Applications are now available for the John Marshall Trust Fund Scholarships. The fund was created by the John Marshall High School Faculty Senate in 1991.
Joseph Komorowski, Douglas Pettit and David Gaudino as representatives of the faculty senate worked with the legal staff of Phillips Gardill & Altmeyer. John Marshall graduate, Robin Capehart provided the legal services in developing the fund in association with the Community Foundation of the Ohio Valley. The John Marshall Scholarship fund was one of the first funds created with the Community Foundation.
The fund began with contributions from the John Marshall Faculty as a part of their Friday, “Jeans Day.” Due to contributions on the local and national level the fund has since grown to grant as many as fourteen scholarships each year to deserving JM graduates. Students can apply for many of these scholarships by filling out only one application.
The first year, the fund only granted three scholarships from funds collected from the faculty. The first was in memory of former John Marshall Curriculum Coordinator, Dr. Gary Buskirk. Buskirk was influential in the development of the innovative curriculum of the school. The award is presented to the “Student of the Year” selected by the Trust Committee. Two other additional “Trust” Scholarships were also added.
Upon her passing, Nancy Buskirk made a generous contribution to the Trust to award a scholarship each year to a students with significant financial need. This award is made by the trust committee based on the trust fund scholarship application form.
Through the very generous contributions of former Union High School graduates Bob and Mary Lou O’Brien of Sun City, Florida, several other scholarships were added. Bob was one of the top athletes and Mary Lou were involved in the band at Union High School. The first of these scholarships is the Cochrane, Moneske, O’Brien Scholarship that is awarded to a top student from the former Union High School enrollment area. The O’Briens have gone on to award additional scholarships. This includes the James Henry Cochrane “Unsung Hero Award” awarded to a JM student selected by the faculty and approved by the trust committee and the Mary O’Brien music scholarship selected by the faculty. The scholarship winners are selected by the Trust committee
For more than a dozen years, Marilyn Wehrheim, who served as a JM counselor for nearly 40 years, has awarded a scholarship in the memory of her parents George Wehrheim and Marie Messino Wehrheim. The scholarship is presented to a student who has outstanding academic achievement and who also has completed extraordinary community service projects in the area. The scholarship is selected by the family.
Distinguished John Marshall graduate Brad Paisley awards a Scholarship in Performing Arts or Communications to a John Marshall graduate who plans to major in music performance at either West Liberty or Belmont Universities. The scholarship applications are reviewed by the JM faculty and forwarded to the Paisley family for their selection.
Upon his passing, the estate of William Nice established the William Nice Memorial Scholarship in his memory that is selected by the trust committee and awarded to an outstanding student with significant financial need who plans to attend college.
More than ten years ago, Dr. Victor Canestraro established the Ron Canestraro Memorial Scholarship in dentistry or dental hygiene in memory of his father who taught and coached in Marshall County Schools for over 40 years. The scholarship is selected by Dr. Canestraro.
The Kylie McClead Memorial Scholarship was established by the John Marshall Special Education faculty in memory of John Marshall graduate Kylie McClead and is presented to one or two graduates who have devoted many hours to helping special education students in Marshall County. The scholarship is selected by the John Marshall Special Education staff.
The Abby Frohnapfel Memorial Scholarship, was established by the family in memory of the former John Marshall student who passed during her years at John Marshall. The scholarship is selected by the family.
The Nick B. Gaudino memorial scholarship was established by the family in his memory. Mr. Gaudino was multiply handicapped fighting in the south pacific in WW II, but still went on to complete college and work as an accountant for over 30 years. The scholarship is selected by the family.
Students can apply for all of these scholarships using a single application that is available in the counseling office and can be downloaded from the John Marshall website. Seniors may also receive one by e-mailing members of the trust committee, their counselor or Dr. Gaudino at [email protected] Applications are due to the John Marshall Counseling office by Friday, March 26 at 9 am.