Phillip and Carol McAteer Education Fund in Memory of Charles and Vivian Kennedy of Charleston, West Virginia – 1317

Fund Type: Endowment Fund

Fund Description:

To encourage the attainment of a High School diploma and/or Trade School education. 

To verify the eligibility of, encourage and underwrite individual students’ fees (and when needed, travel expenses) associated directly with completion of the General Educational Development (GED) examination or its equivalent for residents of Morgan County.  Other application expenses for trade school certifications will also be considered.

Purpose: Donors Phillip and Carol McAteer have sustained and shared their personal conviction that educational opportunity and attainment are critically important, and in most instances mandatory, keys to self-esteem, career opportunity and personal advancement as both individuals and citizens.

The McAteers believe that not only does education pave the path to personal, career and family stability and success for those of all ages and circumstances, but also that no one should be denied the opportunity to earn the equivalency of his or her high school diploma because of an inability to pay the fees associated with the exam.

This fund was recently expanded to include trade school application expenses because Mrs. McAteer’s mother was a teacher and her father was a carpenter/home-builder that completed 8th grade before starting to work to support his family. 

Funding will be provided to organizations that assist residents of Morgan County, Indiana, regardless of age, with earning their high school diploma or the completion of the High School Equivalency Assessment (HSEA), or its equivalent.  If a guidance counselor has a student that needs funding to apply for trade school (not a scholarship, but to make the application) this recommendation would also be considered.