Memorial scholarship fundraiser set for Feb. 18 at Kingsbury Elementary in Sumter

In the spirit of carrying on the torch for future educators, current and former Sumter School District teachers of the year will host an annual scholarship fundraiser next month.

The district's annual Hailey Bordeaux Memorial Scholarship dinner, set for Feb. 18, will honor the 2011 Sumter High School graduate who was a junior early childhood education major at the University of South Carolina when she died in a boating accident in July 2014. She was a South Carolina Teaching Fellow and was on the President's List at USC.

The district's Teacher Forum, composed of current and former teachers of the year, established a memorial scholarship in her honor later that same year.

The scholarship is awarded annually to a district high school senior who is planning to major in education and attend a state college or university to become a teacher.

This year's dinner fundraiser will be at Kingsbury Elementary School, 825 Kingsbury Road, from 4 to 6:30 p.m. Turkey tetrazzini dinners will be available for takeout only with drive-through and carryout services, according to a flyer.

Tickets are $7 and are on sale through Feb. 1. To purchase tickets or for more information, the district is advising people to contact a Teacher Forum representative, Kingsbury Elementary at (803) 775-6244 or Denice Merrick at denice.merrick@sumterschools.net. Checks should be made payable to Sumter School District with "Hailey Bordeaux Memorial Scholarship Fund" on the memo line. All proceeds will benefit the district Teacher Forum's Hailey Bordeaux Memorial Scholarship for Future Educators.

This year's scholarship will be awarded at the Teacher Forum Celebration of Excellence, which will be held in May.

Last year, Lakewood High School senior Kaleigh Geddings was the scholarship winner, receiving $3,000.