Pictured here are Wagner area students and our first non-traditional student who are all receiving a full ride educational scholarship to help them accomplish their career goals. These recipients are part of a special “Scholarship Signing Program” that was held in the Wagner School with their family and friends on hand to witness this great educational opportunity. These students are receiving the Yankton Sioux Tribe and Build Dakota Partnership Scholarship, which is a full ride scholarship.

How did this opportunity happen for them? The South Dakota Build Dakota Scholarship Program is made available for students who are able to have an educational partner who will help fund one half of the cost of attending technical college in South Dakota. Once these recipients complete their pro-gram they will become gainfully employed in the course of study they have completed and remain in the state for a minimum of three years doing what they were trained to do in college. This full ride scholarship will include paying all of their tuition fees, books, tools and a computer, if required for their program.

The three technical schools that are part of this partnership agreement with the Yankton Sioux Tribe are Mitchel Technical College, Southeast Technical College and Lake Area Technical College. The scholarship recipients are pictured with Clayton Deuter, Vice President for Enrollment Services at Mitchell Technical College and is awarding them their scholarship to attend the college in Mitchel. Sitting left to right are: Tim Bouza, who will be studying architectural Design & Building Construction, Braxton Knudsen, who will be studying Heating and Cooling technology, Sapphire Simmons, who will be studying Medical Lab Technology and Andrea Soulek, who will be studying nursing. Andrea is the first non-traditional student to obtain this opportunity from our area. This scholarship is made possible because the Yankton Sioux Tribe and the South Dakota Build Dakota Scholarship Program are working together as partners in helping to provide recognition and support for motivated Yankton Sioux Tribal students who are seeking to create a better life for themselves.