GRANADA - A decision to take post-secondary education classes during his junior year has paved the road to the rest of David Johnston's life.
The Granada-Huntley-East Chain senior has been awarded Presentation College's presidential scholarship - a free ride for four years - after besting the other attendants at the school's invitation-only Scholarship Day in Aberdeen, S.D.
The requirements to be considered for the honor were either a minimum 3.75 grade point average or a score of 32 on the ACT test. Johnston's qualifying GPA was 4.63.
Those requirements made Johnston a little nervous at Scholarship Day.
"I knew going in there these were top scholars," he said. "They had accomplished just as much as I have."
Students taking part in Scholarship Day were asked to complete an essay about Presentation College's mission statement and undergo two face-to-face interviews. The judges then decided which students won the scholarships, ranging from a one-time $500 award to the full ride.
The interviews comprised general questions, such as hobbies and accomplishments, as well as more thought-provoking queries.
Johnston said he was asked his opinion about his generation being labeled the generation of entitlement.
"I said it is sad but true," he said. "If we just expect things to be given to us, we will have no value or pride in our work. To better ourselves we need to acknowledge the age of entitlement."
Johnston said invitations to the event were given to high school seniors who had expressed interest in Presentation College, and he credits the Postsecondary Education Opportunity program with putting the school on his radar.
"PSEO is a great opportunity," Johnston said. "I wouldn't have gotten in the loop with Presentation College otherwise."
Johnston began taking post-secondary education classes last year, attending Presentation's Fairmont campus while enrolled at GHEC. He is studying radiological technology, a job choice determined after he completed a career research class.
"Then I did some job shadowing," Johnston said, adding he believes he has made the right choice.
Postsecondary Education Opportunity classes are free for high school students who qualify academically for the program.
Johnston will finish his college career in Aberdeen, as the scholarship includes not only tuition, but room and board as well.
Tracy Lardy, director of Presentation's Fairmont campus, has enjoyed having Johnston attend the school.
"What a neat kid," she said. "He is very gracious. When he was up at Aberdeen they called saying, 'What a neat kid this David Johnston is. We are lucky to have him interested in Presentation College.'"
Johnston is excited to start this new chapter of his life as well.
"I am still pumped," he said.