Blackduck students receive Paul Bunyan Communications scholarships

Blackduck High School seniors Jessa Anderson and Wilson Lien each received a 2026 Paul Bunyan Communications Scholarship, adding $500 apiece to help pay for what comes after high school.

Paul Bunyan Communications' high school scholarship program provides at least two $500 awards to each of 16 area high schools within or near its service territory, including Blackduck, Bemidji, Bigfork, Cass Lake, Kelliher, Red Lake, Northome and Walker-Hackensack-Akeley. Each school handles the application process, chooses the winners and distributes the money independently, keeping the competition local to the school rather than spread across the whole region.

Blackduck Public Schools keeps a scholarships and post-graduation information page for students. Paul Bunyan Communications also extends scholarship opportunities beyond the high school level, offering awards at Bemidji State University, Northwest Technical College, Minnesota North College-Itasca, Red Lake Nation College, Leech Lake Tribal College and Oak Hills Christian College.

Paul Bunyan Communications provides dozens of scholarships each year to students in its service territory. In its 2025 annual report, Paul Bunyan Communications donated more than $20,000 in scholarships to area high schools and postsecondary institutions during the 2025 school year. Anderson is listed by Hudl as a Blackduck High School girls’ varsity volleyball player in the Class of 2026, and Lien appears in MaxPreps’ basketball timeline for Blackduck.