Chief Joseph Days Scholarship recipients

By Garrett Christensen on Tuesday, June 23rd, 2026 in More Top Stories Northeastern Oregon News

JOSEPH – (Release from Chief Joseph Days Rodeo) Thanks to the continued generosity of sponsors, volunteers, donors, and community supporters, the Chief Joseph Days Ranch Rodeo Scholarship Program has expanded once again. Through additional fundraising efforts, the organization will award a fifth scholarship in 2026, marking the first time in the program’s 17-year history that five scholarships have been awarded and setting a new record for total scholarship dollars distributed.

Camdyn Weer of Joseph Charter School has been selected to receive a $1,500 scholarship, bringing the total amount awarded this year to $7,000.

Joining Weer as 2026 scholarship recipients are:

Kason Mitchell, Enterprise High School – $1,500 scholarship. Mitchell plans to attend Eastern Oregon University.

Grayson Hawkins, Joseph Charter School – $1,500 scholarship. Hawkins plans to attend the University of Idaho.

Talluah April, Wallowa High School – $1,500 scholarship. April plans to attend Eastern Oregon University.

Jenning Schiefelbein – $1,000 Trade School Scholarship. Schiefelbein plans to attend WyoTech (Wyoming Technical Institute).

Established in 2009, the Chief Joseph Days Ranch Rodeo was created with one purpose in mind: providing scholarship opportunities for Wallowa County students. Since then, the program has grown from awarding three $1,000 scholarships to providing four $1,500 scholarships and a dedicated trade school scholarship, all made possible through community support.

“This program continues to grow because our community believes in investing in local students,” said Dave Yost, Ranch Rodeo Committee Chair. “We couldn’t do this without our sponsors and volunteers, but we especially couldn’t do it without everyone who attends and supports Ranch Rodeo Weekend. Every auction item purchased, every sponsorship, and every ticket sold helps us continue creating opportunities for Wallowa County youth.”

Scholarship recipients will be recognized Friday evening during the Chief Joseph Days Ranch Rodeo Dinner & Auction beginning at 5 p.m. in the Thunder Room. The event features dinner, live and silent auctions, and the Ranch Rodeo Team Calcutta, with all proceeds benefiting the Ranch Rodeo Scholarship Fund.

Ranch Rodeo Weekend begins Friday afternoon with a community trail ride departing from the Chief Joseph Days Rodeo Grounds and culminates Saturday, June 27, with the annual Ranch Rodeo at the Harley Tucker Memorial Arena. The event showcases the traditions and skills of working ranch families through crowd-favorite events including Team Branding, Team Sorting, Doctoring, and Pasture Roping.

For 17 years, Ranch Rodeo Weekend has served as more than a celebration of the ranching way of life—it has provided educational opportunities for local students. Organizers hope to continue building on that legacy by increasing scholarship amounts and expanding opportunities for future generations.

For more information about Ranch Rodeo Weekend, visit chiefjosephdays.com.