DOWNEY – Nearly 240 DUSD middle school students received Stauffer Scholar Awards last month for earning straight A’s on their report cards for both semesters as fifth-grade or sixth-grade students. Dr. Mary Stauffer personally presented the awards, as she does every fall.

Dr. Stauffer presented 225 students with $100 checks. Another 14 were named Stauffer Scholars of the Year and received $500 checks; they will also have their names engraved on a perpetual plaque that hangs at their respective school.

The money is intended for students to start, or add to, their ScholarShare: 529 College Savings Plan.

“Education is the best investment that you could ever make,” said Dr. Stauffer.

Doty and Sussman students attended their ceremony on Nov. 5 at Downey High, where principal Tom Houts spoke on the importance of a college education.

On Nov. 12, Griffiths and Stauffer middle school students attended their ceremony at Warren High, where principal Laura Rivas also spoke of the importance of saving for a college education.

Linda Kennedy, a former DUSD administrator who retired as director of curriculum and instruction and is a current Mary R. Stauffer Foundation board member, attended both ceremony. She discussed the benefits of starting a college savings plan early to prepare both the student and their families for college financing.

She also explained the application procedure for the ScholarShare: 529 College Savings Plan.

Dr. Stauffer gives hundreds of thousands of dollars annually through grants, scholarships and outright donations. Among her contributions: $200,000 annually towards community college grants for graduating high school seniors; $10,000 per year towards 4.0 GPA awards for high school juniors; $30,000 annually to high school athletes with 3.5 GPAs or higher; $23,000 per year to send DUSD fifth graders to the Columbia Memorial Space Center; and $35,000 annually to send all DUSD third, fourth and fifth grade students to the Gene Autry Museum.

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Published: Dec. 4, 2014 - Volume 13 - Issue 34