SWANVILLE, Minn. — Every year on the evening of commencement, the Swanville school board hosts a picnic for its high school graduates and their families.
This is our gift to them,” Chris Kircher says as he flips burgers on a gas grill.
A bigger gift awaits.
By the end of the evening, 21 of the school’s 24 graduates will be taking home scholarships given to them by their community.
Every student who applied will get one, ranging from $2,500 to $8,000.
When the last student crosses the stage, Swanville will have given its senior class a total of $108,000.
“To me, it’s just this community saying, go be great,” says graduate Zach Gapinski. “Go do something cool and make a difference in the world.”
Chris Dunshee, a former Swanville school principal, and Royal Loven, who owned the local gas station, brainstormed the idea in 1987.
In the early days of open enrollment, Chris and Royal worried their city of 326 people might lose students to larger school districts.
“We’ll put a big billboard outside of town on the highway, says ‘Come to Swanville school, we give every student who graduates a scholarship,’” Chris says with a laugh as he reminisces.
The billboard never materialized.
“It didn’t have to,” laughs Royal.
The scholarship idea, on the other hand, stuck.
Swanville started small. The average scholarship that first year was $166.
But the community was just getting started.
When Brittany Johnson graduated in 2001, she received $500, the same amount her husband Brian received a year earlier.
“It’s not even the money, it was just who it was coming from,” says Brittany, who used her scholarship to attend the University of Minnesota-Duluth.
“Swanville’s just a really special place,” she says.
Brittany and Brian are now scholarship donors.
It seems like everyone in Swanville is.
Chili cookoffs, calendars, cheese curds, poinsettias, waffles, bingo, and pull-tabs. Swanville has sold everything but its historic water tower to raise money for scholarships.
All that fundraising has allowed the scholarships to keep growing.
This year’s recipients will receive an average of $5,142.
“The goal is to support whatever’s next for kids,” Teresa Giese, president of the Swanville Dollars for Scholars, says.
“If you’re taking a break year and you apply, we’ll still allocate money to you,” Teresa continues. “If you go into the military, when you’re done with that, we’ll give you your money then.”
Every student who applied for this year’s scholarships received one, their amounts based on factors such as GPA, school activities, work history, and goals.
“This year, for the first time, we’re supporting someone with special needs going on to continued life skills,” Teresa says.
The Swanville class of 2025 has a distinction.
“We’re awarding our one millionth dollar at graduation tonight,” Teresa says.
As students begin to gather on the Swanville football field, none of them knows the scholarship amount he or she will be receiving.
“They really wait to surprise us,” says Zach Gapinski, who’ll be attending the University of Minnesota, Mankato
Yet, students seem to appreciate how unique this is.
“Makes me feel special,” says graduating senior Ingrid Mesa, who’ll use her scholarship to help pay for college at Southwest Minnesota State University.
Ingrid’s classmate Lily Peterson, bound for the University of Mary, agrees.
“They want to support my dreams, and they want to see me go far, so one day maybe I can come back and give back also,” Lily says.
The Swanville High School band plays “Pomp and Circumstance” as seniors march onto the stage.
Minutes later, each scholarship recipient is called by name to the front of the stage to learn the amount they will be receiving.
Friends and family seated in folding chairs applaud as Teresa Geise reads each name and amount.
Some students will use their scholarships to attend universities and technical schools.
One student is bound for a school of hair design.
A couple of others are undecided but know their scholarships will be waiting when they are ready.
Their principal, Sheryl Johnson, asks just one thing in return. “Wherever you go, know that Swanville is always home,” she tells the seniors in her commencement remarks.
Swanville’s class of 2025 will take its next steps with help from a hometown that dreamed for them.
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