The Mineral County Community Foundation was established in 1994 in response to the closing of a major employer, the Crown Pacific sawmill in Superior.

A citizen group met weekly to assist the county in coming up with solutions to the economic and social crisis of lost jobs. Through their outreach, a Japanese businessman, Akira Yamaguchi, gifted $95,000 to the nonprofit for charitable and research purposes. The gift was placed in a permanent endowment fund with the Montana Community Foundation and was named the Mandala Fund in honor of Mr. Yamaguchi.

The name has since been changed to the Mineral County Community Foundation Fund.

At their March meeting, the Board of the MCCF made decisions on their 2023 scholarship awards. This year, they had students from all three school districts and chose to award 10 applicants.

The scholarship of $2,500, awarded to a student with exemplary community volunteerism, was awarded to Molia Dao of Alberton.

This year, the MCCF awarded $1,000 scholarships to another seven students, but this year was an anomaly.

“Yes, we gave out six more scholarships than our usual awards because we couldn’t turn down such quality students!” said Liz Gupton, MCCF president and secretary. “We awarded $500 scholarships to two Mineral County alumni, as well.”

Selections are made based on community service, leadership qualities, scholastic achievement, extracurricular activities and overall character.

The following are the aspirations of these students, in their own words:

Molia Gao, Alberton: “My educational goal is to get a master’s degree in speech language pathology. I want to be a speech language pathologist so I can help children learn how to communicate effectively and express themselves more efficiently in the world. It can be very frustrating for children to express themselves, especially when others can’t understand the words they are trying to say. I want to help them learn how…to communicate how they are feeling and when they need help.”

Kimberly Turner, Alberton: “I have had the same dream since I was in kindergarten, I will be a veterinarian. I am going into Missoula College to fulfill as many of my general education credits as possible. Once I achieve that goal, I will transfer to the University of Montana to finish out a degree in biology. With this biology degree I will take a break from college to move to Idaho. There are no schools in Montana that offer the courses needed to become a veterinarian and that is my dream career. Using the biology degree. I will investigate working at a veterinary clinic to support my move to Idaho.”

Molly Patko, Superior: “My future plans include attending a university, majoring in criminal justice, and eventually continuing into law school and becoming a criminal prosecutor. As of right now, I have completed and submitted my application to Gonzaga University in Spokane Washington in hopes to be accepted and begin furthering my education. I want to achieve academic success throughout my years of study, earn a degree in a field that I genuinely enjoy, and partake in all that life has to offer.”

Kylie Quick, Superior: “My intended vocation is pursuing a career in ultrasonography. It consists of producing images of your body using sound waves to diagnose and treat diseases or conditions. My interest in this field started when I volunteered at a local hospital and shadowed the professionals in each of their specific roles. I have always had a passion for caring for others and finding ways to help people that are in need.”

Madeline Drey, Superior: “I plan to attend the University of Montana in the fall of 2023 and pursue my bachelor’s degree in early childhood education. I intend on staying in our beloved Montana and earning my master’s degree later. I want to be a teacher because teachers are essentially the backbone of society. They give children a purpose and set them up to be successful citizens in our world, and I want to be a part of that.”

Isabella Pereira, Superior: “I have always thought of taking the college route. I plan on majoring in accounting and minoring in math or computer science. Numbers and math have always been something I picked up quickly and loved to do. From this, deciding on my major and life path came easily to me. Along with focusing on my academics, I also plan on continuing my athletic career in track and field.”

Payton Milender, Superior: “I plan to attend Montana Technological University in Butte, MT and study pre-nursing with a specialization in labor and delivery to obtain a bachelor of science in nursing. There are many reasons why I want to be a nurse. First of all, I love helping others and giving them a new opportunity to live a healthier life. Next, I want to become a labor and delivery nurse because I love children and I always have, and it would be a dream come true if I got to help bring them into the world every single day.”

Macy Hill, St Regis: “I plan on attending Montana State University. While at Montana State, I hope to receive my bachelor's degree in Fish and Wildlife Management. If it weren’t for my two oldest sisters living in Bozeman and many other cousins, I may not have made the decision on this particular University so quickly. My family is and has always been supportive and uplifting in times of struggle and great success.”

Mackenzie Spence, alumnus Alberton (2017): “I am currently a graduate student at the University of Montana pursuing my M.Ed. in International Educational Leadership while working full-time in the TRIO SSS Office at Montana State University as the Program Coordinator. … Once I complete my M.Ed. in International Educational Leadership from the University of Montana, I plan to pursue a Ph.D. in Cultural Sociology which I will use to teach at the university level. …I have always been passionate about education, and as I have moved through my own educational experience, my passion has grown exponentially. I believe that the only thing that you can give to someone that cannot be taken away is education, which is what makes it so powerful. The thought of being the person who passes on their own knowledge to the next generation is what pushes me to be the best and most educated person I can be.”

Baylee Pruitt, alumnus St Regis (2022): “I graduated from Saint Regis High School in Spring of 2022, with an Associate’s Degree of Science from Great Falls College-MSU. After I graduate from college in a year or two, I plan to go to medical school at the University of Washington or go to Palmers School of Chiropractic. I plan to either become a chiropractor with a physical therapy license or become a family doctor/practitioner. I want to directly help small communities and I feel that this is the best way for me to do that.”