The Moshannon Valley Community Education Foundation recently received an endowment in memory of a member of the class of 2017 – Scott “Scotty” Beers.
The endowments were presented by his parents, Gordon and Valerie Beers and provided through the generosity of many family, friends and community members.
“It was an honor to have known Scott,” said Kris Albright, high school principal at Moshannon Valley. “He was the type of student who always had a positive attitude and a great sense of humor.
“He was one of the top electrical students to come through recently and had such a promising future and career ahead of him.”
In October of 2018, Scott passed away from injuries sustained from an all-terrain vehicle accident.
The Moshannon Valley Community Education Foundation has collaborated with the Beers family and the school’s Scholarship Committee to develop criteria and establish the process for selecting an annual recipient for this scholarship.
The inaugural Scott William Reed Beers Memorial Scholarship will be presented to two graduating seniors from the class of 2019 at this year’s Awards and Scholarship Ceremony, scheduled for Wednesday, May 29 at 5:30 p.m. in the high school gymnasium.
The scholarships are geared toward students continuing their education within a trades field with special consideration to students enrolled in the Electrical Occupations program or any course of study at the Clearfield Country Career & Technology Center.
Scott Beers was born Feb. 25, 1999. He was a member of the Black Knight football and wrestling teams, History Club, Varsity Club and National Honor Society while in high school.
Scott also attended the Clearfield County Career and Technology Center and earned certification from its electrical occupations program.
“Scott Beers was a proud Clearfield County Career and Technology student, graduating from the Electrical Occupations program,” said Matt Kephart, principal at the Career and Technology Center.
“Scott used the skills he learned at the CCCTC to continue his education beyond high school, entering the apprenticeship program through Penelec.
“His plan to use the knowledge and skills learned at the CCCTC in his future were an embodiment of the vision the school has for all its students.”
Following graduation from Moshannon Valley, Scott attended Edinboro University through First Energy Corp./Penelec’s Power Systems Institute program.
The PSI program, is a unique, two-year program that combines classroom learning with the hands-on training needed to open the door to opportunities in the electric industry; once completed, students earn an Associate’s degree.
While going to school, Scott also worked for Penelec as an apprentice lineman and was a member of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) Local 459 union.
“Scott was a hard-working individual. He would’ve made a great lineman. Less than 1 percent of the population can do this job, and he is the exact type of person that we look for,” said Brett Kephart, lead lineman at Penelec.
Kris Albright, MVCEF president, thanked many of Scott’s family, friends and those from the community who helped in establishing the endowment to provide the funds to start the scholarship in his memory.
“The foundation is extremely grateful for everyone‘s involvement,” he said. “Having known Scott and seeing him mature as a student was rewarding; … I can only imagine what he might’ve accomplished.
“It is an honor to help establish this scholarship to recognize his legacy. We look forward to continue working with Scott’s family members and friends to recognize the impact that he had on those who were fortunate enough to know him.
“Endowing this scholarship will help ensure that his memory lives on within our community and assist future MVHS graduates with their post-secondary schooling plans of pursuing a degree in the trades or technical field.”
Currently the Moshannon Valley Community Education Foundation awards 10 other scholarships provided by the generosity and support of community businesses and individuals – the Houtzdale Moose, L.O.O.M No. 327 Scholarship, the Kruise-Spewock Funeral Homes Inc. Scholarship, the Carolyn (Green) Ball Memorial Scholarship, the Children’s Orthopedic Services Inc. Scholarship, the Jeffrey Gallaher Memorial Scholarship, the Alumni Scholarship, the William J. “Joey” Ellis Scholarship, the Christopher A. Souder Scholarship, the Major Christopher E. Reed Memorial Scholarship and the Dylan Ludwig Memorial Award.
In addition to securing scholarships for graduating seniors, the Moshannon Valley Community Education Foundation supports education in the school district through teacher grants and alumni speakers.
Since 2012, MVCEF has awarded nearly $50,000 in educational-related funding to the faculty and students at Moshannon Valley.
The MVCEF is an independent, 501(c)(3) non-profit, public charity dedicated to the mission of ensuring the highest level of educational innovation supporting students, faculty and staff, with community involvement, in a partnership of lifetime learning.
MVCEF raises funds through alumni donations, bequeaths, grants and EITC contributions from companies and organizations.
All financial contributions made to the MVCEF are tax-deductible. If you are interested in starting a scholarship endowment or contributing to the Scott William Reed Beers Memorial Scholarship trust, please contact Kris Albright at 814-378-7616.
Contributions can also be made through the foundation’s Web site: www.movalley.org/MVCEF using the ‘Donate’ button under the ‘Donations/Donors’ tab; please denote that your contribution is for this scholarship in the comment box.
Contributions may also be mailed to MVCEF, 4934 Green Acre Rd., Houtzdale, PA 16651 or submitted directly to the trust account at First Commonwealth Bank in Houtzdale.
Family and friends are in the process of organizing an annual benefit ride. “We want this event to not only help sustain our efforts in providing opportunities for students who want to further their education in the trades industry, but also provide those who knew our son a chance to remember him and what he enjoyed most,” said Mrs. Beers.
The Beers family is working with the Ramey Fire Co. on planning this event and hopes to hold the inaugural ride this summer; more details and the date will be announced once they are finalized.
