Carson Scholars Fund has benefactor on Sanibel Island

Local elementary school students have a unique tie to the founder of the fund that will provide 47 scholarships to them this spring. And, they can watch him on television.

Dr. Ben Carson, founder of the Carson Scholars Fund based in Baltimore, Md., is featured in a movie about his life portrayed by Academy Award-winner Cuba Gooding Jr. Based on his book "Gifted Hands," the movie will premiere on cable television Saturday, Feb. 7, on TNT. Dr. Carson and his wife Candy will be in Fort Myers on Saturday, March 21, to award 47 Lee County elementary school students with college scholarships.

The local scholarships are made possible by Sanibel Island resident Dr. Bill Frey, who became interested in the program after learning about Dr. Carson's dream to reward the youngest and brightest students and to promote their pursuit of academic excellence.

Dr. Frey made a $500,000 gift to the Carson Scholars Fund last fall to endow 15 Lee County elementary schools ($30,000 each) so school principals can offer a college scholarship to one student each year in perpetuity. The scholarships are based on academic excellence (3.75 GPA or higher) and community service for students in fourth or fifth grade. Students will be honored at the Lee County inaugural annual banquet in March where each will be awarded a medal of honor and held up as a role model for other students. Each of the schools will have a perpetual trophy with names of winners.

In addition to Frey's donation, two additional schools have been endowed by local donors The John A. & Aliese Price Foundation through T. Wayne and Mavis Miller, and John and Ellen Sheppard. Dewey and Brenda Tate, of Bonita Springs, and Harlan Parrish, president and CEO of Colonial Bank, have made an annual donation to provide scholarships this year at three area schools.

Permanent and perpetual named endowments are open to interested persons, businesses and organizations for the remaining elementary schools. In the interim, annual support ($1,500 a year) will allow for students from nonendowed schools to receive recognition and scholarships.


Source: fortmyers.floridaweekly.com