FREDERICKTOWN — Fredericktown’s Board of Education approved a memorial scholarship from a former teacher, JoAnn P. Ewalt, at Tuesday’s meeting.
The William R. Ewalt and JoAnn P. Ewalt Charitable Remainder Unitrust Agreement will give one half of the remaining trust estate to the Fredericktown Local School District. These funds will create the JoAnn P. Ewalt Memorial Scholarship Fund, from which an annual scholarship may be issued to a student, chosen at the sole discretion of the Fredericktown Education Association (or its successor in interest,) intending to become a teacher, according to the board’s agenda.
The scholarship will also be awarded to a student who attends any accredited four-year college or university, and the award parameters shall be determined by the sole discretion of the association.
Fredericktown Treasurer Heather Darnold said she was unsure of the scholarship’s total amount.
“Many thanks to JoAnn for giving us this to our kids at Fredericktown,” Darnold said.
Also at the board meeting, Fredericktown citizen Becky Kirkpatrick and Knox Public Health Tina Cockrell addressed fentanyl in Knox County.
“I wanted to address the drug problem that we’re having,” Kirkpatrick said. “Actually it’s an epidemic, fentanyl in particular.”
Kirkpatrick said the community should be brave and bold when talking about fentanyl to students.
“(We) have conversations about alcohol, tobacco, sexting,” Kirkpatrick said. “We have all these conversations age approbate with the students. I think there needs to be a conversation about fentanyl and what it could do to you.”
Cockrell said Knox Public Health can have training sessions at schools for narcan stations, which helps keep overdose victims alive.
Board President Paul Napier said “this is something the board will need to look at and discuss” and thanked Kirkpatrick for bringing the issue to light.
