{"id":31030,"date":"2026-06-02T08:57:28","date_gmt":"2026-06-02T13:57:28","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/northwoodsleague.com\/bismarck-larks\/?p=31030"},"modified":"2026-06-02T08:57:28","modified_gmt":"2026-06-02T13:57:28","slug":"emma-heller-is-the-2026-larks-kid-of-the-year","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/northwoodsleague.com\/bismarck-larks\/emma-heller-is-the-2026-larks-kid-of-the-year\/","title":{"rendered":"Emma Heller is the 2026 Larks Kid of the Year"},"content":{"rendered":"

Emma Heller is the 2026 Larks Kid of the Year<\/h1><\/div>

MDU Resources awards Heller a $1,000 College SAVE account scholarship<\/h2><\/div>
<\/span><\/div>

MDU Resources Group and the Bismarck Larks announced the 2026 Kid of the Year Monday night during STEM Night at Bismarck Municipal Ballpark. Emma Heller, who is entering 7th grade at Gackle-Streeter Public School, was awarded the grand prize $1,000 College SAVE account scholarship.<\/p>\n

Heller was the first Kid of the Month announced for the 2025-26 program last September. She was nominated by her 6th grade teacher for her work ethic and helpful attitude. In school, Heller participates in student council, band, choir, basketball, volleyball, and archery. She keeps herself busy outside of school, as well, with church, youth group activities and 4H.<\/p>\n

Heller played a key role in her school\u2019s \u201cCoins for Carnations\u201d campaign, where students brought in loose change to purchase flowers for care center residents over Valentine\u2019s Day.<\/p>\n

Her kindness and compassion for her community are already making a difference and Heller is setting a positive example for her peers.<\/p>\n

As the 2026 Kid of the Year, she will receive a $1,000 College SAVE account scholarship from MDU Resources Group, which will be deposited in her Bank of North Dakota account before the next school year starts. The College SAVE account is Bank of North Dakota\u2019s official 529 college savings plan. The funds can be used at most accredited universities (two- and four-year), along with vocational schools.<\/p>\n

MDU Resources Group is a proud partner of the Larks Kid of the Month program, an initiative to celebrate and encourage the next generation of leaders in North Dakota. Across nine months (from September through May), the Larks accept nominations from teachers, coaches, mentors, and family members to recognize one student each month. All nine students are celebrated at the designated Larks game, where one will be awarded the grand prize. The 2026-27 Kid of the Month program will open once again in September 2027.<\/p>\n<\/div>

Learn More<\/span><\/a><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"","protected":false},"author":78,"featured_media":31032,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"content-type":"","_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[460,459,461,427,458,462,303,457,422,44,305,337],"class_list":["post-31030","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorized","tag-bank-of-north-dakota","tag-college-save-account","tag-emma-heller","tag-family-friendly","tag-foundation","tag-gackle-streeter","tag-kid-of-the-month","tag-kid-of-the-year","tag-kids","tag-larks","tag-mdu-resources-group","tag-scholarship"],"yoast_head":"\nEmma Heller is the 2026 Larks Kid of the Year - Bismarck 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