Harper scholarships awarded

Harper Memorial Scholarships worth a total of $110,000 have been awarded to 25 seniors and alumni of Sundance High School this year.

The scholarships are awarded through the Orville D. Harper and Wanda J. Harper Revocable Trusts and are intended for graduates of the school to assist them as they attend any in-state university or college.

Students can apply for the scholarship for each year of their higher education.

Long-time Sundance residents and ranchers, the Harpers believed strongly in education and were staunch supporters of the University of Wyoming.

They decided to set up an endowment that could support local students, according to retired guidance counselor Alice Willey, who was acquainted with the couple and remembers their “generous spirit”.

Funding for the scholarships is sent to Crook County School District from the trust each year, and then recipients each year are selected by a scholarship committee.

“Each year, I look forward to April 15, when we get the honor of awarding these scholarship funds to deserving students. We send an update to our donor each year and pass on the thank you notes we receive from the students,” says Pam Garman, a member of the committee.

“This is truly something that makes a difference for them and they are quick to offer their thanks to the committee, which we in turn forward to the family who are the ones deserving of the thanks; we are just the instruments through which the funds flow and we are happy to serve in this capacity.” 

Recipients of the scholarship this year who will be attending the University of Wyoming include Branson Bankenbush, Ella Bifulco, Lauryn Brooks, Ryder Downey, Jameson Fleenor, Autumn Groth, Hayes Haiar, Brook Hofland, Aspen Jones, John Jones, Bradley Kruger, Spencer Lubken, Aftyn Marchant, Teagan Marchant, Sherry Negaard, Drake Richards, Nathaniel Schommer, Mazelynn Sharp and Myles Stefanich.

Recipients Riley Banker and McKaya Gillespie will be attending Laramie County Community College. Natalie Curren will attend Casper College, Tucker Dobson will attend Northwest Community College and Savanna Williams and Jesse Harmon will attend Gillette Community College.