Saint Francis Catholic student Wesley Vacek is only eight, but for a 3rd grade student, he is quite perceptive. Wesley, his older sister Loralei (grade 6), and older brother Xavier (grade 7) transferred to Saint Francis Catholic in 2023. “This school is way better than our old school,” Wesley declared with no hesitation.
The Brinkel family, a devout Catholic family with a family farm in Broadview, wanted a Catholic education for their children, even though they lived far from Billings. When St. Patrick’s High School opened, Bill Brinkel graduated from its first class in 1947. It is the intent of this scholarship to provide financial assistance to students attending Billings Central High School from rural areas in our region.
The Fagg family cares deeply for the Billings Catholic Schools. Barclay and Harrison, 2016 graduates of Billings Central Catholic High School, particularly appreciate their time. The Fagg family establishes this scholarship to provide opportunity to those who wish to attend our Catholic schools. This scholarship will be for new transfer students to Billings Catholic Schools to helps students and families who desire a change towards Catholic education.
As students and their parents can testify, our Billings Catholic Schools teachers do incredible work! They are the front lines of forming our students in the Faith, Family Spirit, and Academic Excellence we all hold dear. So often, our investment in teachers cannot match the investment they make in the lives of our children.
Initial Efforts: Since the 1970’s, as more lay teachers replaced our beloved Sisters of Charity, a gap formed between teacher investment at the Catholic Schools and their counterparts at the public schools. This gap persists today!
In the latter years of the 2000’s, Chuck Heringer made it his mission to ensure our Catholic school teachers were adequately supported. At the time, Chuck developed the “Teachers Excellence Fund.” It would be his last major fundraising initiative for our Catholic Schools at the time of his death in 2008. Chuck raised $650,000 towards the Teacher’s Excellence Fund. It distributes $25,000+ annually.
Building on the Legacy: As a school whose mission is academic excellence, we know that high student achievement is intertwined with exceptional teachers. And what do teachers value: the gift of life-long learning!
Many of our teachers go on to receive advanced degrees because of their love of education, as well as to increase their earnings potential. Through this life-long education, many are ready to implement their learning through progressive instruction, cutting edge technology, and innovative curriculum – all to reach students and nurture them to their greatest potential.
Sadly, your Catholic schools are often left saying, “Great idea! But no, there is no budget for that,” even when exceptional ideas are presented from the people who know best – our teachers!
To this end, your Billings Catholic Schools and Foundation will begin a new grant program that invests in our teachers to achieve excellence for our students – the Teachers Excellence and Innovation Program.
For Mayfair 2025, your Billings Catholic Schools sought to augment the annual distribution from the Teacher’s Excellence fund with a new Innovation fund.
At these 2 levels, this Mayfair special project will distribute $25,000 a year for classroom innovation over the next decade. It will be paired with the $25,000 distribution from the already established Teacher Excellence Fund. Together, this Teachers Excellence and Innovation Program will provide $50,000 annually for teacher grants:
1) We look for teacher-recommended innovative programs, curriculum, and materials that drive greater student achievement. 2) We will implement educational assistance for teachers who desire to pursue advanced degrees. 3) We will review teacher-initiated training opportunities that directly augments classroom instruction.
Jim and Ellen benefitted from receiving sixteen years of catholic education. Jim is a Central graduate of 1968. Jim and Ellen sent their children to our Billings Catholic Schools. They had one grandchild recently graduate. They believe in the motto of “Faith, Family Spirit, and Academic Excellence.” By giving this scholarship, the Bullers wish to help a family or families afford the cost of education at Billings Central Catholic. Jim and Ellen particularly desire to help a family or families who have multiple students in the Billings Catholic Schools.
We are beginning the fourth generation of Hanser’s in BCS. We are all very proud to be part of the school system and all that it stands for and offers. We believe legacy families are the backbone of the school. For this reason, this scholarship will be available to legacy families who have the desire to keep their family tradition going but may need some financial assistance.
Jeff and Lucy Melugin are dedicated believers of a Catholic education. They sacrificed to send their 3 kids through our Billings Catholic Schools: Kyle ‘01, Tyler ‘05, and Kayla ‘08 Melugin. Today, Jeff and Lucy have a grand child who attends – Theo. Jeff and Lucy would like to give back to those families like theirs, who have a deep desire to send their kids to Billings Catholic Schools, but the full cost of tuition is just beyond their means to afford. In this way, the scholarship helps to provide for moderate income families who have less available access to other tuition assistance programs.
The Apostol Family established this endowment to celebrate a swim community at Billings Central Catholic High School that has given our family so much. Bennett ’20 and Daniel ’25 both swam for our Billings Central RAMS during its incredible run of excellence and championships. It is a community that embraces all forms of swimmers and drives students to be their personal best in the water and in the classroom. For parents, it is a close community of parents who passionately believe in this team. In gratitude of this community, this swim endowment fund will be for the use of the swim team and their pursuits.
