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The Big Sky State Games has teamed up with the CHARACTER COUNTS! Coalition and Mountain Alarm Fire and Security 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 Mountain Alarm Fire and Security.
Over the past twenty-two 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 2021-2022 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.
Online Scholarship FormThe Big Sky State Games selected Sierra Nagle of Circle High School, Dayton Magone of Billings West High School, Parker Friday of Billings Senior High School, Ryan Dolan of Billings West High School, and Bailey Graves of Laurel High School as the recipients of the 2021 Big Sky State Games Character Counts! Scholarship. The $500 scholarship winners were recognized at the 36th 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
Sierra Nagle has competed in Big Sky State Games Volleyball events for four years. She plays varsity volleyball, basketball, track and field, earning Academic All-State for each sport for the past three years at Circle High School. Other achievements include first place finishes in both Science and Math in Academic Olympics during her junior year. Sierra is involved in the Circle High’s Student Council and volunteers in her community by being a member of National Honor Society and 4-H.
Dayton Magone is currently ranked number one in Billings West High’s Class of 2022, where he also earned a Principal’s Award earlier this year. Dayton was awarded the opportunity to participate in the Rotary Youth Leadership Academy and uses such experience to give back to the community through different volunteering opportunities. He has competed in the Big Sky State Games Tennis for seven years.
Parker Friday has received Swimming Academic All-State awards for the past two seasons at Billings Senior High School, where she also serves as a member of the Student Council. She has participated in Big Sky State Games Swimming for seven years, Soccer for two years, and Open Water Swimming for two years. During school breaks, Parker coaches technical swim clinics for Billings Aquatic Club.
Ryan Dolan has participated in Big Sky State Games Basketball competition for nine years and Track and Field for three years. She has received Academic All-State awards for Basketball and Soccer at Billings West High School. Additionally, Ryan is a member of West High’s state championship teams in both sports. She volunteers her time by doing projects through Key Club, National Honors Society, Reading Rocks Program, and various community events.
Bailey Graves has received two Academic All-State awards for Volleyball, two for Basketball, and one for Track and Field at Laurel High School. Bailey is also a member of the National Honor Society, Big Brothers Big Sisters, the Link Crew, On the Right Track, and helps lead her youth group. She has participated in Big Sky State Games Track and Field for three years.
| Year | Name | City |
|---|---|---|
| 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 |
