ABOVE (from L): Dawna Andersen, Rayan Blair, Jessie Horning, Ava Pusztai, Eileen & Stewart Ford, Julia Irwin

We have some exciting news just in time for back to school season! 

Thanks to the Ford Family Endowment Fund, five students from Penhold Crossing High School have each received a $5000 scholarship toward their post secondary education. 

Administered through the Red Deer and District Community Foundation, the Ford Family Endowment Fund was created in 2013 when long-time Penhold residents Stewart & Eileen Ford donated $500,000 to invest in the future of students. They added to this initial investment again in 2018 when they doubled their donation, ensuring access to education for Penhold students for years to come.  

Congratulations to Dawna Andersen, Rayan Blair, Jessie Horning, Julia Irwin, and Ava Puzstai, recipients of the 2021 Ford Family Endowment Scholarships. These students exhibited commitment to academics, citizenship, and the arts, and each of them expressed profound gratitude as scholarship recipients.  

“Julia Irwin, who will be attending the University of Calgary in the fall, said “this generous scholarship will be monumental in assisting me in dedicating my time and concentration to my studies.” While Ava Puzstai, recipient of a Ford Family scholarship to recognize the applied arts, said “I am thankful they saw such possibility in me.”  

With their commitment to the education and growth of local students, the Ford family demonstrates the lasting impact of investing in the future of their community.