HALEYVILLE - A partnership between the Haleyville Alumni Association and the Walker Area Community Foundation has created the first-ever endowment fund for the alumni association, keeping funding secure to not only fund deserving student scholarships, but also much needed classroom supplies for teachers.
This announcement was made June 7, by members of the Haleyville Alumni Association at the annual HHS alumni luncheon at the elementary cafetorium.
Alumni Association President Heidi Mize King, Will Walker and Candy Hicks Garner, all members of the HHS class of 1984, took the helm of the alumni association this year, reorganizing it and working to enhance programs and procedures that were already in place.
This year marks the 74th anniversary of the Haleyville Alumni Association’s formation in 1951, King explained. Founding members were Boyce S. Albright, Beulah Kennedy Dillard, Opton Kelly, F.A. Harvey, Walter Joe James Jr., and Clyde Mayhall.
The HHS Scholarship Foundation was established in 1993, with founding members Boyce S. Albright, Jerry Jackson, Rickey McCreless, Jimmy Roby and Irene Rockhill.
“Because of their efforts, 33 years later, the Haleyville Alumni Association has awarded $379,000 in scholarships to 118 students,” King proudly pointed out.
“From the first, fellowship has always been a primary objective,” King stated concerning the alumni association. “The first alumni meeting in 1951, was an evening dinner and dance where they served baked ham with pineapple, cheese potato casserole and strawberry shortcake.
“We are going to continue supporting the luncheon,” King continued. “We’re also looking for ways to engage graduates and reconnect them with our school.”
One of these ways, King explained, was to expand the governing body’s initial officers to a large board of directors representing a wide variety of graduating classes, as well as friends of alumni living both inside and outside of Haleyville.
The second objective, King continued, was promoting Haleyville City Schools.
“This is another area we are wishing to strengthen,” she noted. “We see ourselves as more than just ambassadors, using our resources, our expertise and our networks in every way to further the interest of Haleyville City Schools.”
The third objective, she said, was to fund scholarships.
“It is important that any money donated to this association is managed responsibly and works for generations of Haleyville students,” King emphasized.
This has resulted in the creation of an endowment to be housed at the Walker Area Community Foundation, where the principal funds will not be touched, so the accumulating interest can be used annually to fund scholarships for deserving HHS seniors, she explained.
“Our initial goal is $200,000 to raise,” said King. “With that money, we can fund every year four $2,500 scholarships.”
As of the date of the alumni luncheon, the alumni association had $174,135.12 in the fund, according to King.
“I know there’s somebody here today that has an extra $25,864.88 just lying around they would like to donate,” said King, met with laughter from the audience.
“We don’t want to stop there,” she continued, “because our next financial goal is to raise another $100,000 for teacher grants.
“More than ever, public schools are strapped for cash and it’s small systems like ours that stand to suffer the most,” King stated.
“So by expanding our mission to include grants, we can provide teachers with funding for classroom resources, field trips, anything that might help them, as they work to engage and ignite student learning,” King stressed.
She then directed attendees’ attention to signage that had been above the doorway as they entered the school that day, reading, “The future of the world is in this school today.”
“Who you are today is because of this school,” King continued.
King recalled that she remembered working as a library aide at Haleyville Schools for librarian Wynell Howell, who gave her the job of reading the new books and marking out the curse words.
This statement received a roar of laughter from the audience.
“I believe in education, and I believe it gave way to the American dream,” King continued.
King then focused the audience attention to the variety of ways they could give to these cause, with buckets being passed around the room for anyone wanting to make a donation.
Paul Kennedy, president of the Walker Area Community Foundation, then addressed the audience, stating the WACF shared with the alumni association a common dream to make sure “every student from our part of Alabama has the opportunity to succeed, to grow and to thrive right here at home.
“I know, Walker and Winston counties have had a long tradition of friendly competition, football fields, county fairs, who grows the biggest tomato, but today we face challenges that don’t stop at the county line,” Kennedy stressed. “And the opportunities don’t either.”
WACF has for years made investments to help students find their footing for the future, Kennedy said.
For over a decade, the Foundation has been actively investing in Winston County,” Kennedy emphasized. “Grant-making from our endowment with no strings attached, just neighbors helping neighbors, to the tune of more than a million and a half dollars into non-profits in Winston County, serving Winston Countians.”
Although not originally from Alabama, Kennedy stated his very first office was located in Rabbittown in Winston County, he said.
“We did all of that grant making and investing without asking for anything in return,” said Kennedy, “because we believe in this region and we believe that we will all rise together.
“None of this happens overnight,” Kennedy continued. “None of this happens without our committed partners, people who believe in building something lasting.”
Kennedy concluded by inviting alumni and others to invest, not just in Winston County, but in its shared future.
“The truth is, we rise for all, together,” Kennedy concluded. “We’ve been reaching out, but now we’re asking you to meet us in the middle, so we can succeed together, as we always have.”
Walker then addressed alumni that in the past the alumni association annually has awarded four students $4,000 in scholarships.
Since the alumni association is now partnering with the Walker Area Community Foundation in the endowment, next year, four more scholarships can be awarded, Walker informed.
These scholarships are a welcome sight for students, especially with the rising cost of tuition, Walker explained.
“Current, in-state tuition at (the University of) Alabama is $11,684,” said Walker. “Room and board averages around $15,916, for one year.”
When the scholarship fund started with the alumni association in 1993, $4,000 covered nearly half of a student’s tuition cost, Walker continued. “For a public school to have an endowment is very special.”
How to donate
Donations can be made online at www.wacf.org; through Venmo: @WalkerArea-CommunityFoundation or mailed to the Walker Area Community Foundation, Haleyville Alumni Association Fund, P.O. Box 171, Jasper, Al. 35502.
See complete story in the Northwest Alabamian.
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