The Bill and Doreen Murray Scholarship is a beacon of hope for children yearning for a faith-based education at the high school level, specifically those from disadvantaged, single-parent families. This scholarship ensures that one deserving student receives funding for all four years at Billings Central Catholic High School.
Bill and Doreen Murray, both products of a public-school education in Springfield, Massachusetts, were fortunate to receive an outstanding education that prepared them well for college. At that time, each school day commenced with the recitation of the Lord’s Prayer, Psalm 23, and the pledge of allegiance to the Flag. This standard practice helped to ingrain a faith foundation that would influence their lives significantly.
Bill pursued higher education at Georgetown University, where his faith was further nurtured through courses in philosophy and theology. Doreen, originally raised in the Jewish faith, converted to Catholicism after engaging in the RCIA program. Her belief in the benefits of a unified family faith tradition played a pivotal role in this decision. Together, Bill and Doreen chose to shield their children from the increasingly secular values dominant in public schools, opting instead for faith-based Catholic education. Their children attended Catholic schools from kindergarten through 12th grade and continued on to Catholic colleges, living lives inspired by the Jesuit philosophy of being “men and women for and with others,” emphasizing the sharing of gifts, the pursuit of justice, and compassion for the marginalized.
Bill’s 27-year tenure in leadership roles within the Sisters of Charity of Leavenworth health ministries further deepened the Murrays’ commitment to their faith. Having experienced countless blessings, they felt compelled to extend their support to those less fortunate. The Bill and Doreen Murray Scholarship is a manifestation of their desire to offer a scholarship to a student who seeks a challenging and enriching educational experience but lacks the financial means to access a faith-based high school education.
Coach Bill Osborne was Billings Centrals original 1948 athletics coach. For Coach Osborne, sportsmanship, fair play, and character were the essentials of a budding sports program.
“My dad always insisted on it!” Doug Osborne ‘71 – Bill’s son – said. “To tell one story, during a basketball game, the other team had 5 players total, no one on the bench. One fouled out. Out of fairness, Dad took one of his players out. And then again, another of their players fouled out. And dad did the same. 3-on-3 basketball. Fair play was more important to him than winning or losing!” “This scholarship is for those student athletes who demonstrate the same spirit that dad did,” Doug goes on, “Playing hard but fair is a way of life, and that sport is about character. I want to see that same spirit awarded in the next generation of student athletes!”
Nominations for this annual award are made by the BCCHS Athletic coaches. The Award selection is made by the Principal, Associate Principal, and Athletic Director of BCCHS and awarded at the end of year Awards Assembly.
James “Ziggy” Ziegler committed his life towards the service of others. Whether caring for his family, his service in the military, his patrons at the restaurant, his constituents through his public service, his service to Catholic Schools, his friends he ministered to in prison ministry, his dedication to anyone and everyone defined his character. His presence in our community was felt by all, from the highest of elected officials and business executives to the homeless and imprisoned.
When Ziggy and Stella moved to Billings in 1974, it was only natural they would continue their kids Catholic education at Fratt Elementary and Billings Central Catholic High School. The Billings Catholic Schools became their family. As their fashion, Ziggy and Stella threw themselves into each fundraising event, volunteer opportunity, and attended every football and basketball game they could – a decades-long tradition he continued until his final days.
Ziggy and Stella’s commitment to Catholic education did not only extend to his family. They paid tuition for numerous students over the years. For most, the student was one of their employees. When they asked, “Why don’t you send your kids to the Catholic schools,” the issue of tuition always came up. Ziggy and Stella graciously offered to help pay.
To honor this legacy, Ziggy and Stella’s family established the Ziggy and Stella Ziegler Endowed Scholarship. This fund supports two in-need students – one at St. Francis K-8 Catholic, and one Billings Central Catholic High School – with $2,000 scholarships each to attend Billings Catholic Schools.
1st Lt. Paul Magers graduated from Billings Central Catholic High School in 1963. Paul was adventurous, enjoying fast cars, motorcycles, hiking, and climbing. Nothing was too hard for Paul. He Married Beverly Mohatt on Dec. 27 1969. In that same year, Paul entered the military and became a helicopter pilot. On May 12, 1971, Paul was ordered to Vietnam where we served. On June 1, less than two weeks into the country, Lt. Magers was sent on a mission to rescue Army Rangers near the town of Dong Tri. As the helicopter lowered, enemy fire hit the underside of his aircraft, causing a fuel leak that ignited. For 39 years, Lt. Magers was missing in action. In 2009, a Vietnamese excavation team discovered his remains. Lt. Magers was brought home and laid to rest August 27, 2010 at Yellowstone National Cemetery. In an outpouring of support at the discovery of his remains, the Paul Magers Memorial Scholarship was established in his memory for Billings Central students interested in medical careers past high school.
