Mariah’s Challenge: Changing Lives for over 17 years.

The application period is open for 2025 seniors to apply for the Mariah's Challenge scholarship.  What does this entail?  First, a little bit of history.

On October 28, 2007, the McCarthy Family of Butte endured possibly the most heart-wrenching, tragic and painful loss that anyone could imagine.  While walking home, 14-year-old Mariah Daye McCarthy was walking home with a pair of close friends when they were struck by a severely impaired driver.  One who, rather than report the accident, fled the scene, delaying any sort of critical first response or medical attention.  Eventually they were discovered but at that point, the damage was done.  Mariah's two friends survived but after months of rehabilitation and recovery will live with that harrowing memory for the rest of their lives.  Mariah was not so lucky and left us a few hours later.  In an instant, the lives of the McCarthy Family were forever changed.

Many families would have been torn apart by this senseless death.  Many would have immediately sought revenge.  The McCarthy Family, however, is not your average family.  Patriarch Leo is a well-liked and outgoing professional who got to know many though his years as a youth football coach among many other activities.  Even before his daughter was killed, Leo was a giver.  Of time.  Of advice.  Of love.  Mere hours after tragedy struck, Leo delivered a eulogy at St. Ann's Church that may have been one of the greatest oratories ever delivered from a pulpit.  Through his pain, Leo did not preach division.  He did not demand retribution.  What he did was remarkable.  He issued a challenge.  A challenge for the next generation to choose sobriety.  A challenge for adults to never get behind the wheel while impaired.  A challenge to grow old.  He issued Mariah's Challenge.  Mariah's Challenge stems from these pledges.

• If you are under 21, do not drink and never get in a car with somebody who has been drinking.
• If you are over 21, do not drink and drive, and be a good role model for our children.
• If you sell alcohol, check IDs, train your employees to obey the law, and keep alcohol out of the hands of our children.
• If you are a part of our justice system, enforce our laws and keep our children safe.

To apply, visit the Mariah's Challenge website.