Eidt fund to offer ‘legacy scholarships’
NORWALK — Kevin M. Eidt, a graduate of Norwalk High School, was just 18 years old when he died from cardiac arrest on Jan. 23, 1997, during his freshman year at Boston College.
In his honor, his family established the Kevin M. Eidt Memorial Scholarship Fund, a 501(c)(3) charitable organization that aims to recognize “outstanding achievement in academics, athletics, arts, and community and religious commitment.”
The fund will hit its 25th year in 2021 and to recognize both its longevity as well as some key milestones for organizations supported by the charity, Kevin’s Fund will offer up to $25,000 in “legacy scholarships.” These scholarships will be awarded to anyone who comes up with ideas that are adopted by designated organizations during the 202021 academic year to promote awareness of Kevin’s Fund or specific significant milestones taking place in 2021.
The designated organizations include: Boston College Emergency Medical Services, City of Norwalk, Kevin M. Eidt Memorial Scholarship Fund, Norwalk High School, Norwalk High School Kevin M. Eidt Chapter of the National Honor Society, Norwalk High School Marching Band, Norwalk Public Schools and St. Jerome Youth Group.
There will be five milestones celebrated in relation to Kevin and/or the fund.
The Boston College Emergency Medical Services organization will be celebrating its 25th anniversary in 2021, which was formed in Kevin’s memory in 1997 to provide “quality, emergency medical care to Boston College to prevent any such tragedy from occurring again.”
On April 2, 2021, the youth group of St. Jerome Parish in Norwalk will present its 25th consecutive presentation of the 14 Steps, a musical rendition of the Stations of the Cross that is set to the music of Hair, Godspell and Jesus Christ Superstar, that was resurrected in 1997 in Kevin’s memory.
Later that month, Kevin’s Fund will present its 25th Norwalk High School Scholarship that is given out to the most outstanding senior in the Class of 2021. For the past 14 years, the award has been at least $100,000 and it is given to the senior who “most reminded the scholarship selection committee of Kevin and his breadth of demonstrated interests, involvements and achievements.”
The fund will also present its 25th scholarship for the Norwalk High School Marching Band in the spring of 2021, which is awarded to the fouryear member of the band, who is both in good standing and has the highest cumulative gradepoint average.
That spring will also include the 25th St. Jerome Youth Group scholarship, awarded to the person who has a demonstrated commitment to the youth program.
The individual who submits the best proposal for each designation organization, as chosen by the Fund’s Selection Committee, will receive a $2,500 scholarship. Every other proposal that is approved by the Fund’s Selection Committee and implemented will receive a $1,000 scholarship.
“Anyone is eligible to submit one or more suggestions for one or more designated organizations and receive one or more scholarships,” a release from the fund reads. “A scholarship recipient not in, nor planning to attend a US college, university or graduate school, may transfer the rights to the scholarship to any individual attending or planning to attend a qualified institution, by notifying the Fund in writing. All scholarships awarded by Kevin’s Fund must be made to a US not for profit college, university or graduate school.”
Through 2019, the fund has benefited 162 recipients and provided $2.1 Million in merit scholarships.
Forms are available on the fund’s website at KevinsFund.org