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'"The purpose of the Garner-Hayfield-Ventura Education Foundation is to enrich quality education in our children's future." 

 

We devote our time, talents, and resources to ensuring a top-quality education for students of the Garner-Hayfield-Ventura Community School District. 

 

Additionally, we seek to ensure those education area youth are recognized for their efforts and awarded for their successes. 

 

The Garner-Hayfield-Ventura Education Foundation was organized in 1997.  Its purpose is to seek additional funds for students and services in the Garner-Hayfield-Ventura CSD.  The GHV Education Foundation is a tax-free corporation. Accordingly, donations made to the organization are tax-deductible.

 

The Foundation, an entity separate and distinct from the district's School Board, is governed by a Board of Directors comprised of business persons, educators, and community members living or working within the Garner-Hayfield-Ventura School District. 

 

The Board of Directors for the Foundation meets regularly to identify academic projects or departments in need of additional financial resources.  When funds are available, and if the request is appropriate and consistent with our mission, we work to provide funding.  The funds we distribute to various school projects or extra-curricular activities come solely from donations.

 

We take our responsibility of being the steward for those who entrust their money to the Foundation very seriously to ensure that donations made to the Foundation will be used as requested by the donor.

 

The Foundation requests donations from community members, former graduates of Garner-Hayfield, Ventura, and GHV HS, and family and friends of said graduates.  Whether your donation is an annual $10.00 donation or a large bequest via your last will and testament, your support is greatly appreciated.  

 

Mr. Ken Kasper, Superintendent of Schools 

605 West Lyons Street

Garner, IA 50438

Phone: 641-923-2718 

 

In 2003, Mr. Bob Gray, husband of Frances, provided to the Foundation a $470,000.00 check for purposes of endowing scholarships for graduates of Garner-Hayfield-Ventura.  Applicants are required to have a veteran in their immediate family and must provide an explanation as to how the money will be used for their educational purposes.  Any qualified graduate may receive this scholarship as many as four times in a ten-year period.  The first scholarship was awarded in 2005.  To date more than $300,000.00 has been distributed to GHV HS graduates for post-secondary education. 

 

The Foundation received $121,118.30 in 2012, from the Frances Wellik Estate to be endowed for scholarships for Garner-Hayfield-Ventura graduates.  The recipients of the scholarships are chosen by a select committee as assigned by Ms. Wellik's Last Will and Testament.  The first scholarships were awarded in 2014. To date, seventy-three scholarships have been awarded totaling $36,500.

In 2013, the estate of Lucile R. Wesson left $144,572.43 to the Garner-Hayfield Education Foundation to be used for equipment and uniforms for the Garner-Hayfield-Ventura high school and middle school bands.  The principal has been invested and the band department will benefit annually from the interest earned.

Lora Mae Schoneman taught kindergarten at the Garner School/Garner-Hayfield School for 45 1/2 years (1946-1987). She was influential to countless students and families, providing educational fundamentals with patience, caring, and encouragement. Upon Lora Mae's death in 2019, her family wished to memorialize Lora Mae's intent to establish an ongoing annual scholarship. In 2021, the GHV Education Foundation received the funds to establish a scholarship in honor of Mrs. Schoneman. Applicants for this scholarship must be an education major and must be entering their third, fourth, or fifth year of college or in graduate school (full-time). In addition, applicants for this scholarship must be a graduate of Garner-Hayfield High School or GHV High School and must have a college cumulative GPA of at least 2.75.

Don Larkin, Jr. was an active member of the Garner community who gave much of his time to volunteer activities. Don served the Garner community in various capacities, including Garner City Council and the Garner United Presbyterian Church. Don was a member of the Garner Jaycees for many years and was awarded a JCI Senatorship, the highest distinction a Jaycee can receive. Don's untimely death in 1996 was a shock not only to the Garner community, but also to many he served through Jaycees and other service organizations. The Don Larkin, Jr. Memorial Scholarship is designed to go to a graduating senior who embodies the true spirit of community service. This scholarship is a one-time scholarship of $250.

Open Arms Christian Ministry Church was established in Garner as a non-denominational church and existed for several years in the Garner community. Upon its dissolution, the directors of the church voted that all remaining funds of the church be given to the GHV Education Foundation to establish an ongoing scholarship for graduates of the GHV High School. Two (2) $250 scholarships may be awarded each year. Criteria for this scholarship include that the recipients will be attending a 2-year college, a 4-year college or university, or a trade school in any field of study, must be of good character, and must have attained a cumulative GPA of at least 2.0. It was the intent of Open Arms to establish this scholarship for those graduates who display moral character but who may not have the highest GPA in their class and may otherwise be overlooked for other scholarships.

This scholarship was originally established by the Ventura Education Foundation. After the merger of Garner-Hayfield and Ventura Schools and the consolidation of the Ventura Education Foundation and the Garner-Hayfield Education Foundation, this scholarship is now under the umbrella of the Garner-Hayfield-Ventura Education Foundation. The recipient of this scholarship is selected by the superintendent, high school counselor, and high school principal by determining one GHV High School senior who stands out and has excelled in an area. The key component is that the student must have gone above and beyond and excelled in any area - academics, athletics, extra-curricular school activities, or activities outside of school. This one-time scholarship is determined by a percentage of the value of the investments of the scholarship funds.