working the assigned games throughout the week, I am required to go to weekly pool meetings to discuss the rules, mechanics, and basics of umpiring.

As a college student, I am studying History and Political Science. I plan to apply to the School of Education in September where I will begin to study to become a High School Teacher.

I plan to teach History and Government at the High School Level while also possibly coaching.   I graduated from Drummond High School at the top of my class with a 3.99 cumulative GPA.

During my first semester of college, I received a 3.61 GPA and made the Dean’s List. In my second semester, I am taking fifteen credits and so far I am doing well in each of them. I am especially enjoying my Montana History and American Government classes.

I would love to have the opportunity to become a high school teacher.  I love the lifestyle it provides and I would love to be able to impact the lives of students on a day to day basis. In order to accomplish this dream of becoming a teacher, I will need to complete my college education.  I really enjoy going to college and  I love my classes. I work very hard to do well in them. I am doing my best in my classes, as well as outside of my classes to be able to continue receiving this education. However, the expense of a college education is very great. Any assistance I would receive from you would be put to very good use as I continue to strive for a teaching degree and a college education.

I would greatly appreciate any financial aid that you are able to award. Your assistance will allow me to continue to work hard on my education. Thank you for your consideration.

Sincerely,

Megan Oberweiser