Character Counts! Scholarship
About the Scholarship
2027 Scholarship Deadline: Friday, May 1
The Big Sky State Games has teamed up with the CHARACTER COUNTS! Coalition and Pye-Barker Fire & Safety to recognize the importance of sportsmanship and character in Montana student athletes. CHARACTER COUNTS! is a nonprofit organization striving to improve the character of today’s youth. It is based on common ethical values that transcend political, religious, socio-economic, and cultural differences. Called the “Six Pillars of Character,” these values are: trustworthiness, respect, responsibility, fairness, caring and citizenship. Character Counts! Scholarship is sponsored by Pye-Barker Fire & Safety.
Over the past twenty-four years, the Big Sky State Games has awarded the Character Counts! Scholarship to outstanding Montana female and male student-citizen-athletes involved in the Big Sky State Games. The scholarship can be used for any secondary education after high school. This includes trade schools and community colleges.
Only high school juniors during the 2026-2027 school year are eligible for this scholarship. This is to ensure that fellow students can observe the scholarship winners during their senior year and to recognize the traits the students show. You can fill out the application below. It will also be available at all Montana High Schools Guidance Counselor offices.
About the 2026 Winners
The Big Sky State Games selected Danyka Doll from Skyview High School, Cambry Magone from Billings West High School, Lyla Ewen from Winifred High School, and Kinzie Campbell of North Star High School as the recipients of the 2026 Big Sky State Games Character Counts! Scholarship. The $500 scholarship winners were recognized at the 41st Annual Big Sky State Games Opening Ceremonies event.
The winners were selected based on their character, community involvement, and participation in sports. Character Counts! promotes sportsmanship and fosters good character by teaching, enforcing, advocating, and modeling, the “Six Pillars of Character”: trustworthiness, respect, responsibility, fairness, caring and citizenship
Danyka Doll
Danyka Doll has competed in the State Games for the past eleven years in Judo. Doll holds a 4.50 Cumulative GPA at Skyview High School. She is a National Honors Society Inductee at Skyview High School, has a brown belt in Judo, has Varsity Letters in wrestling and in flag football. Doll’s work experience includes being a lifeguard, swimming instructor, after-school teacher/instructor, and in sales.
Cambry Magone
Cambry Magone has competed in the State Games in two different events (Tennis and Track & Field). Magone is a member of the National Honor Society, Future Health Professionals Symphonic Band, and lettered in Tennis and Volleyball at Billings West High School. Magone has work experience such as snow removal, child care, and pet sitting, along with working at the front desk of Big Sky Pickleball and Tennis Center.
Lyla Ewen
Lyla Ewen has been a Big Sky State Games participant in Basketball from 2021-2024 and Volleyball in 2025. Ewen holds an accumulative GPA of 4.00 at Winifred High School. Ewen is a National Honors Society, and competed in volleyball, basketball, and track. Ewen also has over thirty dual-enrollment college credits. Ewen has work experience working at the Winifred swimming pool.
Kinzie Campbell
Kinzie Campbell has participated in Track & Field in the Big Sky State Games for the past nine years. Her family was awarded the BSSG Volunteer of the Year award in 2024. Campbell holds a 4.00 cumulative GPA at North Star High.. Campbell is involved in Student Council, several camps, assisting organizes multiple fundraisers within her community, and assisting Veterans. Campbell has work experience in working at the movie theater and working at Mountainside Montessori.
Previous Winners
| Year | Name | City |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Kamdyn McFarland | Billings |
| Isaac Mosser | Billings | |
| Addison Hansen | Bainville | |
| Joshua Campbell | North Star | |
| 2024 | Ameliya Doney | Wolf Point |
| Syler Pizzolato | Billings | |
| Ainsley McFarland | Billings | |
| Kennadie Peterman | Billings | |
| 2023 | Keatin Hertz | Billings |
| Julia Kunau | Fergus | |
| Logan Cole | Billings | |
| Delayne Lindeen | Huntley | |
| 2022 | Ella Breen | Laurel |
| Kaiya Graves | Laurel | |
| Mya Mack | Laurel | |
| Tucker Rick | Billings | |
| Teylor Ronish | Billings | |
| 2021 | Sierra Nagle | Circle |
| Dayton Magone | Billings | |
| Parker Friday | Billings | |
| Ryan Dolan | Billings | |
| Bailey Graves | Laurel | |
| 2020 | Ruff Elton | Red Lodge |
| Connor Chase | Billings | |
| Morgan Maack | Laurel | |
| Kylie Zimmer | Fergus | |
| Riley Gilsdorf | Billings | |
| 2019 | Sam George | Billings |
| Emily Poole | Huntley | |
| Audrey Sipler | Big Sandy | |
| Jessica Swandal | Billings | |
| 2018 | Devin Amtmann | Butte |
| Karter Bernhardt | Billings | |
| Loren Murphy | Huntley Project | |
| Shea Dolan | Billings | |
| Hannah Hirschi | Billings | |
| 2017 | Maysen Whitney | Billings |
| Madison Gilsdorf | Billings | |
| Makenzy Gilsdorf | Billings | |
| Skyler Robinson | Baker | |
| 2016 | Cory Kistler | Huntley Project |
| Mick Mattie | Billings | |
| Kelsey Kraft | Laurel | |
| Hailey Poole | Colstrip | |
| 2015 | Spencer Drange | Laurel |
| Jacob Michels | Shepherd | |
| Hannah Amtmann | Butte | |
| Abbigail Lohof | Laurel | |
| 2014 | Madison McLaughlin | Helena |
| Solenn Jacobsen | Baker | |
| Wylie Leo | Ennis | |
| Michael Buster | Laurel | |
| 2013 | Mikaela Robinson | Billings |
| Sara Heard | Billings | |
| James Riley | Broadus | |
| Logan Laird | Billings | |
| 2012 | Ashton McLaughlin | Helena |
| Martha Dembek | Winnett | |
| Michael Schwehr | Lavina | |
| Nick Staffileno | Billings | |
| 2011 | Alain Jacobsen | Baker |
| Zach Holmes | Billings | |
| Brianna Jo Robinson | Billings | |
| Emily Grace Walker | Huntley | |
| 2010 | Lindsey Fleming | Billings |
| Taylor Kufeld | Billings | |
| Ryan Hensleigh | Colstrip | |
| Anthony Bengochea | Nashua | |
| 2009 | Ashley Crowe | Billings |
| Kacie Chatwood | Billings | |
| Thomas Bonogofsky | Belfry | |
| Thomas Staffileno | Billings | |
| 2008 | Cord Blanchard | Great Falls |
| Emily Carroll | Billings | |
| Kylie Medicine Horse | Pryor | |
| Tim Kienitz | Billings | |
| 2007 | Auriele Fain | Billings |
| Casey Rogers | Billings | |
| Stephanie Stremcha | Havre | |
| Rick Haluszka | Harlem | |
| 2006 | Bridgett Hoenke | Billings |
| Leo Davis | Billings | |
| 2005 | Ashley Grammens | Lavina |
| Chad McMillan | Billings | |
| 2004 | Alexa McLaughlin | Helena |
| Josh Hedge | Billings | |
| 2003 | Allison Peterson | Sidney |
| Chris Blanchard | Great Falls | |
| 2002 | Sara Patterson | Great Falls |
| Patrick Riley | Bozeman | |
| 2001 | Hannah Warfield | Sidney |
| Shane Hensleigh | Colstrip | |
| 2000 | Jenny Doely | Billings |
| Jeff Graham | Chester |