LAKE COUNTY — Dealing with the stress of going to college can weigh on the minds of high school students as they prepare for the next stage of their lives. Four years later, they can be burdened by having to repay thousands of dollars as they begin their careers.

However, for four Lake County students, they’ve spent their high school careers hitting the books and serving the community and their efforts were recognized when they were named Gates Millennium Scholarship award winners at the end of April.

Mission High School’s Rose Bear Don’t Walk, Arlee’s Logan Lefler, Two Eagle River’s Audrey Finley and Polson’s Tyler Krell were honored with the awards, providing them with, among other things, a virtual full-ride to college.

“I think my whole high school career I’ve been waiting to apply for the Gates because it’s such an important scholarship and it makes life so much easier for the recipient,” Bear Don’t Walk said.

“It’s pretty much four more years of free education,” Krell added. “I get to go to a leadership conference in California as well. It rocks.”

Krell’s leadership conference, in San Jose from Nov. 2-4, is just one byproduct of being a scholarship winner. The students will each receive a stipend and have online resources at their disposal.

Applying for the scholarship was a no-brainer for the students who, in addition to having stellar GPAs, are leaders in their schools and communities.

“It means a lot, because I put in so much work and effort and to find out I got it was unreal,” Finley said. “We had to write essays about who we are, how we help the community and what you would give back.”

Finley estimated that she filled out eight essays as part of the application, probably the number necessary to get all of the contributions each of these individuals did. Finley’s resume includes picking up trash, cleaning area trails and pulling weeds, while the others have made similar contributions.

“I applied because of all the community service I do,” Krell said. “Obviously, I had the heritage, but all of the community service seemed applicable.”

While one of Krell’s motivating factors was his community service work, others were highly motivated by their childhood, noting that their families worked hard to support them.

“It means so much,” Bear Don’t Walk said. “One of the reasons I applied for so many scholarships is because my family has worked so hard to make their lives, as well as mine, successful and I didn’t want to make them worry about paying for my education. I feel like it’s my duty to them to make sure that I can go to college.”

“My parents had to raise three young kids and we didn’t have a lot of money,” Lefler added. “To get through school with all expenses paid means a lot.”

Colleges will take these four to various parts of the country. Bear Don’t Walk is heading to Yale to study environmental science or biology, Finley is going to Seattle Pacific for nursing and both Krell and Lefler are off to Carroll College to study pre-dentistry. Krell hopes to parlay a year at Carroll into a spot in Pepperdine’s dentistry program.

“I’m really excited about it,” Bear Don’t Walk said of her future on the East Coast. “I’m hoping to study environmental science or biology, but if those don’t work out, I’ll explore my opportunities at Yale.”

While the students worked extremely hard both inside and outside of the classroom for four years to earn the award, being named still comes with a sense of relief and gratitude from the students.

“I don’t have to worry about repaying loans, so I’m going in kind of worry free,” Finley said.

“I feel really blessed,” Lefler added. “I know that not a lot of people get it and some people struggle with money, so it’s definitely a blessing.”

These students now head to college with all the tools to be successful in their endeavors. Forget doors – opportunity just knocked at the gates for these four individuals.