1st Kamenetz scholarship winner to be announced
Fund created after county executive’s death in 2018
The Central Scholarship nonprofit is expected to announce Wednesday the inaugural winner of a scholarship established in memory of the late Baltimore County Executive Kevin Kamenetz.
The scholarship, worth $44,000 over four years, will recognize the “academic and community achievements” of a Baltimore County public high school graduate, the nonprofit stated in a news release.
The Kevin Kamenetz Scholarship Fund was created after the then-Baltimore County executive died suddenly in May 2018 while running for the Democratic nomination for governor.
After paying outstanding bills and consulting with Kamenetz’s family, the campaign decided to donate the money in his political account to charity, as allowed by state law. Most of the money — $915,000 — endowed the scholarship managed by Central Scholarship, an Owings Mills-based organization that provides college scholarships in the Baltimore region.
Additional money from Kamenetz’s campaign account was given to programs at Northwest Hospital, the Hippodrome Foundation and the Maryland Zoo.
The scholarship fund was established by the Committee for Kamenetz in consultation with the family — Kamenetz’s wife, Jill, and sons Karson and Dylan, according to the nonprofit.
“This award is given in honor of Kevin Kamenetz, the former Baltimore County Executive whose life was defined by his devotion to public service, his belief in education, and his love for his family,” Central Scholarship president Jan Moylan Wagner said in a statement. “The scholarship recognizes an outstanding young person who, like Kevin, has a strong academic record and demonstrated community service.”
A new Baltimore County public high school student will be selected to receive the scholarship each year, the nonprofit said. Central Scholarship awards $1 million annually in scholarships to students throughout Maryland.