Scherbenske Inc. offers new scholarship for Jamestown high school seniors

Scherbenske Inc. is putting its name behind a new scholarship for one graduating senior at Jamestown High School or Jamestown-BJA, the former Jamestown North program, signaling another local employer stepping in to help keep Jamestown talent in the community. The award is set to be presented this spring through Jamestown Dollars for Scholars, placing the company’s support squarely inside the busy graduation season when students are deciding how to pay for what comes next.

For families, the most immediate detail is simple: Jamestown High School seniors and Jamestown-BJA seniors can start a profile through Jamestown Dollars for Scholars, which accepts applications from Dec. 1 through March 1. The scholarship amount was not listed in the announcement, but the award is aimed at students moving on to college, technical school or another training path, where even one more scholarship can help cover tuition, books, fees or tools.

Scherbenske is no small newcomer to the local scene. The company is based at 2511 17th St SE in Jamestown and operates as an excavating and grading contractor that also installs sewer and water lines and handles aggregate sales. Scherbenske says it has served the Valley City and Jamestown area for more than 80 years, and news coverage has noted that two years ago it hauled more than 53,000 loads of aggregates, most of them for the new Pipestem Dam. That scale helps explain why its scholarship carries weight: it is a homegrown business with deep ties to the region’s roads, utilities and heavy construction work.

The scholarship also fits into the larger mission of Jamestown Dollars for Scholars, a locally operated, volunteer-driven nonprofit under Scholarship America that grew out of the Jamestown Public School Foundation, formed in 1981. The chapter says it raises funds for graduates of Jamestown High School to encourage post-secondary education and has set a goal of providing a $1,000 scholarship to every graduating senior who wants to continue their education. Its board includes DeAnn Ament, Robert Toso, Casey Stoudt, Rob Lech, Dave Falk, Ryan Harty, Elaine Hegland, Nicole Justice, Dorothy Lauinger, Barb Orr, Sally Ost, Donna Schmitz, Kristi Grounds, Heidi Larson, Allison Mack and Julie Skunberg.

The new Scherbenske award adds another local funding stream at a time when the chapter’s results have been growing. Jamestown Dollars for Scholars said it awarded 65 scholarships totaling $67,500 at the May 6, 2026 Jamestown High School Awards Ceremony, up from 56 scholarships totaling $58,500 in 2025 and 51 scholarships totaling $53,500 in 2024. For students deciding whether to stay, train, and build a future in Jamestown, the message is clear: local employers are still willing to invest in the next class of graduates.