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McClure Foundation

J. Warren McClure Foundation
Athens Education Foundation, Inc.
PO Box 9 (21 Birge Dr. | Chauncey, OH  45719
Phone: 740-797-4544 | Fax: 740-797-2486

 

Investing in the Youth of Athens

  • Helping to keep the spirit of excellence in teaching and scholarship alive in the Athens City School District 
  • Enabling Athens schools alumni and friends to give in appreciation for what they have received

Why is this education foundation unique in Athens?

Because its sole purpose is to encourage the initiative, recognize the academic achievements, and create opportunities for the advancement of Athens schools youth.

How did it begin and why?

Inspired by the belief that "he succeeds best who helps others to succeed," J. Warren McClure celebrated his 50th Athens High School Reunion with a $50,000 endowment, the interest from which produces entry-level college scholarships annually.  Since that 1987 reunion, two Athens High School seniors have received scholarships every year.

Because the endowment has grown through careful investment, starting in 1999 the foundation became able to support three $1,000 entry-level college scholarships.

How have other AHS graduates and friends been inspired and what are the results of their gifts?

The additional endowments now in place have been created variously to memorialize an individual or to fund extra-curricular experiences or awards for students at different academic levels.

Since only interest from the conservatively invested endowments is used, a minimum of $2,000 is needed to make it possible for donors to name and specify a purpose for a gift.

There are three giving categories (see right-side for detailed info):

  • College Scholarship and Achievement Awards
  • Educational Challenges Fund
  • Opportunity Fund

The first recognizes the achievements of selected Athens High School seniors; the second supports student projects and extra-curricular experiences from the grades through high school, and the Opportunity Fund initiated in 1997 assists AHS seniors, not college-bound, to acquire post high school training in such fields as technical, electronic, building, and service trades vital to the well-being of the community.

The additional endowments now in place have been created variously to memorialize an individual or to fund extra-curricular experiences or awards for students at different academic levels.

Since only interest from the conservatively invested endowments is used, a minimum of $2,000 is needed to make it possible for donors to name and specify a purpose for a gift.

There are three giving categories (see right-side for detailed info):

  • College Scholarship and Achievement Awards

  • Educational Challenges Fund

  • Opportunity Fund

The first recognizes the achievements of selected Athens High School seniors; the second supports student projects and extra-curricular experiences from the grades through high school, and the Opportunity Fund initiated in 1997 assists AHS seniors, not college-bound, to acquire post high school training in such fields as technical, electronic, building, and service trades vital to the well-being of the community.

 

We Need You to help us help Athens Youth:

  • enrich their education beyond classrooms
  • implement their own projects
  • explore career opportunities
  • learn by doing
  • strive for leadership roles
  • expand their native talents
  • become active good citizens
  • plan for their own future 

We Need You to give as your means and interests dictate.

Time, Talent, and Treasure

All are needed to supplement our fine Athens education.

Please Consider These Needs

  • Training internships with or without stipends
  • Tuition scholarships at vocational schools
  • Enrichment via summer travel of study
  • Leadership and business programs 

Share Your Own Ideas

  • The volunteer foundation governors, all champions of and with personal interest in Athens schools, are eager to advance the causes of the Education Foundation on behalf of the children and they are preparing for leadership in the Twenty-First Century.

  • The foundation hopes that based on your concern for Athens youth - be you AHS alumni, parents, or simply concerned citizens - you will want to help them achieve a future worthy of your hopes and their expectations.

  • With these thoughts in mind, the members of the board will seek ideas from and participation by the Athens community in developing and enhancing the goals of the Athens Education Foundation.

  • In turn, please take the initiative to bring recommendations to the board or its individual members.  We have in common a concern for all Athens youth.

IF YOU:

  • Value the education you received from Athens schools

  • Want to help enrich opportunities for your own children

  • Believe Athens will benefit from outreach programs

  • Think local internships are a plus for your business

  • Hope Athens youth will choose to remain in Athens

AND THAT YOU AND THEY WILL PROSPER AS A RESULT 

Please consider these possibilities:

  • You can contribute any sum to any established fund, including the unrestricted category.

