Monticola Club announces scholarship winners

Susanville’s Monticola Club honored its 2026 Scholarship winners at the Thursday, April 17 luncheon.

The local women’s community service organization is celebrating 114 years of service in Susanville. Their fundraising efforts enable them to award three $500 scholarships to Lassen High School students and one $1,000 scholarship to a Lassen College graduate.

The Etta Tarry Memorial Scholarship is named after a former club member and has been awarded since 1979 to a Lassen Community College graduate continuing at an accredited 4-year college or university.  The recipient this year is Reegan Dunten who is currently attending Southern Oregon University pursuing a degree in Environmental Science/Environmental Studies. Reegan graduated from LHS and LCC concurrently in 2025. He is a first-generation college student and is a member of the SOU football team. He is also the SOU Native Ambassador, Tribal Agriculture Fellowship Ambassador/Mentor, and Agriculture Future of America Ambassador/Mentor. Reegan has met with USDA and other Governmental Agencies representing Native Agriculture and Environmental Sustainability.

Since 1984 the Monticola Vocational Scholarship is available to a student planning to attend an accredited vocational school or college. Miguel Hernandez is our recipient of the Vocational Scholarship and he is pursuing a career in game development and animation. Miguel will be attending Chico State and getting firsthand experience using professional 3D graphics software.

He passed all his Advanced Placement tests earning the AP Scholar with Honors title from Chico State along with other Recognitions: First-Generation, Rural and Small-Town, and School Recognition Awards. He joined the California Scholarship Federation, volunteers and performs community service including cleaning Diamond Crest Cemetery for Memorial Day.

Monticola’s oldest scholarship is the Spencer Memorial and was first awarded in 1959 to a graduating high school student.  Marie Giles is this year’s recipient. Her accomplishments include being an Honor student, soccer, field hockey track and field athlete, community volunteer, lifeguard and swim instructor. Marie took first place in 2023 in the Northern California/Nevada Rotary Club speech contest, is active in FBLA and founder of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes at LHS. She plans to major in civil engineering at Westmont University, Santa Barbara, or UC Davis, and has been accepted to both.

In 1974 the Club established the Monticola Memorial Scholarship. This year Londyn Smith was chosen. Active in her church, the school newspaper, Drama, Interact, and Culinary Clubs, she also works, babysits, and has been on the Honor roll every term. In addition, she plays golf and is on the Future Farmers of America Ag Sales team. Londyn will be studying Psychology and has been accepted at Brigham Young University. Her goal is to become a Board-Certified Behavior Analyst to improve the quality of life for people with brain injuries, autism, and developmental disabilities.