A former graduate of Fitzgerald Academy in English Harbour West will give an annual scholarship to a graduate from that school.
Dr. Valerie Taylor, daughter of Max and Annette Taylor of Boxey, in announcing the award said, “I just wanted to give back to the community since there are fewer scholarships opportunities for rural Newfoundland and Labrador. It is so expensive to leave the rural areas and live in St. John’s or another town; living at home is not an option for these students.”
Her way of giving back is donate an annual scholarship of $1000.00 – the Tom’s Dog Award – to a graduate of her school who attends a university and does well in the program of study.
The first winner of the scholarship was Jillian Vallis of St. Jacques who in a challenging program at Memorial University scored an A average and made the Dean’s List – usually the top 10% of students in a faculty.
Valerie named the scholarship (also subtitled the Richard Vallis Price Memorial Scholarship) the Tom’s Dog Award, a childhood memory of something her grandfather said. Her grandfather, who had always encouraged her to do well, told her that when he left school at age seven, the class was reading about Tom’s dog in the reader Tom and Jip. “The only thing I missed about school,” he told her, “was that I never found out what happened to Jip, the dog.”
To apply for the scholarship candidates must attend university and give details such as their year of graduation from Fitzgerald Academy, the program of study, the cumulative average based on the most recent year of study, the overall average, and official transcripts. Applications must be submitted to Valerie’s parents in Boxey.
“This is my way of encouraging and supporting success from my hometown, “ Dr. Taylor added.
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