  • With an endowment of $2,000 or more, you may name your fund and determine the use of the interest it will generate to benefit Athens youth.

  • Should you want to memorialize a family member or friend, you may make your own gifts and ask others to make their gifts in any category you choose. 

FOR YOUR GUIDANCE

The McClure Athens Education Foundation will provide you with a sample endowment form prepared by Garry E. Hunter, attorney at law, who also volunteers his services.

The individual governors and school administrators will also respond to questions and welcome suggestions whether you are planning a gift, fielding an idea, or seeking information regarding established programs.

Giving Categories

What's on the McClure Menu for Athens Youth?

From this list is anything missing you would like to see for our own or other youngsters?

College Scholarship and Achievement Awards

  • Three annual $1,000 entry-level scholarships have been funded by J. Warren McClure, AHS '37, with an initial $50,000 and further supported by $6,000 from the $12,000 endowment from Herbert F. McVay, AHS '38, by a $2,391 bequest from Eugenia A. Kresge, AHS '41, and by a gift of $525 from the AHS Class of 1945.

  • The Frances Helsel Williams $500 Music Scholarship is available to a student enrolled in the Ohio University School of Music.  In years when there is no qualified applicant, one half of the interest is invested in the principal and the other half is available for a music project.

  • The Betty Mizicko Award, established in memory of Betty Cokonougher Mizicko, AHS '39, by members of the AHS "37, '38, and '39 classes, honors an outstanding AHS senior student of history with a $100 gift.

  • The Anne Pickering Book Award is a gift from her nephew memorializing the former AHS English teacher and goes to an outstanding senior English student.

  • The Edward A. Sprague $100 Leadership Award annually honors the outstanding AHS Senior Class leader.

Educational Challenges Fund

  • The Beth Barcikowski (Mrs. B's) Science Fund was endowed with $6,400 by Dr. Robert S. Barcikowski to maintain a science laboratory at East Elementary School in memory of the beloved science teacher.

  • The R. Kenneth Kerr Endowment was established by the Kerr Distributing Company, Inc. with a $3,000 grant to support Athens school-based programs emphasizing drug and alcohol abuse prevention.

  • The Mary Elizabeth Lasher Journalism Award is supported by a $4,000 gift from the AHS '38 graduate to send up to five AHS journalists to the Ohio University Scripps journalism summer high school workshop.

  • The Herbert F. McVay Endowment of $12,000 expresses the appreciation of Fullington McVay, AHS '38, for his twelve years of education in Athens schools.  Half of the interest goes into McClure scholarships.  Of the remainder, earnings from $1,500 are used to promote foundation activities and from $4,500 to enable the participation of needy students in school enrichment programs for which no tax funds are available.

  • The Deborah Chen Russ Memorial Fund of $3,500 was created by the family and friends of the AHS 1983 class valedictorian to facilitate the participation of at least one AHS student in the annual Ohio Model United Nations Conference or another international project.

  • The Nell Foster Schaenen Voice Award is based on a $5,000 gift from the 1938 AHS graduate to aid talented, ambitious high school level voice students to move to more professional stages of musical proficiency.  Not for regular voice lessons, it funds participation in special exercises with emphasis on language, diction, interpretation, and musical structure as needed.

The Opportunity Fund

  • In 1997, when the McClure Athens Education Foundation celebrated the 10th anniversary of its mission on behalf of Athens youth, it heeded a special need to encourage and recognize the talents of Athens students whose interests and capabilities are in non-academic careers.

  • Based on his own experience as then publisher of The Athens Messenger, G. Kenner Bush knows that the community has real need for men and women trained for meaningful careers in technical, electronic, building, and service fields vital to the well-being of every town.

  • Bush thus took the initiative and established the opportunity Fund with a $10,000 endowment in the Bush name.

  • In August 1997, when Athens honored J. Warren McClure for first challenging alumni and friends of Athens Schools with his initial foundation gift, he too gave $10,000 to the Opportunity Fund.  Since then, fund gifts have been made by friends and family of the warmly remembered teacher, coach, and school principal Marion E. "Elzie" Wood, AHS '40, and other believers in the fund.