Box Elder, the community between Big Sandy and Havre, had a visit on Monday from the director of the Montana Department of Commerce, Anthony Preite.

Preite's visit was part of his two-day tour stretching from Malta to Fort Benton in order to distribute stimulus funds. And in Box Elder, those funds are very much appreciated.

Kevin Barsotti, Box Elder Public Schools counselor, cited one recent example, pointing to a damaged piece of equipment and telling us, ""Unexpectedly, this boiler just went bad, so what you see here will cost $48,000 to replace."

And where there was once a burden on aging schools, now becomes an opportunity. Barsotti said, "The quick-start money came at just the perfect time for us."

Kevin Barsotti is typically a school counselor here at Box Elder Public Schools, but when the opportunity for stimulus funding came up, Barsotti quickly became an expert on a number of subjects.

He said, "I got to learn about construction and windows and boilers and all kinds of good stuff through this grant, so it was really fun."

The school received grant funding of more than $200,000. More than half of that money has already been put to use, mostly through new windows and lighting.

"They're all energy efficient, the lighting is better and it really shows off our floor," noted Barsotti.

But Barsotti will tell you that the funding isn't just about structural improvements: "If you're spending a dollar on heat that goes out the window or electricity that's in a restroom where the switch never gets shut off - that's a dollar that can't be spent on student achievement."

The school estimates they'll save between $20,000 and $40,000 each year in energy costs - just enough to fund a much needed additional teaching position.

"We've made some gains but we still have miles to go."

The stimulus funds will also provide energy efficiency and maintenance updates in Harlem, Havre, Malta, and Fort Benton schools as well.