MULLAN –– Mullan Jr./Sr. High School student Talan Rupp-Connors was recently named a recipient of a $25,000 scholarship from the Horatio Alger Association. 

According to Horatio Alger Association spokesperson Hailee Elko, Rupp-Connors was selected after the Horatio Alger Association selection committee reviewed the applicants and found Rupp-Connors' submission ‘compelling.’ 

“He crafted a compelling 'Adversity Essay' and 'American Dream Experience,' which vividly detailed the personal hardships he has overcome and the dreams he aspires to achieve,” Elko said. “His selection was a testament to his remarkable perseverance and resilience.”  

To receive a Horatio Alger scholarship, students are required to meet strict criteria while also submitting the aforementioned essays. These criteria include full-time high school enrollment as a junior, demonstrate critical financial need, involvement in co-curricular and community activities, maintain a GPA of 2.0 or higher, committing to and completing a bachelor’s degree immediately following high school, display integrity and perseverance in overcoming adversity, and be a United States citizen. 

Mullan Jr./Sr. High School Principal Jacki Almquist gave a glowing report of Rupp-Connors that showed how he has met or plans to meet all of the criteria required of him.  

According to Almquist, Rupp-Connors is a varsity letterman in football and basketball, a member of the National Honor Society, and was selected as an Idaho Top Scholar as a junior. After high school, he plans to attend Montana Technical University and pursue a degree in Mining Engineering.  

“Talan has been a student at Mullan from kindergarten to his senior year,” Almquist said. “I've enjoyed being his English teacher and principal. His contributions in the classroom demonstrate academic leadership.”  

Founded in 1947, the Horatio Alger Association of Distinguished Americans, Inc. has awarded $265 million in undergraduate, career, and technical education, and graduate need-based scholarships to more than 37,000 students. Horatio Alger Scholars also have access to academic, personal and wellness, and professional services that enable them to overcome their challenges, complete higher education, and launch successful careers. 

In 2024, the Association is awarding more than $18 million in undergraduate and graduate need-based scholarships to 1,800 students across the United States and Canada.