Spearfish High School student Logan Lucas was caught off guard Monday while visiting the Sturgis Buffalo Chip’s office on an errand for his summer job. Buffalo Chip President Rod Woodruff surprised Lucas by announcing that he had been selected to receive a $1,599.89 scholarship courtesy of the Flying Piston Breakfast, a charity event held at the Chip last August. Educational grants awarded to Northern Black Hills students resulting from the Buffalo Chip’s two-year scholarship program now total nearly $19,000.
Lucas is junior at Spearfish High School and an alumnus of the Buffalo Chip Challenge, a program created to inspire Black Hills students to discover a career in the expanding world of motorcycle engineering and manufacturing. He was the fourth local student enrolled in the 2016 program to receive a significant award.
“I was really surprised by the scholarship!” Lucas said. “I joined the Challenge program because I wanted to learn more about motorcycles, and I did. I plan to enroll in the program again this year. It was a lot of fun.”
Lucas was visiting the Buffalo Chip with his boss, Sturgis Motorcycle Museum Director Myrick Robbins. Woodruff had planned to call him later in the day to announce the award, but when Lucas entered the office it seemed appropriate to surprise him in person.
“Thanks to the organizers of the Flying Piston Breakfast we were able to give a fourth scholarship this year,” said Woodruff. “It’s very satisfying to be able to help these students continue their education and positively influence the economics of the region. As a direct consequence of the Challenge program many students plan to get their education and open industry-related businesses in the Black Hills.”
The Buffalo Chip Challenge is the result of a collaboration of motorcycle industry leaders, local businessmen and the Sturgis Buffalo Chip. The program was designed to encourage education and economic development in the Black Hills. The Flying Piston Breakfast, a charity event organized by industry chronicler and photographer Marilyn Stemp and noted bike show promoter Jeff Najar, was created to help support efforts to further educate students interested in pursuing a career in the industry.
