The connections between the Fairfield School District and Fairfield Community Foundation are many, and growing every year.

The Community Foundation is young as foundations go. It got its start just eight years ago, when a group of visionary citizens came together and did a lot of hard work to organize it. But in just that short time, it has already given out nearly a half million dollars in grants and scholarships.

Fairfield High School seniors headed to college are a major beneficiary of the foundation. Last year the foundation awarded $64,000 in scholarships, to 62 students. Almost all of them were FHS seniors. The scholarships range in size from $250 to more than $2,000.
Many of the scholarships are directed toward students whose goals or interests serve as a memorial to the individual honored by the scholarship. For example, the Robert W. Cropenbaker Scholarship, established by Fairfield’s longest-serving superintendent, is awarded to a senior planning to become a teacher. The Jenny Evans Memorial Scholarship, which preserves the memory of a Fairfield High student and cross-country athlete who was tragically killed in an auto accident, is awarded to a runner on the school’s cross-country team. The Christy Dennis Memorial Scholarship honors one of our teachers and soccer coaches who died three years ago of a brain aneurysm. It’s awarded annually to a member of the soccer team.
These scholarships are endowed by individuals, families, businesses and other organizations who want their gift to give forever. The foundation takes these contributions and invests them prudently, then distributes the income from the investments. 
A board of trustees, of whom many have close ties to the Fairfield School District, leads the foundation. Members of the board include Sally Braun, a school nurse for many years; John Brunner, a guidance counselor and Latin teacher; John Clemmons, legal counsel to the school board; Fred Valerius, who as superintendent of the Butler County MRDD worked very closely with our district for many years; Kathy Clark, who volunteered for many hours in our schools; and Nancy Wenning, a member of the Board of Education.

Every year the foundation holds an annual dinner. The theme this year is honoring educators, and we’re very proud that 10 teachers in our district (and five more from other area schools) have been selected as outstanding educators to be recognized. This event will be on Nov. 13, and anyone interested in attending can call the foundation office at 829-6355 for ticket information.

Just as the foundation’s board has many connections with the school district, the committee working to plan the annual event is also filled with people who have served the district in different ways for many years.

The Fairfield School District was formed in 1929. Seventy years later, in 1999, the Fairfield Community Foundation was born. It’s wonderful to watch them working so closely together, serving our community today and for years to come.

Cathy Milligan
Superintendent
Fairfield City School District

Published in the Fairfield Echo,Oct. 18, 2007.