Donora Library establishes scholarship in honor of former superintendent
Ringgold seniors who plan to commute to their next educational stop have a chance to earn some scholarship money.
It’s part of a memorial scholarship established by the Donora Library Board of Directors in honor of Dr. Charles E. Stacey, former superintendent of the Ringgold School District.
Stacey, a lifelong resident of Donora, died in April at the age of 90 after a lifetime dedicated to education. After retiring from the Ringgold School District as superintendent, he spent seven years as chairman of the Education Department at Carlow University.
Stacey also was a longtime member of the board of directors of the Donora library.
“When he passed away last year we got a number of monetary donations,” said Mark Bizzell Boyer, library director. “Some of them were specified for specific books and others were not designated, so we used those funds to create the scholarship.”
A $500 scholarship is designated for any Ringgold High School senior who plans to commute to any college, trade school or technical school to further that person’s education.
Bizzell Boyer hopes to award the first scholarship in April.
It will be awarded to someone who plans to commute because Stacey was a commuter in his college days.
“Dr. Stacey earned his degrees by commuting to the University of Pittsburgh,” Bizzell Boyer said. “We thought that would be a nice tie-in rather than it being just an open scholarship. It talks about his legacy.”
A committee of library board members will select the award recipient. Bizzell Boyer said Stacey’s widow, Susan, will probably be involved in the process.
“She was very pleased, especially with the commuter part,” Bizzell Boyer said.
To apply, visit the library’s website at https://www.donoralibrary.com/ or pick up an application at the library at 510 Meldon Ave. Bizzell Boyer suggests applications be turned in by the end of March.