Huson
Huson, MT · Education
The Western News
Libby, Troy celebrates its 2026 high school graduates
Libby and Troy celebrated its respective classes of 2026 during separate high school graduation ceremonies Sunday, May 31. Inclement weather forced Troy to move its graduation to the Troy Activity Center. Libby held its traditional ceremony in the middle high school. Libby saw three seniors achieve Valedictorian honors, including Tristan Andersen, Ashlenn James and Teague Thompson. Troy's Valedictorian was Jaylee Meyers. Libby's class Salutatorian was Ashley Cockerham while Trevor Guinard earned the distinction at Troy. They all spoke at their respective ceremonies. Libby's Middle High School band, led by director Patrick Lewis, and the high school concert choir, directed by Cara Lewis, each performed. Libby's commencement speaker was Ryan Nourse, a Class of 1990 graduate, who has been the head football coach at Montana Western in Dillon. He completed his 12th season as head coach at Montana Western in 2025 and has a 71-48 all-time record. He is the winningest coach in UMW history and has the second longest tenure. Libby Superintendent Ron Goodman and Principal Scott Beagle presented the graduates while Board of Trustees' Alida Snow presented the diplomas. At Troy, Milo Rogers was the guest speaker and he delivered a heart-felt recollection about many of the students he's
Bigfork Eagle
‘He’s a rare kid’: Bigfork senior chases air force dreams for a decade
Nic Gustavson has a photograph of the moment he realized what he wanted to do with the rest of his life. In the image, he’s in the third grade and salutes the camera, with the gleaming silver points of the futuristic looking Air Force Academy Chapel and peaks of Colorado’s Front Range behind him. At the ripe old age of 8, Gustavson knew he wanted to fly planes, and he knew he wanted to fly planes with the U.S. Air Force. Never mind that the Air Force Academy has an acceptance rate of just 14% or that the application process is far more grueling than that of the typical university; Gustavson had a goal, and for the next 10 years he pursued it with a single-minded determination. At the end of January, Gustavson was accepted to the Air Force Academy, fulfilling his life-long dream. “It feels pretty gratifying,” Gustavson said. “All that work and all the years of classes and everything I’ve been doing ... to finally make it, it’s just a weird feeling. It feels good, but it doesn’t feel real.” Gustavson graduates with the Bigfork High School class of 2026 on June 6 before heading to Colorado at
Whitefish Pilot
Whitefish School District searching for new middle school principal
The Whitefish School District opened applications for a new Whitefish Middle School principal after the school board approved the hire of current principal Josh Branstetter for the role of assistant superintendent for curriculum and instruction. The board this spring updated the description of the assistant superintendent position to make it more fitting for assistant administrative duties. Previously, the role was called the director of curriculum and instruction. Lisa Bloom was in that role but was hired as interim superintendent last month, as current Superintendent Dave Means is retiring. Branstetter has been the middle school principal since 2012. "It has been a privilege to serve this district for the past 25 years as a teacher, assistant principal, and principal of Whitefish Middle School," Branstetter said. "In this new position, I look forward to building upon our district's success, capitalizing on the positive relationships formed over the years, and working alongside interim superintendent Lisa Bloom to continue our forward momentum for all our Whitefish students." The district will see further leadership changes this fall as Muldown Elementary welcomes Jennifer Santora as its new principal. At a May 26 special meeting, the board also proposed a renewed 2026-2031 transportation contract, intended for Rocky
Lake County Leader
Personal goodbyes: Charlo celebrates class of 2026
The Charlo class of 2026 walked across the stage on Sunday, May 31, and proudly held up their diplomas for the crowd to see. In this small, tight-knit community with 22 graduates, this moment was a personal celebration and a personal goodbye for the seniors, who depended on their classmates, community and teachers to support them through the journey. Salutatorian Madison Harris kicked off graduation with her speech, reminiscing on the memories she made at Charlo High School. “Most of my favorite memories were definitely from sports, like beating Drummond and winning against Lincoln individuals, messing around with friends after track events, and just being around the people who made sports worth being there,” Harris said. Harris said she’ll miss Charlo and even the teachers who complained about their absences. She added that the class has learned a lot over the years, including how to write an essay the night before it's due. “Most of us have grown up together. We have all laughed together and made memories that we've carried forever, even if we forgot everything that we learned in algebra. I'm so glad that we've got to share this really chaotic experience together,” she said. In her speech,
Flathead Beacon
High School State Championships: Bigfork Baseball Wins First A/B Title; Whitefish Tennis Sweeps Team Titles
After a weekend full of competition and weather delays, the 2025-2026 high school sports year came to a close with three Flathead Valley teams walking away with state titles. In the first-ever Class A/B state baseball tournament, the Bigfork Vikings eclipsed a previously undefeated Dillon Beavers 7-2 to take home top honors, while the Whitefish boys and girls tennis teams swept the Class A team titles for the first time in school history.
Flathead Beacon
Class of 2026 in the World of Artificial Intelligence
The Class of 2026 moved through its four years of high school much like any other. The nervous freshmen turned into self-assured sophomores. This group of students transitioned into their junior and senior years finding its way, exploring interests, and developing a plan for life after public education. The Montana...
MaxPreps
Softball Recap: Make It Three in a Row for Libby
Two teams were on the hunt for playoff glory, but only Libby walked away with it. They came out on top against the Billings Central Catholic Rams by a score of 5-2 on Tuesday. The victory was nothing new for the Loggers as they're now sitting on three straight. Libby's...
hellgatelance.com
Hellgate Says Goodbye to Retiring Teachers
Hellgate wouldn’t be the same without its stellar group of experienced teachers. This year, our school is saying goodbye to a few of them. The Lance would like to thank these teachers for their contribution and dedication with a feature about their time at Hellgate and their next steps.
