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Thompson Falls high school counselor Jodi Morgan shared some good news at the school board meeting Monday. Morgan proudly announced that senior Nathan Burwig received the QuestBridge scholarship, which includes more than $70,000 a year for four years at Tufts University near Boston, Massachusetts. This year, the program received a record high 16,248 applications. Of those, 6,507 were chosen as finalists. Burwig was one of 1,044 students to receive the QuestBridge College Match Scholarship. According to the QuestBridge website, “College Match Scholarship Recipients are admitted early to QuestBridge college partners with guaranteed, full four-year scholarships that are provided by the colleges and universities, ensuring these students and their families that an education at a top college can be affordable.”

Thompson Falls Elementary is the recipient of a $50,000 grant from Phillips 66 to purchase new smartboards for classrooms. Principal Len Dorscher said the school will be able to purchase enough smartboards for 10-11 classrooms with the grant, and was excited to share the news with the school board at Monday’s meeting. Dorscher said he has been working on the grant for almost two years. The company donates through its philanthropy program nationwide, and last year donated $50,000 to Northwest Montana fire departments (including Thompson Falls Rural and Plains/Paradise Rural) after the 2017 wildfire season.

Athletic director Jake Mickelson addressed the board on Monday, expressing his excitement for the Blue Hawk football team’s move to 8-man play. Mickelson also commented that the recent athletic fundraiser held at the Elks Lodge in Thompson Falls was a great success. The events raised more than $14,000, and Mickelson said it takes a lot of pressure off the athletic programs.