Sue Shannon Memorial Fund

Update: Sue Shannon, founding member and longtime Executive Director of North Thurston Education Foundation (NTEF), passed away in May. Her Memorial Service will be held on October 5 at 2 p.m. at Olympia First Baptist Church, 9th & Washington. In lieu of flowers, a donation can be made to a fund in her name here https://bit.ly/3Vm4e6L

The North Thurston Education Foundation (NTEF) mourns the passing of Dr. G. Sue Shannon, a driving force behind its inception and success. Sue was integral to the Foundation from its earliest days, joining the organizing effort in 1988 and becoming the Volunteer Executive Director when NTEF was officially established in 1990. She remained in this role until her retirement in 2016.

Sue Shannon’s dedication and vision were instrumental in shaping NTEF into one of the first foundations committed to removing barriers for students and empowering them to change their futures. Her tireless work transformed countless lives, leaving an enduring legacy within the community. Sue’s guiding presence will be profoundly missed, but her spirit of compassion and commitment will continue to inspire and propel NTEF forward.

Before passing in May 2024, Sue was actively involved in raising $100,000 for Student Assistance Grants. Sue wrote in her last email to the NTEF committee, “Student Assistance Grants is descriptive and ties to the Foundation history. We started that program in the early years as one of the major purposes of the Foundation. The list of items (below) are the types of things we [funded].” – Sue Shannon, May 20, 2024.

  • Instrument rentals
  • Special needs equipment
  • Medications
  • Glasses
  • Clothing, shoes, and coats
  • Socks and underwear
  • Testing fees
  • Backpacks and school supplies
  • Athletic fees or ASB cards
  • Sports camps
  • Food
  • Uniforms or cleats
  • Hygiene supplies
  • Field trip fees
  • Class fees
  • Chromebook repairs
  • Credit retrieval classes
  • ID and birth certificates
  • Gas cards

To honor Sue’s legacy, the NTEF Committee will continue this fundraising project in her memory. Donations to the Sue Shannon Memorial Fund will support Student Assistance Grants, providing crucial resources to students in need.

Donations can be made here:

https://bit.ly/3Vm4e6L

 

North Thurston Education Foundation Awards $128,500 in Scholarships to 24 Students

The North Thurston Education Foundation has awarded scholarships with a total value of $128,500 to 24 graduating seniors from North Thurston Public Schools.

Scholarships awarded range from $2,500 to $14,000. The NTEF Scholarship Committee evaluated applications on several factors, including academic achievement, school and community activities, references, quality of the required essay and financial need.

The following graduating seniors received this year’s awards:

Named Scholarships: The scholarship program includes designated named endowed scholarships and Foundation-funded scholarships.

In 2024, 24 named scholarships were awarded to the following students:

Alex Ward Memorial Scholarship – Joshua Valerlo, North Thurston High School

Bill Williams Memorial Scholarship – Vanessa Leavitt, Timberline High School

Charles E. Callahan Education Scholarship – Megan Jackson, Envision Career Academy

Colton Thorstrom Smith Scholarship – Victoria Cabo-Schultz, River Ridge High School

Lisa Corwin Memorial Scholarship – Aylana Young, North Thurston High School

Davies Vocational-Technical Scholarship – Karen Ayala-Dominguez, River Ridge High School

Frank Parker Memorial Scholarship – Brandon Fogleman, Timberline High School

Friendship and Family Scholarship – Jaydn Kress, Timberline High School

James Koval Memorial Scholarship – Ashley Ackerson, Timberline High School

Jeannette Hostetter Ford Memorial Scholarship – Benjamin McElroy, Summit

John Gott Education Scholarship – Ariana Jackson, Timberline High School

Roy Pedersen Memorial Scholarship – Ryan Crowley, Timberline High School

Dr. G. Sue Shannon Scholarship – Ariel Searcy, River Ridge High School

Nicholas T. Walker Scholarship – Caitlin Grygorcewicz, Timberline High School

Ethel & Vaughn F. Philpot Scholarship – Tan Mai, Timberline High School

Rahman Family Scholarship – Alexander McElroy, Summit

Gillis Breaking Barrier Scholarship – Susanne Le, River Ridge High School

Porter Scholarship for Hope – Jersie Hendrickson, Timberline High School

Skip Scoggin in Scholarship – Elijah Yoshioka, North Thurston High School

Supporting Women in STEM Scholarship – Paige Wood, Timberline High School

Lewis R. Hawthorne & Edna C. Hawthorne Scholarships –

  • Isaac Perez Osuna, Timberline High School
  • Da’Laijha Tate, Timberline High School
  • Karla Bazail, North Thurston High School
  • Preceise Anvia Koto, North Thurston High School

To view a list of scholarship establishment history and details, visit: https://ntef.org/special-named-endowed-scholarships/