This endowed scholarship provides $700 annually.
Mrs.Duffner, as she was known to her students, worked as the volunteer librarian at St. Pius X Catholic School for 30 years. She loved her students and her books. To her husband, Lowell, she was “Tiz.” Their 60 years of marriage is a testament to their love for each other and their family. Together, they had three children, Jan, Diane and Stan, all who attended our Catholic schools. In Tiz’s later years, with the onset of Alzehiemers, Lowell lovingly cared for his wife and ensured her care. After her passing in 2006, Mr. Duffner’s last words to bed every night until he died were, “Goodnight Tiz, I miss you, but I’m not ready yet. I’ve got too much to do down here.” Mr. Duffner entered into eternal life in 2014.
Mr. Duffner worked as an accountant, rising through the ranks until owning his own firm. He was recognized by the Montana Society of CPA’s and the American Institute of CPA’s in 1988 and awarded the George D. Anderson Distinguished Service Award in 2011. Lowell’s warm humor, inquisitive nature, and genial disposition afforded him and Tiz many friends. Mr. Duffner’s modesty was always apparent – living in the same house on Colton Blvd, driving the same cars. As a man of deep faith, he took stewardship seriously. He loved Billings Catholic Schools. Without grandchildren himself, he felt all the students of Catholic schools were his grandkids. To care for his grandkids, Lowell contributed over $6,000,000 during his life towards establishing scholarships. Mr. and Mrs. Duffner’s spirit lives on through every student of Billings Catholic Schools.
From the age of 13, Dorothy Mary Porter worked: first at a community newspaper, and then packed chocolates in a candy factory in Chicago. At the outset of World War II at the age of 16, she worked in armatures at a defense plant. Why? To help pay for her private high school education at Immaculata High School, for her lessons in ballet, piano and trumpet, and to afford college at the College of St Teresa in Winona, Minn,.
Upon graduating with degrees in Foods and Nutrition, she worked in many hospitals and healthcare institutions in dietetics including: Cook County Hospital, Chicago’s Children’s Hospital, Saginaw General Hospital. Dorothy rose to Chief of Dietetic Services at the Illinois State Psychiatric Institute.
Dorothy moved to Billings in 1971 as a food service officer as a Reservist in the United State Air Force, retiring at the rank of Lieutenant Colonel. Afterward, she served eight Native American Reservations in Montana through the Public Health Service, Indian Health Services. In 1976, Dorothy married Howard Porter, the president of the Billings Business College. Dorothy loved to travel, visiting all seven continents in her life.
Dorothy came to know our Billings Catholic Schools through her good friend and neighbor, Sister Valerie. Sister Valerie invited Dorothy to happenings at the school and meeting the students. Because of her friendship with Sister Valeria, Dorothy place BACET within her will to provide for the schools in perpetuity.
Fr. Steve, as he was affectionately known amongst his flock, was a Billings Central graduate of the legendary Class of 1961. An outstanding athlete in his day, he avidly ran marathons and with the Billings Central Cross Country team until his passing. Ordained a priest in 1969, Fr. Steve demonstrated his special talents in every parishioner and church he pastored. His compassion was always genuine, his love for other unbounded. Through his collective efforts, he transformed St. Leo’s in Lewistown and built from the ground up St. Pius X Catholic Church. He remained a loyal friend of our Billings Catholic Schools his whole life, serving in various capacities as volunteer, teacher, donor, and board member. For many years, Fr. Steve was the spiritual Father of our Billings Catholic Schools. As many said of him, Fr. Steve was smart, knowledgeable, and wise, a rare trinity of intellect in one man. Upon his death from cancer at too young of age, an outpouring of grief from the community established the Rev. Stephen Tokarski Memorial Scholarship to benefit school age children to attend St. Francis Catholic School. 12 years later, the people of St. Pius X Catholic Parish continue to give over $10,000 annually to increase its impact.
This endowed scholarship provides 8 scholarships annually.
Ruben Day, an immigrant and Billings Central graduate of 1954. During his elementary years, his family could not afford to send Ruben to Kate Fratt Memorial School. In attending St. Patrick’s church, Fr. Richard Hopkins took Ruben under his wing. Knowing of Ruben’s wish to attend a Catholic school, Fr. Hopkins paid the $25 tuition fee! Attending Billings Catholic Schools was a life changing formation for Ruben. In gratitude, he gave back to the schools: He helped to establish the Billings Area Catholic Education Trust, Mayfair, and the Search program. He was an active Rotarian. He mentored many young professionals in their careers! In furthering Ruben’s legacy, a humble man with a deep faith, his children established the Viva Cristo Rey Scholarship to provide for a student, in the same way Fr. Hopkins did for Ruben.
This endowed scholarship provides $4,000 to a St. Francis student, who could not otherwise afford Catholic schools, annually.