2020 Scholarship Awards
Logan Stevens was only 16 when an automobile accident cut his life short in the summer of his sophomore year of high school, a time when many students are just beginning to make their college plans. His mother, Laurie Stevens, was determined to give purpose to her loss and created the Logan Stevens Memorial Scholarship at Marion Community Foundation from the proceeds of a GoFundMe effort by Logan’s classmates and family. Then, Stevens decided to hold off making an award until this year – to correspond with what would have been Logan’s graduation. Gemma Starrs, River Valley’s All-Ohio pole vaulter, will take Logan’s name to new heights as the first recipient of the scholarship which bears his name.
Starrs’ mother, Mary Jo, said her daughter was brought to tears upon learning of the scholarship. “What are the odds that a friend of Logan’s would be the first to get his scholarship?” she asked. Her daughter is one of 226 area students, both high school seniors and college students, to receive a share of the $442,000 in scholarships awarded this year from Marion Community Foundation.
Logan Stevens started high school at Marion Harding and transferred to River Valley. His ready smile helped him make friends quickly – including with Starrs — and leave a mark on the students of both schools. After Logan’s passing, students on both sides of the stadium wore a t-shirt in his honor at the next Harding-River Valley football matchup, making a strong statement of unity at a game usually known for its rivalry. Proceeds from the t-shirt sales were added to the scholarship fund.
“This scholarship was created by something that began as a horrible accident,” said Laurie Stevens. “But, as tragedy often does, it brought a community together.”
Logan was, according to his mother, a typical teenager. He enjoyed video games, good music, and his ever-expanding shoe collection. He dreamed of opening his own shoe store – with a basketball court in it so shoppers could try out the shoes before buying.
Starrs is a multi-sport athlete who would have needed some of those shoes. She was a soccer team captain for two years and excels in track and field. Her pole vaulting skills took 6th place at last year’s state track and field meet with a vault of 11’2” as a junior. In addition to soccer and track, she earned varsity letters in cross country and basketball.
“Gemma is one of the top student-athletes I have been associated with during my 35 years of teaching and coaching at River Valley,” said head track coach Kevin Keller. “She has an unusual level of focus and discipline and the type of personality that makes her a natural role model and team leader. She has a great work ethic and ability to take advantage of opportunities.”
One of those opportunities will be to continue her pole vaulting career as a Wheeling University Cardinal in the fall. She will major in exercise science and plans to become a neuromuscular massage therapist, specializing in deep tissue massage for athletes. She will also minor in business. Like so many Marion area students, her senior year was abruptly cut short by the coronavirus pandemic and the closing of Ohio’s schools.
“It has not been what I was expecting my senior year to be like,” she said. “It’s upsetting and frustrating, but I try not to dwell on it. I try to focus on college and what I have to look forward to. I’m grateful I have this scholarship and lots of people supporting me. Receiving Logan’s scholarship is very special to me.”
“As we enter this season of virtual and drive-thru graduations, and a multitude of other changes brought on by the pandemic, Marion Community Foundation committed to completing our scholarship program on time, to give the students and their families some sense of certainty for their fall college planning,” said Dean Jacob, president and CEO of Marion Community Foundation.
Jacob noted that 113 funds make up the Foundation’s 2020 scholarship program and produced 281 awards for area students, both high school seniors and college students.
“Nearly half of our scholarship funds were created to memorialize a loved one, as the Stevens family has done,” said Jacob. “We are grateful to these and all our donors who make this scholarship program possible.”
Marion is fortunate, he said, to have a community foundation where virtually anyone can establish a memorial fund for a loved one or family member. Endowed funds at Marion Community Foundation are permanent, with awards made in the honoree’s name each year, forever.
“The purpose of Logan’s scholarship is to both preserve his memory and help others follow their dreams,” said Stevens. “We hope Gemma, and all the students who will receive the scholarship in the future, will do as Logan wished – follow your dreams, fulfill your purpose, and love life.”
A complete list of the 2020 scholarship awards may be found on our scholarship page.
