BOARD POLICY 5219
The Vernon B. Wood Scholarship
Introduction
The late Vernon B. Wood, M.D. was a native of Lawrence County and a practicing physician in Ironton and Lawrence County for many, many years. Dr. Wood was a graduate of a county high school and of the College of Medicine at the Ohio State University.
As a family physician throughout the city and county for such a long period of time, Dr. Wood established himself as an outstanding physician, a popular and likeable individual, and a friend to all, regardless of their station in life. He was truly a friend to mankind – a humanitarian – who gave freely of himself to others, and often beyond the call of duty in assisting those in need. This scholarship is symbolic of Dr. Wood’s dedication to and his interest in the welfare of others, particularly those youth who choose to further their education by attending schools of higher learning.
It shall be the Policy of the Ironton City Board of Education to follow the wishes of the Wood family and the instructions and mandates of the Trustees of the Vernon B. Wood Memorial Fund and hereby establish the Dr. Vernon B. Wood Scholarship in honor of and in remembrance of the late Dr. Wood.
1. The scholarship shall be known officially as the Dr. Vernon B. Wood Scholarship.
2. The Treasurer of the Ironton City Board of Education shall have the responsibility of opening the (monetary) account, making deposits, and disbursing scholarship funds, as approved and directed by the Ironton City Board of Education, according to Board Policy.
3. The Ironton City Board of Education shall have the authority to invest the Wood Memorial Funds in an Ironton Bank or building and loan which is federally insured. The Board shall also have the authority and right to choose the institution of deposit for this fund.
4. The original and ensuing monies in the Wood Memorial Fund shall remain intact and unused. Only the accrued interest on the investments may be used to provide scholarships. The new income from investments from May1 to May 1 of the first and each succeeding year shall be the amount of the annual scholarship grant.
5. The Science Scholarship is to be awarded to a graduating senior at Ironton High School for the student’s outstanding performance in the science courses as offered at Ironton High School.
6. The Ironton High School counselor(s) shall serve as a Nominating Committee to choose the five (5) students in each year’s graduating class at I. H. S. (beginning with the Class of 1986) who rank highest in combined science score, which must include either Chemistry I or Physics, based upon; final class averages of all high school science courses at the end of the first semester of the senior year; and ACT science score.
7. All of the five (5) students chosen/nominated by the I.H.S. Nominating Committee shall be listed as eligible for the scholarship award, but only one of the five shall be chosen to receive the scholarship. In the event the student chosen does not wish to go to higher learning, the second highest shall be chosen (by the Selection Committee).
8. The Selection Committee composed of the Ironton City Superintendent of Schools, the I.H.S. principal, the (then) president of the Board, the director of instructional services, and the president of Academic Boosters Club shall choose the Wood Scholarship recipient from the five (5) students nominated or named by the Nominating Committee.
9. A Selection Committee shall have the sole power to select the scholarship award recipient. There can be no appeal from the Selection Committee’s decision. This decision is final.
10. There shall be only one scholarship granted the first year, and only one each succeeding year.
11. The Dr. Vernon B. Wood Scholarship is to be presented at the I.H.S. Commencement each year the scholarship is awarded. The (then) president of the Ironton City Board of Education or his/her designee shall present the award.
12. This scholarship award is to be presented only to a student who plans to attend college, university, or science-oriented school or institution of higher learning.
13. The Wood Scholarship is a “one-time” award. It cannot be renewed by any student who has once received it. Thus, a new or different student will be the recipient each year.
14. The award money shall not be paid directly to the recipient, but must be paid to the financial office of the college or institution where the recipient is enrolled, for purpose of tuition, books and supplies, room and board, or other such necessities.
15. Payment of scholarship monies by the district’s treasurer to the attending school’s office of student financial aid may be paid to such institution only upon the enrollment of the recipient student, not prior to enrollment.
16. In the event that the income from any one year is not granted, that income would be added to the principal of the Vernon B. Wood, M.D. Memorial Fund.
11-19-85
Revised 5-16-88