Many high school seniors that graduated this past June have set their sights on the next level of education being college and will soon leave their high school experience behind. For most of these graduates, the next time they will see their former classmates will be at the 5-, 10-, or even 15-year reunions. However, two recent graduates from Jamestown High School set out to honor their class now by giving back to the community. As such, the Jamestown High School Class of 2007 Scholarship Fund has been established at the Community Foundation. 

 

Many graduating classes make gifts to their respective high schools upon their graduation. Oftentimes, these gifts are one-time monetary donations or visible representations, such as plaques or trees that are given to the school with class funds accumulated over four years. However, Jamestown High School Class of 2007 Treasurer Ryan Columbare and Class Co-President Lydia Parsons wanted to make a gift that would stand the test of time, as well as providing a resource that would give back to the community. After speaking with staff at the Community Foundation, they came to the determination that no gift would stand the test of time better than creating an endowed scholarship fund with CRCF. 

 

The Jamestown High School Class of 2007 Scholarship Fund has been established to assist graduating Jamestown High School seniors with good academic standing, who are involved in extracurricular activities, are ambitious and give back to the school. These students must have attended 95% of classes throughout their high school career. From this day on, this scholarship will be awarded every year to a student or multiple students that fit these criteria. Additionally, the fund will ensure that the Class of 2007’s legacy lives on, not just from a remembrance standpoint but by helping future JHS students who have worked hard through their careers. 

 

To establish this new fund, the JHS Class of 2007 donated monies raised throughout the year, as well as monies generated via the class after graduation party. However, there are still monies needed to bring the fund up to the active $5,000 level. It is the hope of Ryan Columbare and Lydia Parsons that their classmates remember the great experiences they had at Jamestown High School and the good times shared with their classmates. It is their hope that these memories and experiences encourage other members of the JHS Class of 2007 to contribute to the fund over time. 

 

If you would like to honor a person or organization, then setting up a fund with the Community Foundation is a great way to do so. Establishing a fund creates a permanent legacy that will benefit some aspect of the community year after year. To learn about the many types of funds at the Community Foundation and how to establish a fund, contact the CRCF staff at 661-3390. In the case of the JHS Class of 2007 Fund, Jamestown High School graduates will now always have the opportunity to receive funding based on a charitable idea and gift from members the Class of 2007. If other young individuals and students follow this charitable example, the future of Chautauqua County is surely in good hands.