A culmination of hard work and perseverance across the span of four years poses a great accomplishment for senior students as they embark on their next chapter of life. Fueled by the seniors’ remarkable personal, academic and athletic achievements, Grosse Pointe South Mothers’ Club provides the spark that ignites their future plans in the form of scholarships to any eligible applicant. In keeping with the 80-year tradition of scholarships, the Mother’s Club hosts a plethora of donors and benefactors who create scholarships to pay homage to their alma mater or, on a more personal level, in dedication to a deceased loved one.The evening of May 4 commenced the Mothers Club Scholarship Event, which showcased and honored upon the stage each scholarship recipient and the donor family or business who provided the award. On that evening, 68 scholarships were bestowed on each student who went through the application process, a number that Mother’s Club VP of Scholarship, Jennifer Kendall, was very proud of.

“We’re certainly grateful to everyone who continues to support this long tradition because it is important for us to recognize the students who have worked so hard during their four years,” Kendall said. “I’m continuously amazed by how much goes into all of your lives as you’re working to move past high school, and I hope that people will continue to donate to this opportunity so that next year, if 90 students apply, we can provide them with 90 scholarships.”

Aiding in the continuation of the scholarship program, the Knuth family created a memorial scholarship, titled the Nice Matters Foundation, in dedication to Hampden “Meade” Maxwell, a deceased friend who was a 2013 South alumni. Jacqueline Mathis Knuth shares that their connection with Maxwell was based on sailing, but most importantly, kindness, which is the explanation for the yearly award being given to the student who exudes both positivity and a love for sailing.

“Meade was so kind, and he made a difference not only in my life but in Chas’ life and in Mae’s life,” Knuth said. “He was so nice to my boys, and I just felt like that was special, and you don’t always meet people that are like that. I felt like he really impacted all of our lives, and I felt like it would be nice if we did something in his name, and the biggest thing was that he was nice.”

Similarly, one of the two students who was awarded the Jeffrey M. Halso Memorial Scholarship, Alex English ’23 states that he is grateful to receive an award that demonstrates both leadership and community service. “I was very honored because I felt that it was a really sincere gesture from the Halso family,” English said. “Setting up a memorial foundation itself and helping students pursue their academic careers on the next level- I think that is really kind.”

In addition, English provides encouraging advice to any future student seeking to apply for one of the numerous scholarships Mother’s Club provides.

“My advice would be to express yourself and be yourself because you cannot really fake someone that you’re not,” English said. “The Halso family was very generous in seeing me for me and I’m grateful for that.”