Havre Elks Lodge awards scholarships

Press release

Havre Elks Lodge #1201 recently awarded five scholarships to local graduating high school seniors.

Lodge Scholarship Chairman Bob Nieuwenhuyse announced that Hope Gasvoda, Stacey Alderdice and Clint Darlington of Big Sandy High School, Aubrey Welch of North Star High School, and Cameron Pleninger from Havre High School are the recipients of this year’s local Elks Most Valuable Student Awards. The five local MVS winners were advanced to the Montana State Elks competition.

Hope Gasvoda will be attending the University of Providence to study forensic science with a biology track.

Stacey Alderdice will attend the University of Montana to pursue a degree in business.

Aubrey Welch plans to attend the University of Pennsylvania to study biochemistry.

Clint Darlington will be pursuing a degree in pharmacy at the University of Montana.

Cameron Pleninger has been appointed to the Coast Guard Academy where he will major in marine engineering.

“We are proud of all our participating high school students and their accomplishments and are pleased that the Elks can award scholarships to those local deserving students who take the time and effort to apply,” Havre Elks Exalted Ruler Matt Kretchmer said.

Nieuwenhuyse said the local competition is part of the Elks National Foundation Most Valuable Student scholarship program and that scholarship awards at the local, state and national level are all funded by the voluntary contributions of Elks members across the country with the national awards totaling nearly $2.5 million to 500 deserving students.

The Elks Most Valuable Student Scholarship program for 2020-2021 will be open to all high school seniors who are U.S. citizens beginning Aug. 5 and will be available online at https://www.elks.org/scholars/scholarships/MVS.cfm .