Teacher organizes scholarship in brother's name

Lisa Schuette described her brother as "brilliant."

"He loved school. He loved to travel," she said.

Although he didn't get a chance to travel much before he died at 18, he's now helping young students have the opportunity.

"He's an inspiration still," Schuette said. "He's changing lives 24 years later."

The John Gaskill Scholarship helps eighth-graders attend the World Strides trip to Washington, D.C.

The idea came to Schuette four years ago when she was approached to donate to one student's fund for the education trip in April.

She said she'd always thought about creating a scholarship in honor of her brother, who was diagnosed with a brain tumor shortly after the eighth grade. He died from it in 1984.

"This seemed perfect," she said. "It was a subject he loved. It was the right age group. It was something that was meaningful."

Over the years, Schuette has reached out to other groups to help raise money for the scholarship.

She's received contributions from her family and the Carson Middle School parent-teacher association. In May, second-grade students at Empire Middle School raised $87 through a coin drive at the school.

This year, the 20/30 Club agreed to an annual pledge. To receive the award, students must complete 30 hours of community service and submit an essay titled, "What I Learned While Serving the Community."

Miranda Callahan, an eighth-grader at Carson Middle School, is this year's recipient of the $1,000 contribution from the 20/30 Club, along with $500 from contributions raised by Schuette.

Callahan volunteered at FISH as her service project.

For more information about the scholarship, contact Schuette at schuette@carson.k12.nv.us.