Class of 2026
The 2026 LEAD Scholars.
Fourteen Idaho seniors, from twelve high schools, selected from seventy-two who began an application. The first class of the statewide expansion — and the tenth since Gary and Angela Taylor announced the scholarship from a podium in Mountain Home in 2015.
What we selected for
Every scholar on this page had to be all four things at once.
LEAD is not a slogan. It is the rubric. A student who is exceptional in the classroom but absent from their community does not receive this award, and neither does a gifted athlete whose grades slipped. Being all four at the same time, for four years, is the whole difficulty — and the whole point.
Leadership
Captaincy, yes — but more often the quieter kind. The teammate others organize themselves around.
Educational Excellence
Sustained academic achievement across a full high school career, not a single strong semester.
Athletic Achievement
Two or more sports. We deliberately do not reward early specialization at this age.
Distinguished Community Service
Consistent service to their own community — the trait Charles and Alice Taylor modeled for their children.
Meet them
The Class of 2026.
Listed alphabetically. Mountain Home High School is part of this program every year and always will be.
Paisley Beck
Burley High School
Swimming & Diving · Golf · Basketball
District IV
Julianna Donez
Mountain Home High School
Basketball · Track & Field
Mountain Home
Cylie Fagan
Mountain Home High School
Track & Field · Volleyball
Mountain Home
Ruthanne Fischer
Nampa High School
Soccer · Tennis · Volleyball
District III
Owen Hatfield
Council High School
Baseball · Basketball · Football · Track & Field +7 more
District III
Ellie Helmer
Jerome High School
Volleyball · Softball · Basketball
District IV
Malia Kent
Richfield High School
Cross Country · Volleyball · Basketball · Track & Field
District IV
Claire Matthews
Weiser High School
Basketball · Cross Country · Track & Field
District III
Brayden McCullough
Mountain Home High School
Swimming & Diving · Basketball
Mountain Home
Heidi McMillan
Boise High School
Volleyball · Cross Country · Cycling · Swimming & Diving +2 more
District III
Chase Norman
Dietrich High School
Football · Basketball · Swimming & Diving · Weightlifting +7 more
District IV
Paisley Prow
Rimrock Jr/Sr High School
Basketball · Cross Country · Softball · Track & Field +1 more
District III
Christian Waitley
Canyon Ridge High School
Baseball · Football · Basketball · Golf +1 more
District IV
Yuxuan Wang
Bishop Kelly High School
Basketball · Tennis · Football · Badminton
District IIIIn their words
What the award meant.
“Receiving this scholarship feels like getting a prize after winning a race you thought no one was watching.”Ruthanne Fischer · Nampa High School · Soccer, tennis, volleyball
“It means that I showed the LEAD values and portrayed the characteristics Alice and Charles Taylor embodied.”Claire Matthews · Weiser High School · Basketball, cross country, track & field
“It means that my struggles, triumphs, and perseverance have been noticed and paid off.”Malia Kent · Richfield High School · Cross country, volleyball, basketball, track & field
Quotations are drawn from the 2025–26 LEAD Scholarship Program Guidebook and published with each scholar’s permission.
The review
Chosen by Idahoans who know what these students had to do.
A community-informed review
The scholarship committee included teachers, principals, counselors, coaches and regional leaders from across Idaho — people who understand what it costs a student to carry two sports, a transcript and a service commitment at the same time.
Mountain Home, every year
Three Mountain Home High School scholars received $6,000 of the 2026 total. The scholarship began there in 2015 and Mountain Home remains part of it every single year, whatever else expands around it.
The 2026 cycle covered Idaho’s District III and District IV. Districts V and VI join in 2027, completing Southern Idaho, and Districts I and II follow in 2028 for full statewide reach.
The next class
Somebody nominated most of these students.
The 2027 portal opens in January, and it opens wider — Districts V and VI join, completing Southern Idaho. If you coach, teach, counsel or administer at an eligible school, you already know who should be on next year’s page.
Photographs and details published with the permission of each scholar and, where applicable, their guardian.