First National Bank awards $1,000 scholarships to students in Sioux Falls area

This piece is sponsored by The First National Bank in Sioux Falls.

The First National Bank in Sioux Falls recently awarded scholarships to high school seniors from Sioux Falls, Brandon, Harrisburg and Tri-Valley.

Since 2005, the bank has given nearly $100,000 to local students through its scholarship program.

Each of this year’s five winners received $1,000 toward their continuing education, and all they had to do was submit a short application, transcript and a 30- to 60-second video answering the following prompt:

Tell us about a time you saw a need or opportunity and took action. What was the result, and what did you learn?

Scholarship recipients were selected based on a combination of academics, financial need and the quality of their video response.

Addison Scholten, Brandon Valley High School

As a member of the Best Buddies program at Brandon Valley High School, Addison Scholten took on a leadership role that involves planning events and playing an active role in pairing students together.

“It’s a program where students with disabilities and students without disabilities are paired to create meaningful friendships and promote inclusion,” Scholten explained.

She added that through the program, she has learned about the positive impact one person can make on the life of another.

“It’s made me realize that what truly matters in life is not school or sports,” Scholten said, “but the people you meet and the relationships you make along the way.”

She plans to attend Creighton University for exercise science.

Avery Rodgers, Roosevelt High School

“During my senior year, I was able to join the Avera Academy, where I took dual credit courses at Southeast Tech and shadowed various areas in healthcare at Avera,” said Avery Rodgers of Sioux Falls.

The experience opened her eyes to how compassion and attentive care is needed in healthcare.

“I have seen how even the smallest actions can make a patient feel seen, supported and safe,” Rodgers said.

She emphasizes the importance of relationships and teamwork in creating a positive environment for families, adding that “these experiences strengthened my passion for healthcare and showed me the kind of provider I hope to be.”

Rodgers will go on to study exercise science at South Dakota State University.

Ellie Barber, Brandon Valley High School

Especially with college on the horizon, Ellie Barber of Brandon Valley High School felt she needed to be more financially independent.

“I didn’t want to rely on other people,” she said, “but at the time, I was also struggling to find a job that didn’t make me miserable.”

Rather than complaining about the situation, Barber took action by researching options, exploring higher-paying jobs and considering fields that aligned with her interests such as psychology and working with children.

“Because of that, I’ve become a lot more independent and intentional about my future instead of just taking whatever comes my way,” she said. “I learned that sometimes the ‘need’ isn’t something big — it’s realizing that you have to take control of your own situation and actually do something about it.”

Barber also took action by applying for the scholarship, and she has earned $1,000 toward studying psychology at Augustana University.

Macey Boese, Tri-Valley High School

“Last year, I noticed that I was spending a lot of my time stressed out and feeling overwhelmed by balancing school and my outside life,” said Macey Boese of Tri-Valley High School. “I realized that if I didn’t make a change, it would start affecting my grades and my mental health.”

Boese created a daily schedule and began keeping a small journal to track her progress and reflect on what was and wasn’t working.

As a result, she felt more organized and less stressed, and she improved her grades in every class.

“My friends even asked me for tips because they saw how much I had changed,” Boese added. “From this experience, I learned the value of self-discipline and planning ahead. I realized that taking initiative for my own growth can have a big impact on not just me and my success, but my confidence and well-being.”

Certainly, Boese will apply these skills as she studies nursing at South Dakota State University.

Regina Stoeser, Harrisburg High School

Regina Stoeser of Harrisburg High School saw a need last summer for more coaching and opportunities within women’s wrestling.

“I decided to start my own business, and I coached private lessons for female wrestlers all summer,” Stoeser said. “This was a really cool opportunity because I was able to steward my gifts, which is a big core value for me and also for First National Bank.”

Through the experience, Stoeser formed new relationships with the female wrestlers, with their parents and within her community.

“This really just taught me a lot about myself in that I can be an entrepreneur, I can start my own business and, at the same time, I can use my talents for good and to help grow my sport,” she said.

It should come as no surprise that Stoeser plans to pursue business and exercise science at Fort Hays State University in Kansas.

In addition to its scholarship program, First National Bank supports students with banking solutions for high school, college and beyond. Learn more about a student checking account and digital banking options on the bank’s website!