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To donate, please click here!
The first two scholarships are devoted to our alma mater – Texas A&M University. With both of us being first-generation Aggies, our ties to the university and the leadership roles we held provided a deep perspective and appreciation into the gift that is attending Texas A&M. Wanting to give kids who come from Hill County and aspire to attend TAMU this same opportunity was a core motivator for the creation of the K | K Enrichment Foundation.
We are proud of our school on the Brazos and look to create a pipeline of Legacy and First-Generation Aggies for generations to come.
This $1,000 scholarship will be awarded to a Hill County student who is going to be a first generation Aggie.
The first two scholarships are devoted to our alma mater – Texas A&M University. Both of us being first-generation Aggies, our ties to the university and the leadership roles we held provided a deep perspective and appreciation into the gift that is attending Texas A&M.
Wanting to give kids who come from Hill County and aspire to attend TAMU this same opportunity was a core motivator for the creation of the K | K Enrichment Foundation.
We are proud of our school on the Brazos and look to create a pipeline of Legacy and First-Generation Aggies for generations to come.
This $1,000 scholarship will be awarded to a Hill County student who is continuing their family tradition of attending Texas A&M University.
While we were both involved in FFA throughout our years in Hill County, this scholarship in particular is a passion-point for Jace Kolar stemming from his experience as an officer in Area 8, a Texas FFA Foundation Intern, and a livestock exhibitor for a decade.
“We believe in the future of agriculture,” and aim to support our next generation of agriculturalists in their educational endeavors.
This $1,000 scholarship will be awarded to a Hill County student who exemplified leadership/involvement in agriculture (either in FFA or 4H) throughout their high school career.
After working for Central Texas Iron Works from 1972-1978, being accepted into the Texas A&M University Engineering program as one of the first females accepted as an engineering student in 1976, and then owning her own successful architecture company in Central Texas in the 1980’s — Jace’s grandmother, Donna French, shifted her focus to education earning her Bachelor’s in English and Math as well as working towards a Master’s in English.
While Donna enjoyed her years of education at schools like Penelope High School and Hillsboro High School (head of the math department), she still holds a passion for trade careers and programs.
The K | K Enrichment Foundation aims to support young women in their educational pursuits and believes that it is necessary to create more seats at the table for women in both education and the workforce.
This $1,000 scholarship will be awarded to a female student in Hill County who plans on going to work in industry either in the trade field, as an engineer, or similar career path.
Growing up in Abbott, Texas, Zach’s grandmother, Agnes Marak, developed a passion for serving others from a very young age. Whether it was helping students as a Teacher’s Aide for 32 years at Abbott I.S.D., teaching CCD at the Immaculate Heart of Mary Catholic Church, or volunteering at the West Rest Haven Nursing Home, Agnes has always put other’s needs before her own.
“She truly is someone I look up to and model my life after. Her passion for helping others and leaving the world a better place is unlike anything I have ever seen. I hope that one day I can become half the person she is.”
This $1,000 scholarship will be awarded to a student in Hill County who exemplifies selfless service through volunteering and helping out in the local community.
D.J. Beseda, endearingly known to many as “Gigi,” spent her life working as an educator and coach, was passionate about forming young lives and had a radical desire to improve the public education system. She found her fulfillment in special education, where her tenderness was most apparent, working with many students diagnosed with dyslexia, autism, and other learning disabilities. This scholarship is for those students in Hill County with the same motivation; those with the passion to embrace the public school system and call forth the best in students who have been overlooked.
This $1,000 scholarship will be awarded to a student in Hill County who plans to go into education following high school.
The Patrick & Wilma (Rejcek) Kallus: Honoring Family Roots with a Focus on the Future Scholarship will be awarded to a graduating senior from Penelope High School.
Patrick and Wilma were both graduates from Penelope High School. Patrick Kallus, Class of 1947, played basketball for Coach R. E. McAfee. Wilma Rejcek Kallus, Class of 1951, also played basketball and was part of the annual staff who prepared the first yearbook for Penelope High School in 1950. Debbie, oldest daughter of Patrick and Wilma Kallus, and husband, Bill, wanted a way to honor her parents and give back to the local community where they grew up. Penelope holds a special place in the Dunn and Kallus families’ hearts, so as soon as Debbie and Bill found out about the formation of the K | K Enrichment Foundation, they reached out about fully funding their own scholarship for students in Penelope.
This $1,000 scholarship will be awarded to a student from Penelope ISD who plans on continuing their education following high school.
Janet Ann Gordon was an extraordinary teacher, mentor, counselor, child advocate, advisor, and she deeply cared for each one of her students as her own. She had a special knack for understanding and empathizing with her students on an individual level. At her funeral, there were hundreds of students that paid their respects and confided in the family how much of an impact she had on their lives. Many of her students have gone into the realm of education as a result of her influence.
In 1982, she began her teaching career at Hillsboro High School, and later taught in Penelope ISD. She also taught English at Abbott ISD for 12 years before moving to Itasca ISD where she taught an additional 12 years. She was named Who’s Who Among American High School Teachers, Strathmore Who’s Who for Teaching Excellence, and received the Mirabeau B. Lamar Award for Teaching. She was also awarded the University Scholastic League Sponsor of the Year Award in 2003 from the University of Texas for her work with the students.
In partnership with Westfest, the Westfest Community Leadership Scholarship will be awarded to a graduating senior of West High School who has shown a great aptitude for service in the West community. The K | K Enrichment Foundation is proud to be expanding their reach into the West community and appreciates Westfest in supporting their mission.
This $1,000 scholarship will be awarded to a student from West High School who exemplifies selfless service through volunteering and helping out in the West community.
These scholarships will be awarded to a graduating senior from Penelope High School and a graduating senior from Abbott High School pursuing careers as educators. Sharon and her mother Albina Marek Howard were both graduates of Penelope High School. Sharon was the Valedictorian of the Class of 1969, and her mother was a member of the Class of 1941.
Sharon loved teaching, creating special bonds with many students throughout the years. These scholarships are for those students from the Penelope and Abbott schools with the same eagerness to teach and encourage.
A $5,000 scholarship will be awarded to a student at Abbott and Penelope High School who plan to go into education following high school.
