The legacy left behind by Lynn Beebe, former guidance counselor at Scotts Valley Middle School, will be in the Scotts Valley students who continue on to pursue a college degree.
The Lynn Beebe College Counseling Scholarship, a non-profit volunteer organization, started in 2013, to honor Beebe after she died in 2012 from breast cancer. Since then, the scholarship has helped over a dozen Scotts Valley High School students navigate the college application process all the way to receiving acceptance letters. This year’s two recipients, Jennifer Smith and Sage Welch, both sophomores at SVHS, were selected from a pool of 10 applicants.
“I know that we are truly making a difference in some of these persons lives,” said Pam Lawson, Scotts Valley resident and secretary of the LBCCS Board of Directors.
Beebe was a long time member of Scotts Valley Unified School District staff and assisted several students as they prepared for what happened after high school. The scholarship was formed with the help of a small group of friends and family after her death and has only continued to grow. The scholarship is intended to offer students guidance the entire way through the college application process. Recipients of the scholarship receive paid-for test prep for the S.A.T.’s and/or A.C.T.’s as well as test costs and extra sessions with the high school guidance counselor outside of school hours.
Students are required to submit an application including two letters of recommendation, a transcript and a resume. Each student is interviewed before the board of directors before a final selection is made. Winners of the scholarship are selected for an exhibit of desire and ability to succeed in college or a vocational school, it is not based solely on financial hardship or grades.
“I am always amazed at how well these students do during the interview process,” Lawson said. “It gives me great hope for their and our future.”
Both Lawson, along with fellow board member Allison Niday, remember the impact that Beebe had on their children as they prepared for college. Niday credits Beebe with helping her daughter and son expand their ideas on what would be the right college for them.
“We talk a lot about what Beebe’s legacy is,” said Niday. “The focus is to continue to help kids navigate the college process.”
On Wednesday, LBCCS’s Fifth Annual “Wine Down Wednesday” will be at Malone’s Grille. Wine tasting tickets are $20 at the door, along with the silent auction. This year’s offerings include a week stay in Hawaii or Tahoe, San Francisco Giants tickets and several other gift packages.
This event is one of two fundraisers the LBCCS hosts, the second one being a letter writing campaign in the fall. Last year the event raised approximately $8,000. Funds raised help going towards the organizations endowment so the scholarship can continue in the years to come.
“We want to be there for the kids who might not have the best support or guidance to go through the college process,” Niday said. “Or for the students who might not realize the various options available to them.”