Flathead Beacon
Coach Bennett is Only Guilty of Running a Successful Program
I am an educator at Glacier High School. I have been in the Kalispell School District for the last 25 years. At times over the years, I have coached basketball (at Kalispell Junior High), softball, and football (at FHS and GHS), and for the last nine years, eighth-grade football at Kalispell Middle School. I have seen high school coaches recruit middle school players by writing letters to parents and talking to individuals after practice. One coach offered varsity playing time by the time players were sophomores (if they came to his school). That is blatant recruiting. I never saw Grady Bennett recruit in these last nine years.
Char-Koosta News
Two Eagle graduates celebrated through stories of resilience, growth
PABLO, Mont. — Twenty graduates wearing beaded caps, eagle feathers, and decorated gowns earned their diplomas in front of a gym filled with supporters at the Eagles Nest on May 24. Two Eagle River School celebrated the Class of 2026 with songs, prayers, and heartfelt tributes honoring each student’s journey.
Flathead Beacon
Local School Districts Grapple with Levy Fallout
At Kalispell Public Schools’ first board meeting after voters rejected its most recent levy ask, district clerk Chris Campbell offered a stark assessment of the elementary district’s budget projection for the next two years. “I don’t want to make light of it, but the first round of reductions...
Whitefish Pilot
Photos: Talented young musicians at spring concert
Photos from the Whitefish Middle School spring orchestra concert on Thursday, May 21. Katerina Fredrickson, seventh grade cellist at the Whitefish Middle School spring orchestra concert on May 21. (Kelsey Evans/Whitefish PIlot) Hudson Barbieri, seventh grade violist, at the Whitefish Middle School spring orchestra concert on May 21. (Kelsey Evans/Whitefish PIlot) Annika Hughes and Ania Muhlner, eighth grade violinists at the Whitefish Middle School spring orchestra concert on May 21. (Kelsey Evans/Whitefish PIlot) Blake Watson, seventh grade bassist at the Whitefish Middle School spring orchestra concert on May 21. (Kelsey Evans/Whitefish PIlot) Evie Rutledge, seventh grade cellist at the Whitefish Middle School spring orchestra concert on May 21. (Kelsey Evans/Whitefish PIlot) Luke Rothfuss, eighth grade violinist at the Whitefish Middle School spring orchestra concert on May 21. (Kelsey Evans/Whitefish PIlot) Vivian Parsons, eighth grade violist at the Whitefish Middle School spring orchestra concert on May 21. (Kelsey Evans/Whitefish PIlot) The Whitefish Middle School seventh and eighth grade orchestra spring concert on May 21. (Kelsey Evans/Whitefish Pilot)
Whitefish Pilot
Photos: Whitefish High School seniors awarded scholarships
The Whitefish High School Scholarship Ceremony on Monday, May 18. A total of 32 seniors attended as 94 local awards were given out. The 2026 Whitefish High School scholarship awards ceremony on Monday, May 18. (Kelsey Evans/Whitefish Pilot) Sam Nissen at the 2026 Whitefish High School scholarship awards ceremony on Monday, May 18. (Kelsey Evans/Whitefish Pilot) The 2026 Whitefish High School scholarship awards ceremony on Monday, May 18. (Photo provided by Whitefish Education Foundation) The 2026 Whitefish High School scholarship awards ceremony on Monday, May 18. (Photo provided by Whitefish Education Foundation) The 2026 Whitefish High School scholarship awards ceremony on Monday, May 18. (Photo provided by Whitefish Education Foundation) The 2026 Whitefish High School scholarship awards ceremony on Monday, May 18. (Photo provided by Whitefish Education Foundation) The 2026 Whitefish High School scholarship awards ceremony on Monday, May 18. (Photo provided by Whitefish Education Foundation) The 2026 Whitefish High School scholarship awards ceremony on Monday, May 18. (Photo provided by Whitefish Education Foundation)
Flathead Beacon
Glacier and Flathead High Schools Eye Playoff Push in Inaugural Seasons
In the year 2026, the feat of being the “first” to do something in the sports world seems few and far between, especially in a game that formally took shape in 1845. But for young baseball players across Montana, the last few years have been a continuous cycle of “firsts” as more teams join the high school ranks following the state’s inaugural sanctioned season in 2023.
Flathead Beacon
Sister Judy Caps St. Matthew’s Teaching Career with Spirit of Montana Award
As Sister Judy Lund sat and spoke with Marygrace Knuffke, a St. Matthew’s alumna who is serving out her year as Miss Montana’s Outstanding Teen, Knuffke told her she’d be attending the University of Alabama on a scholarship after she graduates in June. “That’s a good choice,”...
Char-Koosta News
SKC to Celebrate Class of 2026 on Saturday, June 6th
PABLO, MT — Salish Kootenai College will celebrate the Class of 2026 during its commencement ceremony on Saturday, June 6, 2026, at 11:00 AM at the Joe McDonald Health & Fitness Center on the SKC campus. The ceremony will honor graduates completing degrees and certificates across a variety of...
Hungry Horse News
Alexander signs with Virginia Military Institute
Standout soccer player Isla Alexander has signed to play with the Virginia Military Institute. Alexander was the center back for the Columbia Falls girls soccer team her senior year, anchoring a tenacious defense that won the state A championship. Alexander is only the second player in Columbia Falls girls’ soccer history to sign with a Division I program. The first was Josie Windauer. Alexander was first team all-conference this season. As a junior she played forward and had 14 goals. Alexander has a 4.0 grade point average and plans on studying mechanical engineering and then commissioning as a second lieutenant in the Marines upon graduation from the esteemed military college.