The Alaska Community Foundation and the Ketchikan Community Foundation are pleased to announce a new scholarship to further educational opportunities for students at Ketchikan High School who achieve valedictorian status.
The Brindle family, who have a long history in Southeast Alaska, were inspired to start the scholarship to give back to Ketchikan. Their generous donation of $100,000 will create the Alec and Cornelia Brindle Family Scholarship and provide a generous scholarship of $5,000 to each year’s graduating valedictorian. The scholarship is intended to provide opportunities for Ketchikan students to pursue and achieve their dreams, whether through a vocational school or an undergraduate degree.
“Ketchikan has provided our family with many opportunities, and this is a way for us to create opportunities for others,” said Alec Brindle, Jr.
The scholarship is also a way for the family to honor the late A.W. “Winn” Brindle, who graduated from Ketchikan High School on May 16, 1920, That fall, Winn entered the University of Washington where he planned to major in Mining Engineering. Unfortunately, the death of Winn’s father and lack of tuition funds forced him to stop his education after only one year and return to Ketchikan to take care of his mother and six younger siblings.
“This scholarship is intended to honor my late father’s aspirations and what he could have achieved had he been able to stay in school,” said Alec Brindle, Sr.
Ketchikan High School Principal Bob Marshall notes, “Ketchikan High School is grateful to the Brindle Family for their generous donation that recognizes a Kayhi Valedictorian for their academic excellence, service and leadership while helping with their educational expenses and inspiring classmates to excel in future endeavors.”
The Alaska Community Foundation and the Ketchikan Community Foundation expect to award the Brindle Family Scholarship to coincide with the Class of 2018’s graduation.