Elks announce scholarship program

Press release

Havre Elks Lodge #1201 and the Elks National Foundation have announced that the 2020-2021 Most Valuable Student Scholarship program is now underway.

All high school seniors who are U.S. citizens are welcome to apply. The entire MVS application process is handled online with applicants being judged on scholarship, leadership and financial need.

Elks Scholarship Chairman Bob Nieuwenhuyse said applicants will be judged at three levels with the opportunity to earn scholarships at the local, state and national level. Six scholarship winners — three young men and three young ladies — from the local Lodge level will be advanced to the Montana state judging with the top five students receiving additional scholarships as well as advancing to the national level.

Havre Elks ENF Chair Brandy Kurtz said that to mitigate the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, the ENF will suspend the ACT/SAT requirement for this year’s program. An applicant’s academic score will be based on their reported GPA, class schedule, class rank and counselor report information.

Nieuwenhuyse said that at the national level two first-place awards of $50,000 each, two second-place awards of $40,000 and two $30,00.00 third-place awards will be awarded. The remaining 14 finalists will receive $20,000 each and 480 runners-up will receive fifth-place scholarships of $4,000 for a total of $2,440,000 nationwide.

Information from the Havre Elks Lodge said students wanting to apply for the scholarships do not have to have an affiliation with the Order of Elks and that the deadline to apply for the MVS scholarship is Nov. 15.

Online applications and additional information are located online at http://www.enf.elks.org/MVS . For more information or assistance interested students, families or high schools can contact Nieuwenhuyse at 406-265-7622.