The Wagner Chamber of Commerce held their monthly meeting on Monday, Feb. 7 at the Wagner Theater meeting room and the topic of discussion involved what the future could hold for the senior class students. The central focus of the meeting included a basic explanation of the Build Dakota Scholarship program and the opportunities it presents for students and for local businesses and the community as a whole. The Build Dakota Scholarship represents a “full ride scholarship”, which provides all of a students tuition, books, tools and fees to attend a technical college in South Dakota. This special scholarship brings a business partner and student together and encourages the student to return to the community after technical college training is completed.

Clayton Deuter, the Dean of Enrollment Services for Mitchel Technical College, spoke about the value of forming a partnership with the Build Dakota Scholarship and local local businesses. Each partner provides half of the cost of a students education at the technical college. Students in the Wagner area were first introduced to this special scholarship when the Yankton Sioux Tribe became a business partner a few years ago as a way to help students get the education and training they need to find a good paying career. Now Wagner students are finding support from not only the Yankton Sioux Tribe but also local businesses who are willing to become a partner in this scholarship program as a way to help encourage Wagner students to consider bringing their training back to Wagner to not only benefit their own life, but to also help build the community for the future. This is the first time the Chamber of Commerce has taken the progressive step to actively recruiting Wagner graduates to consider this step and to also encourage local and to have several local businesses to also become involved. At this meeting several local businesses voiced their interest in becoming a partner and help sponsor a student’s education. Any student, parent or business who would like to know more about this program can contact the Wagner High School counselor or Dana Sanderson.