Students who study hard, overcome personal hurdles or go out of their way to better their communities have until Friday to apply for the Ian Wallace Scholarship Fund.
Wallace was one of two Smoky Hill High School seniors killed in car accident on Dec, 27, 2005. Joshua Bankett-Land was also killed, when the car they were passengers in swerved into two oncoming cars on South Parker Road.
The then-16-year-old driver, Michael Stillwagon, a junior at Smoky Hill, was later sentenced to 800 hours of community service, five years’ probation and $5,000 in restitution for causing the accident.
Wallace played on the varsity football team at Smoky Hill and loved skateboarding, basketball, music and dance, according to his obituary. He planned to attend the University of San Francisco to major in arts and sciences.
“The legacy that Ian left for all of us is that he loved and respected and honored everyone regardless of race, culture nationality or religion,” said Leslie Parker Wallace, Wallace’s mother. “This scholarship is to honor students who represent the example he set for us: to try and build a more just and humane world.”
Last year, four seniors received the one-time $1,500 scholarships: Ryan Brown of Denver School of the Arts, Ashley Gaffney of Smoky Hill High School, Meseret Hailu of Overland High School and Whitney Wolfe from Smoky Hill High.
At least two scholarships will be awarded later this year — one to a Smoky Hill High School senior and another recipient from a Colorado high school who also plans to pursue a major in arts and humanities. The number of scholarships awarded currently depends on the success of fundraising efforts each year, though efforts are in place to turn it into a perpetual scholarship, according to Wallace.
Applications must include a copy of the most current transcript showing an a cumulative, unweighted grade point average of 3.0 or higher through the first semester of the student’s senior year.
Community contributions may include community service projects, co-curricular activities, athletics and sportsmanship.
Academic success includes improving one’s GPA between freshman and senior years and achieving other academic goals. Personal accomplishments in or out of school may include the arts, music, theater, technology, consumer or family studies, science, athletics or volunteer work.
For more information e-mail ian@ianjameswallace.org, call 303-349-7382 or write 16748-9C East Smoky Hill Road. Applications and more information is available at .
