The last several weeks of May and the beginning of June have been filled with college and high school graduation ceremonies and senior recognition programs. I have had the privilege to attend several senior programs and hear the accomplishments and aspirations of many local high school graduates. The list of academic achievements and scholarship awards for these students is so extensive that most schools now hold a separate recognition program to keep their graduation ceremonies from lasting all day. I arrived at one recent program to discover that the program was scheduled for two hours. Fortunately, the invited presenters made judicious use of time and we were able to yield back some of the school day for educational purposes, much to the chagrin of the students.

Interspersed among the excitement and anticipation of East Texas graduations, there is also a round of bittersweet recognition of retiring teachers. I was privileged to attend a reception at Tarkington Intermediate School last week honoring the career and quiet legacy of Rhonda Penry. Rhonda taught fifth grade at Tarkington for the past 15 years. Combined with teaching stints at several other schools around the state of Texas while raising her three sons and following her husband’s career, Rhonda has accumulated 25 years of service as a teacher. Fifth-graders don’t have an end-of-the-year ceremony that would afford an opportunity to properly recognize a retiring teacher, so a small gathering of family and colleagues is arranged to mark the end of a career devoted to imparting knowledge that young students will use for the rest of their lives.

Along the way, Rhonda did something else that often goes unrecognized. She taught her children the value of education. It is from this first set of pupils, her three sons, that the Rhonda Penry Scholarship was established. Her sons wanted to honor their mother at the end of her teaching career with a gift that will sustain the educational achievements of her students. Beginning in 2018, the Rhonda Penry Scholarship will be awarded each year to a Tarkington High School graduating senior who attended Tarkington Intermediate School. At the brief reception in the library at Tarkington Intermediate School, tears flowed from a mother and devoted educator at this expression of love from her sons.

As you read about local graduations and scholarly achievements, do you find yourself thinking of your own school experiences and the teachers who inspired you to follow your chosen career path? Establishing a scholarship fund is a great way to recognize and honor your favorite teacher while supporting their devotion to education. There are many ways to set up a scholarship fund at East Texas Communities Foundation or through other entities such as a college or university, a stand-alone charity, a private foundation, a corporation, a high school foundation or a charitable trust. I would be glad to discuss your options with you if you are thinking about creating a scholarship. As a reminder, our motto at ETCF is “simplified charitable giving,” but I can help you navigate some of the more complex forms of creating a scholarship fund as well.

Two key considerations guide the selection criteria for most scholarship funds – financial need and academic achievement. If you would like to set up a fund that seeks to provide resources for someone who may not be able to further their education without financial assistance, you can emphasize financial need as a primary selection criteria. If you are looking to create a scholarship to reward outstanding academic achievement, then the scholarship selection criteria might include such items as SAT/ACT scores, GPA and AP courses. Of course many scholarships combine both financial need and academic achievement, as well as extracurricular activities, fields of study, specific high schools or colleges and many other criteria. Setting up a scholarship fund to match the interests or career of a special person you or your classmates would like to honor is a great way to create a lasting tribute to them. During this graduation season, I hope you will consider whether the creation of a scholarship fund is your next best opportunity to give well.

Guest columnist, Kyle Penney is president of East Texas Communities Foundation and a Chartered Advisor in Philanthropy. The mission of ETCF is to support philanthropy by providing simple ways for donors to achieve their long-term charitable goals. To learn more about ETCF or to discuss your charitable giving, contact Kyle at 866-533-3823 or email questions or comments to etcf@etcf.org. More information is available at www.etcf.org.