SPA and THEE BUCKEYE CLASSIC each donated $500 to the KAREN LEE BURNETTE SCHOLARSHIP FUND June 19 at Thee Buckeye Classic tournament.
Burnette taught at Barberton High School for 29 years in addition to serving as a counselor. She passed away February 2, 2018.
A scholarship fund has been set up by her husband MARCO BURNETTE with the BARBERTON COMMUNITY FOUNDATION to award two $1,000 scholarships each year to a Barberton graduates.
The requirements are they must live in the city and carry a 2.00 GPA.
As a teacher BURNETTE concentrated on underprivileged, under-served and what many considered average students
"Those are the types of students KAREN would have wanted her scholarship to serve," MARCO BURNETTE said. "Kids who are on the border line of being college eligible but are hard working and trying to improve and have a true desire for a college education."
"Karen was a very caring, loving and giving person who always thought of others before herself," he added. " She touched the lives of many people over the years, both students and adults.I know she would really appreciate the kind scholarship contributions by SPA and THEE BUCKEYE CLASSIC'
This was the first scholarship donation by THEE BUCKEYE CLASSIC but the 65th for SPA and its second to a BARBERTON student.
In 2014 SPA awarded a $500 scholarship to TYLER OWEN who attended AKRON U.
"We (SPA) has been awarding $500 scholarships for the past 18 years," HOOKS said. "It may not seem like much but to families which do not have much money, it is a lot."
"When my dad died, I was 16 and the local church donated $500 to my college education," HOOKS said. "To me it was a lot of money and I try to repay what the church did for me to others who have the same situation."