The Eau Claire Public Schools Foundation (a supporting organization of ECCF) is excited to announce two new scholarships available as of March 2018.

The Caravan Scholarship was established by two donors in celebration of the music programs at Memorial High School and throughout the Eau Claire Area School District. They pay tribute to the exceptional experience that their children, and countless others, have had with the music programs in Eau Claire.

The $500 scholarship is available to graduating seniors from Memorial High School who participated in band all four years of their studies and who will continue to participate in music during their post-secondary studies. Memorial High School band teacher Eric Dasher is grateful for this new opportunity for the students. “I’m very excited that students will be rewarded for continuing playing music in college,” Mr. Dasher shared. “My goal for all my students is to just keep playing after they graduate. This allows them to do just that.”

Eau Claire Public Schools Foundation board chair Dr. Blenda Yun appreciates this family’s desire to have a direct impact on our schools. “It is always encouraging to see that our families have benefitted directly from their education in the Eau Claire Area School District,” Dr. Yun expressed, “and giving back is a special way to ensure that these opportunities that your family enjoyed will live on in perpetuity!”

The Caravan Scholarship will make its first award in May.

The Joanne Marie Sommer Scholarship was established by a local family of North High School graduates in memory of their mother and wife, Joanne Marie.

The $500 scholarship is available to graduating seniors from North High School who have given back to their community in some form of community service.

Ashley Kohls, Library Media Specialist at Meadowview Elementary School and daughter of Joanne Marie Sommer, is excited to celebrate her mother in this way. “Our parents met at North High School, and we were all Huskies too!  NHS has a special place in all of our hearts. We want to make sure that future generations of students who have strong work ethic and believe in serving their community have an opportunity to obtain a scholarship to further their education.” 

North High School guidance counselor Justine Hildebrandt was thrilled to hear of the new opportunity for her students. “We have been very lucky at North High School to have students who truly care about and work to make our community great,” Ms. Hildebrandt said. “It is so exciting to see students who strive to give back in our community being acknowledged for their dedication, following in Joanne Sommer's role-modeling!”

The Joanne Marie Sommer Scholarship will make its first award in May. Ms. Kohls shared, “It is our hope that these students will benefit from the scholarship and our mom will be remembered!”

As a non-profit 501(c)(3), the ECPSF is dedicated to promoting value-added learning opportunities for students in the Eau Claire Area School District. These two scholarships are the newest of several scholarship funds at the ECPSF.

To learn more about these scholarships, or to make a gift, please contact ECPSF Executive Director Sarah French at sfrench1@ecasd.us or (715) 852-3015. You can also visit the ECPSF website at www.ecpsfound.org.