Scholarships increasing from Dollars for Scholars

Megan Feddersen — Staff Writer
FAIRMONT — When the Fairmont Dollars for Scholars chapter was formed in 1974, it had 32 scholarships worth $9,600 combined.

Wednesday evening at Fairmont Area High School, 132 students were awarded scholarships totaling $134,000.

That adds up to $1.458 million in scholarships given out since 1974.

“We’ve grown,” said Lorraine Balske, secretary of the board. Balske has been part of the organization from the beginning.

A chart marks the dollars and number of scholarships given since the chapter’s inception. In 1994, the number had actually dropped from previous years down to $25,000, but the figures shoot nearly straight up from there on out.

In 2004, the chapter received the “Golden Tassel” award for the most growth and greatest number of scholarships given away of any Dollars for Scholars group in the United States.

“We could probably get it again,” Balske said. But the honor is only given once to a chapter.

“It’s public relations — no doubt about that,” Balske said.

She also credits the board’s president, Sherwood Sagedahl, who officially joined 10 years ago. Before then, he worked with the board as a high school counselor, encouraging students to apply for the scholarships.

“You always need a good leader,” Balske said.

Sagedahl downplayed his role, but agreed about the benefits of improved public relations.

“We’re getting the message out to the community,” he said. “And they’ve responded in a positive way ... people want to support youth beyond high school.”

Among the list of 14 new scholarships started this year are businesses, Fairmont Class of 1976, teaching staff, and current and former members and Fairmont residents, including Bill Cahalan, a reporter at the Sentinel who died earlier this year.

Fund-raisers last year raised $4,000, which was included in the amount given away to students Wednesday. More significantly, fund-raiser activities — like the annual dinner in January, basketball shooting contest and “Scholarship in Your Name” raffle — have helped raise awareness about Dollars for Scholars.

“Everyone is hearing about it,” Sagedahl said, giving his spiel for those interested in contributing to Dollars for Scholars to call Lorraine Balske at (507) 235-3861.

“People always see her name,” he said. “She gets a lot of calls.”

Fairmont’s Dollars for Scholars awards scholarships to high school seniors and undergraduate students through their fourth year of college. The chapter is one of a few in the state that allows college students to apply, and more than half the scholarship applicants are in college.

“They know what it costs now,” Sagedahl said.

The growing expenses of secondary education are troubling to Sagedahl and Balske, who fear the costs will prohibit more students from attending college in the future. That’s why the amount to start a new scholarship — $10,000 — is double what was required in previous years. With larger scholarships, Dollars for Scholars is able to collect more interest from endowments since the principle is never touched.