DELTA COUNTY, Mich. (WLUC) – Two Delta County high schoolers just got some good news about their next steps in life, and it surprised them both.
When senior Dane Butler came to a meeting at his high school with Bay College, the last thing on his mind was the scholarship he had applied for.
“I wasn’t expecting a Bay representative with a scholarship,” Butler said.
But that’s what he got. The college gave the Gladstone high schooler a giant check for $12,000. That’s a full ride for two years.
“That basically assures that I’m going to be able to get that Associate’s,” the senior said.
Bay awards annually three Board of Trustees Elite Scholarships in Delta and Dickinson Counties. This year, two of the three scholarships went to high school students in Delta County.
The award also came as a surprise to Escanaba High School senior Matthew Keast.
“I had no idea this was happening,” Keast said. “I saw my mom walk in and I thought I was in trouble. ’What did I do this time?’ I was kind of freaking out.”
But Keast wasn’t in trouble, instead he learned about the exciting — and money saving — development as he looks ahead to college. He says, now that he doesn’t have to worry about money, he can focus on other things.
“The leap from being a kid dependent on your parents to being an adult is such a large one and I haven’t felt ready,” Keast said. “So, this gives me the time now to prepare and to get ready to be on my own.”
Keast and Dalton both had 3.8 GPAs or above. And school administrators submitted their nominations. Then, Bay College sent them a letter asking them to apply for the prestigious scholarships.
“So, they get the invite and that’s just a cue to say, ‘Hey, you’re really smart,” Admissions Director Jessica Beaver said. “You know, ‘the staff at your school love you and you’re going to do amazing things.’”
Beaver says the college helps all students not just the ones with high GPAs.
“We’re here to make sure everyone has a chance at trying college and to get an education of some kind,” the admissions director said. “So, whether it’s just to take a couple of classes, it’s to get a certificate and Associate’s, to transfer, to get a bachelor’s, like whatever your journey needs to be, that is why we’re here.”
Butler plans to study mechatronics and robotics, and Keast hopes to be a filmmaker. Two very different educational and career paths, and both are getting started at their local community college.
Click here, to learn more about Bay College’s certificate and degree programs.
The college says the Dickinson County winning student will be announced next week. TV6 will be at that presentation, too.
Copyright 2025 WLUC. All rights reserved.
